What is Diarrhea?
Most kids battle diarrhea from time to time, but the good news is that it’s often caused by infections that don’t last long and usually are more disruptive than dangerous. Still, it’s important to know what to do to relieve and even prevent diarrhea.
Diarrhea can be caused by a virus or bacteria in your child’s intestines. This makes your child’s bowel movements (BMs) looser and come more often. Mild diarrhea is when your child has a few loose BMs. When the BMs are watery, the diarrhea is severe. it is also associated with vomiting and low grade fever. It is important to mention any recent travel to your doctor when your child has diarrhea.
The most common causes of diarrhea include:
- Viruses. Common viruses that cause diarrhea are Norwalk virus, cytomegalovirus, viral hepatitis and the herpes simplex virus. Rotavirus is the most common cause of acute childhood diarrhea. Viral diarrhea spreads easily.
- Bacteria and parasites. Contaminated food or water can transmit bacteria and parasites to your body. Parasites such as Giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium can cause diarrhea. Common bacterial causes of diarrhea include campylobacter, salmonella, shigella and Escherichia coli. Diarrhea caused by bacteria and parasites can be common when traveling in developing countries, and is often called traveler’s diarrhea.
- Medications. Many medications can cause diarrhea. The most common are antibiotics. Antibiotics destroy both good and bad bacteria, which can disturb the natural balance of bacteria in your intestines. This disturbance sometimes leads to an infection with bacteria called Clostridium difficile, which can also cause diarrhea.
Other causes
- Lactose. A sugar found in milk and milk products, lactose is a common cause of diarrhea in some people.
- Fructose. Fructose, a sugar found in many fruits, is a common cause of diarrhea, especially in children.
- Artificial sweeteners. Sorbitol and mannitol, artificial sweeteners found in chewing gum and other sugar-free products, can cause diarrhea in some otherwise healthy people.
- Surgery. Some people may experience diarrhea after undergoing abdominal surgery or gallbladder removal surgery.
- Other digestive disorders. Chronic diarrhea has a number of other causes, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome.
Symptoms of diarrhea can be broken down into uncomplicated (or non-serious) diarrhea and complicated diarrhea. Complicated diarrhea may be a sign of a more serious illness.
Symptoms of uncomplicated diarrhea include:
- Abdominal bloating or cramps
- Thin or loose stools
- Watery stool
- Sense of urgency to have a bowel movement
- Nausea and vomiting
In addition to the symptoms described above, the symptoms of complicated diarrhea include:
- Blood, mucus, or undigested food in the stool
- Weight loss
- Fever
In children, particularly young children, diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration. Call your doctor if your child’s diarrhea doesn’t improve within 24 hours or if your baby:
- Hasn’t had a wet diaper in three or more hours
- Has a fever of more than 102 F (39 C)
- Has bloody or black stools
- Has a dry mouth or cries without tears
- Is unusually sleepy, drowsy, unresponsive or irritable
- Has a sunken appearance to the abdomen, eyes or cheeks
- Has skin that doesn’t flatten if pinched and released