Diarrhea in Toddlers

An infant is said to be suffering from diarrhea if he eliminates watery, loose and unformed stools more than three times in one particular day. Diarrhea is pretty common in toddlers, though the child who is suffering can be in immense pain and discomfort because of it.

Causes of Diarrhea in Toddlers

Viral infection : Diarrhea in infants could be caused due to a viral infection. Some of the viruses that cause diarrhea are viral hepatitis, norwalk virus, herpes simplex virus and rotavirus. Out of these, rotavirus is known to cause up to ten percent of diarrhea cases in the United States.

Bacteria Infection: Diarrhea in toddlers could also result from eating food or drinking water infected with bacteria, in short, due to food poisoning. Some of the common bacteria that cause diarrhea are salmonella and E. coli bacteria.

Sensitivity to Foods: Some infants might be sensitive to certain foods and when they consume them, it leads to diarrhea. Many children are known to be lactose intolerant i.e, they get stomach disorders the moment they consume milk or milk products.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Irritable bowel syndrome can cause diarrhea in toddlers too. If the diarrhea is accompanied by severe stomach pain which the infant expresses through crying, then the most probable reason is irritable bowel syndrome.

Disease in Intestines: Diarrhea in children could be a symptom of some underlying disease of the intestine which the child has such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease.

Side effects of Medicine: If the child is undergoing some medications, diarrhea could be a side effect of that particular drug. Antibiotics are known to cause diarrhea in infants.

Treatment Methods

In most cases, diarrhea in infants usually lasts for about a week or so. But if proper baby care is taken and treatments are provided well in time, the diarrhea can be cured within three to four days. Here are a few means of treating diarrhea in toddlers.

Re-hydration
To treat diarrhea and to prevent dehydration resulting from it, give the child lots of fluids. Replacing the electrolytes and the lost fluids is very essential as the electrolytes determine the water content in the body and also affect the muscle activity. So feed the child with soups or broths that are rich in sodium and potassium. Another alternative is the oral Re-hydration treatments such as Infalyte and Pedialyte, that are easily available with most pharmacies. They too prove to be very effective in rehydrating the baby and thus, treating diarrhea in infants.

Diet
The diet includes soft foods such as rice, banana, potatoes, toast and properly cooked vegetables such as carrots. The foods that should be discontinued from the diet include milk and the various milk products. Foods that are very oily, fatty or spicy should also be excluded from infant's diet as the baby might get diarrhea after eating them. High sugar content foods and high fiber foods are also known to make the diarrhea even more severe. Food for toddlers with diarrhea should be such that it is light on the stomach and easily digestible.

Medication
Certain medicines to treat diarrhea are also recommended by doctors. However, diarrhea which is caused by a bacterial infection should not be treated by medicines as the medication might trap the bacteria in the intestines of the baby and thus, lead to an even more severe bout of diarrhea. Most of the time, doctors recommend antibiotics for treating diarrhea in infants.

Thus, diarrhea in babies and toddlers can be easily treated at home. However, if persistent diarrhea with fever above 102 degrees, blood or pus in stools, black stools and dehydration, is observed for more than one day, it is advisable to contact a pediatrician immediately.