Kids - Diarrhoea

      • The frequency and consistency of stools in children varies with age.
      • Diarrhea is a sudden increase in frequency and looseness of the stool.

  • The main concern with diarrhea is if the child is becoming dehydrated or is acting sick or if the diarrhea is lasting more than 1 to 2 weeks.
  • A child with two or three watery stools who is happy and drinking well is not a concern.

Severity of diarrhea varies with the age group.

  • A younger infant will take less diarrhea production to get dehydrated.
  • Remember that breast-fed infants are different and have a lot more stool production.
  • Keep in mind that other fluid losses like vomiting and sweating from a fever will add to further fluid loss and increase the risks of dehydration.

These are rough guidelines for severity of diarrhea:

    • Mild diarrhea is present if the child is having 3 to 4 stools in 24 hours that are not particularly large in volume.
    • Moderate diarrhea is present if the child is having 5 to 6 stools in 24 hours that are of medium volume (not leaking out of the diaper in massive amounts).
    • Severe diarrhea is present if the child is having 7 to 8 or greater stools of large volume that are running down the legs and require a total clothing change.

If the child is having 3 to 4 very large stools, this is probably more moderate diarrhea and so the volume of each stool is important

CALL DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY 

  • Signs of  severe dehydration
  • Bloody diarrhea, especially if more than just specks of blood
  • Red, "currant jelly stools"
  • Severe, constant abdominal pain
  • Listless, lethargic, difficult to arouse or acting sick

CALL DURING NORMAL HOURS 

  • The child is on medicine that may be causing diarrhea or recently completed a course of antibiotics
  • Moderate or severe diarrhea without signs of dehydration
  • Mucous or pus in the stool
  • Fever  for more than 3 days
  • Diarrhea for more than 1 week that is mild
  • Known ill contacts to bacterial or parasitic cause of diarrhea
  • Concerns about food allergy, food poisoning
  • Infants under 3 or 4 months
  • Home dietary treatment is not helping after 24 hours

Reddish Stools:

  • "Red currant jelly" stools are a sign of intussusception and require an immediate call to the doctor.
  • When a child is drinking red colored liquids, the stools may be reddish. If you are not sure if this is blood or red fluids, your doctor can test this chemically in the office. Stop giving red fluids and the problem should go away.
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