Diarrhea | Symptoms & Causes
What are the symptoms of diarrhea?
The following are the most common symptoms of diarrhea. However, each child may experience symptoms differently. Severe or chronic diarrhea may indicate a serious disease, making it important to consult your child's health care provider if any or all of the following symptoms persist:
- Cramping
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Nausea
- Urgent need to use the restroom
- Fever
- Bloody stools
- Dehydration
- Incontinence
The symptoms of diarrhea may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your child's health care provider for a diagnosis.
What are the causes of diarrhea in children?
Diarrhea in children may be caused by a number of conditions, including the following:
- Bacterial infection
- Viral infection
- Food intolerances or allergies
- Parasites
- Reaction to medications
- Intestinal disease, such as inflammatory bowel disease
- Functional bowel disorder, such as irritable bowel syndrome
- Result of surgery on the stomach or gallbladder
Many people suffer "traveler's diarrhea" caused by a bacterial infection or a parasite, or even food poisoning.
Diarrhea | Diagnosis & Treatments
How is diarrhea diagnosed in children?
In addition to a complete medical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests for blood and urine, the child's health care provider may request:
- Stool culture to check for the presence of abnormal bacteria in the digestive tract that may cause diarrhea and other problems. A small sample of stool is collected and sent to a laboratory by your health care provider's office. In two or three days, the test will show whether abnormal bacteria are present.
- Blood tests to rule out certain diseases
- Imaging tests to rule out structural abnormalities
- Tests to identify food intolerance or allergies
- Sigmoidoscopy, a diagnostic procedure that allows the health care provider to examine the inside of a portion of the large intestine, and is helpful in identifying the causes of diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, abnormal growths, and bleeding. A short, flexible, lighted tube, called a sigmoidoscope, is inserted into the intestine through the rectum. The scope blows air into the intestine to inflate it and make viewing the inside easier.
How is diarrhea treated in children?
Specific treatment for diarrhea will be determined by your child's health care provider based on:
- Age, overall health, and medical history
- Extent of the condition
- Tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
- Expectations for the course of the condition
- Opinion or preference
Treatment usually involves replacing lost fluids. Antibiotics may be prescribed when bacterial infections are the cause.
To replace the body fluids that are lost with diarrhea, children should drink fluids liberally. If they are dehydrated, a glucose-electrolyte solution (for example, Pedialyte or Infalyte) should be given to help the body absorb fluid more easily. These fluids have the right balance of water, sugar, and salts, and some are available as popsicles.
Additional hydration considerations for treating diarrhea include:
- Avoid juice or soda because these drinks may make diarrhea worse.
- Too much plain water at any age can be dangerous.
- Do not give plain water to infants.
- If you are bottle-feeding or breastfeeding your child, continue to do so.
How we care for diarrhea
The Boston Children’s Hospital Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition is ranked among the best children's hospital by U.S. News & World Report. Our team includes the best doctors and clinicians for children, who can help with the diagnosis and treatment of different gastrointestinal diseases, including problematic or chronic diarrhea. For children who have chronic diarrhea with a genetic cause — also called congenital enteropathy — the skilled clinicians in our Congenital Enteropathy Program can offer comprehensive evaluation and treatment.
