Although your child may find it embarrassing, a bout with diarrhea is no laughing matter. Typically lasting no longer than a few days, diarrhea---characterized by watery stools occurring three or more times per day---can dehydrate your child to the point of danger in a matter of hours. Diarrhea for extended periods of time can also point to a more serious problem with your child's health. Knowing the common causes of diarrhea in children gives you the information you may need to save your child's life some day.
Types
Diarrhea in children can be either acute or chronic. Acute diarrhea lasts four weeks or less and is usually a result of a temporary infection such as bacteria, a parasite, a virus, a food intolerance or a reaction to medication. Chronic or long-term diarrhea, which lasts longer than four weeks, is usually due to an extended disease or disorder, such as irritable bowel syndrome. Typically, children are more likely to suffer from acute diarrhea rather than chronic diarrhea.
Bacterial Infection
Usually the result of children consuming contaminated food or water, bacterial infections that cause diarrhea in children include Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella and Escherichia coli (E. Coli). The most common of these bacteria, E. Coli, affects very young children more severely and is frequently accompanied by vomiting and severe stomach cramps. You can reduce your child's chances of getting E. Coli and similar bacterial infections by teaching him to practice good hygiene habits and by always thoroughly cooking raw meats.
Viral Infections
Various viral infections cause acute diarrhea, including viral gastroenteritis, commonly known as the stomach flu. According to KidsHealth.Org, rotavirus---a viral infection characterized by explosive, watery diarrhea---is the most common cause of acute childhood diarrhea, infecting most children at least once before they reach the age of 5. Rotavirus typically hits during the winter and spring months and rapidly spreads from child to child in daycare centers and preschools, usually lasting three to nine days. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a routine childhood vaccination against rotavirus, which prevents approximately 98 percent of severe cases.
Food Intolerances
If it is sporadic or occurs for more than several weeks, your child's diarrhea may be caused by a food intolerance or allergy. Lactose intolerance, one of the most common food intolerances in children, is an inability to break down the lactose sugar in milk. Your child's body does not make enough lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose. The resulting cramps, gas and diarrhea can be mild or severe, depending upon the severity of the intolerance.
Parasites
A variety of parasites, including Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica and Cryptosporidium, cause diarrhea in children. These parasites enter your child's body through food and water, settling in the digestive system before causing watery diarrhea that frequently can last longer than two weeks. Children in child care settings and those who accidentally drink infected waters in locations such as swimming pools and water parks are most likely to contract these parasites. According to the CDC's Division of Parasitic Diseases, you can best protect your child from parasitic diarrhea by practicing good hygiene and avoiding contaminated food and water.
Considerations
Regardless of its cause, diarrhea is a serious illness in children that has the potentially life-threatening side effect of dehydration. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, your dehydrated child can die within three days. If your child has diarrhea, watch her carefully for signs of dehydration, which include a dry or sticky mouth, no tears when she cries, sunken eyes or soft spot, lack of urine for 12 hours, cool skin, lethargy, fatigue and dizziness. Take your child to your doctor if he shows signs of dehydration or if she has diarrhea for more than 24 hours.
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