Diarrhea in Children

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine. All Rights Reserved. HealthyLife.com

Diarrhea is when you pass stool many times a day, and it is watery, runny, and loose. (Passing stool is called having a “bowel movement.”)

Diarrhea is one way your child’s body fights infection. Diarrhea can also clean out your child’s intestines when he or she eats something bad. Children get diarrhea often, especially mild diarrhea.

Causes

Breastfed babies have many soft bowel movements in a day. They may pass stool every time they eat. Twelve or more bowel movements a day is OK. This is not diarrhea. Bottlefed babies don’t have as many bowel movements. Even so, 1 or 2 loose stools is not diarrhea. In a baby, diarrhea is many very runny bowel movements.

• Infection by viruses, bacteria, or parasites (A virus is the most common cause. Your child may also throw up, have a fever, have a runny nose, and/or feel very tired. Children can catch these viruses at school or daycare.)
• Eating too much of foods they are not used to
• Food poisoning
• Allergies, such as milk allergy
• Taking too many laxatives. (Example: Teens trying to lose weight sometimes take laxatives.)
• Taking some medicines. (Example: Antibiotics.)
• Getting upset
• Drinking bad water or food while traveling
• Catching an infection from someone else who has been traveling

Watch out for dehydration. Dehydration is when your body doesn’t have enough water. This is very important if your child is throwing up, too. Dehydration can happen very fast in babies and young children.

• Sunken eyes
• Dry mouth and dry skin
• Crying that has few or no tears
• Dry diaper for more than 3 hours in a baby
• Passing no urine for more than 6 hours in a child
• Feeling weak and tired
• Easily upset or very fussy

• Blood or pus in the stool
• Very bad pain in the stomach or rectum
• Acts very sick
• Vomits often

Self-Care

Signs of Dehydration

• Thirsty
• Dry mouth and dry skin
• Dry diaper or passed little or no urine
• Confused or dizzy