What are the common causes of diarrhea? How can diarrhea be treated? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this comprehensive guide.

Understanding Diarrhea: Causes and Symptoms

Diarrhea is a common condition characterized by loose, watery bowel movements. It can occur for a variety of reasons, from viral infections to food allergies. Understanding the underlying causes and recognizing the symptoms of diarrhea is crucial for effective treatment and management.

15 Common Causes of Diarrhea

1. Viral Infections: Viruses, such as norovirus and rotavirus, are a common cause of diarrhea, often referred to as the “stomach flu” or “intestinal flu”.
2. Bacterial Infections: Bacteria, including Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli, can lead to foodborne illnesses that result in diarrhea.
3. Parasitic Infections: Certain parasites, such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium, can cause diarrhea.
4. Food Allergies and Intolerances: Consuming foods that one is allergic or intolerant to, such as lactose or gluten, can trigger diarrhea.
5. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Conditions like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can cause chronic diarrhea.
6. Malabsorption Disorders: Conditions that affect the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, such as celiac disease and lactose intolerance, can lead to diarrhea.
7. Medications: Certain medications, including antibiotics, laxatives, and antidepressants, can cause diarrhea as a side effect.
8. Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy, particularly to the abdomen or pelvis, can damage the intestines and cause diarrhea.
9. Surgery: Surgical procedures on the digestive system, such as gastric bypass or colon surgery, can disrupt normal bowel function and lead to diarrhea.
10. Stress and Anxiety: Psychological factors, such as stress and anxiety, can contribute to the development of diarrhea, especially in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
11. Laxative Abuse: Overuse or misuse of laxatives can cause diarrhea and further disrupt normal bowel function.
12. Alcohol Abuse: Excessive alcohol consumption can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and lead to diarrhea.
13. Diabetes: Poorly managed diabetes can cause nerve damage and impair the digestive system, resulting in diarrhea.
14. Hyperthyroidism: An overactive thyroid gland can increase bowel movements and cause diarrhea.
15. Cancer: Certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer and pancreatic cancer, can lead to diarrhea as a symptom.

Recognizing Serious Symptoms of Diarrhea

While diarrhea is often a mild and temporary condition, there are certain symptoms that may indicate a more serious underlying health issue. These include:

• Blood or mucus in the stool
• Severe abdominal pain
• Persistent fever
• Severe dehydration
• Unintentional weight loss

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to seek medical attention promptly.

Diagnosing and Treating Diarrhea

To diagnose the underlying cause of diarrhea, your healthcare provider may perform a physical examination, order blood tests, and conduct other diagnostic tests, such as a colonoscopy or stool analysis. The specific treatment for diarrhea will depend on the underlying cause, but may include the following:

1. Rehydration: Drinking plenty of fluids, such as water, electrolyte-rich drinks, and broths, is crucial to prevent dehydration.
2. Dietary Changes: Avoiding foods that may be triggering the diarrhea, such as dairy products, fatty or spicy foods, and caffeine.
3. Medication: Over-the-counter medications like bismuth subsalicylate or loperamide can help alleviate diarrhea symptoms.
4. Probiotics: Consuming probiotics, either through supplements or fermented foods, may help restore the balance of gut bacteria and alleviate diarrhea.
5. Antibiotics: In cases of bacterial or parasitic infections, antibiotics may be prescribed to treat the underlying cause.
6. Treating Underlying Conditions: If the diarrhea is a symptom of a chronic condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease, treating the underlying condition is crucial.

When to Seek Medical Attention

Most cases of diarrhea are mild and resolve within a few days. However, it’s important to seek medical attention if you experience any of the following:

• Diarrhea that lasts more than 2 days in adults or 24 hours in children
• Severe dehydration, as indicated by dark urine, rapid heartbeat, or confusion
• Blood or mucus in the stool
• Severe abdominal pain or tenderness
• Fever higher than 101°F (38.3°C)
• Diarrhea that occurs after returning from a foreign country

By understanding the common causes of diarrhea and recognizing when to seek medical attention, you can effectively manage this often inconvenient, but usually not serious, condition.

Preventing and Managing Chronic Diarrhea

If you experience persistent or recurring diarrhea, it’s important to work with your healthcare provider to identify and address the underlying cause. This may involve dietary changes, medication, or treatment of an underlying condition. Additionally, maintaining good hygiene, practicing safe food preparation, and staying hydrated can help prevent and manage diarrhea episodes.

Conclusion

Diarrhea is a common and often temporary condition, but it’s important to understand the underlying causes and recognize when it may be a symptom of a more serious health issue. By seeking prompt medical attention, implementing appropriate treatment strategies, and making lifestyle changes to prevent and manage diarrhea, you can effectively address this condition and maintain optimal gastrointestinal health.

15 Common Causes and How To Treat It

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• What Is Diarrhea?
• Diarrhea Causes
• Diarrhea Symptoms
• Serious Symptoms of Diarrhea
• When to See a Doctor for Diarrhea
• Diarrhea Diagnosis
• Treatment for Diarrhea
• Relief From Diarrhea Symptoms
• When Diarrhea Won’t Go Away
• More

When you have diarrhea, your bowel movements (or stools) are loose and watery. It’s common and usually not serious.

Many people get diarrhea a few times a year. It normally lasts 2 to 3 days. Some people get it more often. That could be because they have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or other conditions.

Usually, diarrhea happens because of a virus that gets into your gut. Some people call it “intestinal flu” or “stomach flu.”

Other causes include:

• Allergies to certain foods
• Diseases of the intestines (such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis)
• Eating foods that upset the digestive system
• Infection by bacteria (the cause of most types of food poisoning) or other organisms
• Laxative abuse
• Running (Some people get “runner’s diarrhea” for reasons that aren’t clear. )
• Some cancers
• Surgery on your digestive system
• Trouble absorbing certain nutrients, also called “malabsorption”

Diarrhea may also follow constipation, especially for people who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

You may have:

• Bloating in your belly
• Thin or loose stools
• Watery stools
• An urgent feeling that you need to have a bowel movement
• Nausea and throwing up

Most cases of diarrhea are nothing more than a brief inconvenience. But sometimes, they warn of a serious condition. Talk with your doctor if your child has diarrhea for more than 24 hours. If you have it for more than 3 days, make an appointment.

Also, be sure to let your doctor know about your diarrhea if you have cancer, or have had recent treatment for it.

More serious symptoms of diarrhea include:

• Blood or mucus in your stool
• Weight loss

If you have watery stools more than three times a day and you’re not drinking enough fluids, you could become dehydrated. That can be a serious problem if it’s not treated.

Call your doctor right away if you have:

• Blood in your diarrhea or black, tarry stools
• A fever that is high (above 101 F) or that lasts more than 24 hours
• Diarrhea lasting longer than 2 days
• Nausea or throwing up that prevents you from drinking liquids to replace lost fluids
• Severe pain in your belly (especially the right lower quadrant) or rear end
• Diarrhea after coming back from a foreign country

These can be warning signs of things like:

• Infection
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Pancreatitis
• Colon cancer

Also, call your doctor right away if you have diarrhea and any of these signs of dehydration:

• Dark urine
• Smaller than usual amounts of urine or, in a child, fewer wet diapers than usual
• Rapid heart rate
• Headaches
• Dry skin
• Crankiness
• Confusion

Your doctor will ask about your medical history and what medications you take, as well as what you’ve eaten or had to drink recently. They will give you a physical exam to look for signs of dehydration or belly pain.

Certain tests can help pinpoint the cause of your diarrhea, including:

• Blood tests to look for certain diseases or disorders
• Colonoscopy, in rare cases, in which your doctor looks inside your colon with a thin, flexible tube that holds a tiny camera and light. They can also use this device to take a small sample of tissue. Or your doctor might need to do only a sigmoidoscopy, which looks at just the lower colon.
• Stool tests to look for bacteria or parasites

If your case is mild, you may not need to take anything. Adults can take an over-the-counter medicine such as bismuth subsalicylate or loperamide, which you can get as liquids or tablets.

You also need to stay hydrated. You should drink at least six 8-ounce glasses of fluids each day. Choose electrolyte replacement drinks or soda without caffeine. Chicken broth (without the fat), tea with honey, and sports drinks are also good choices. Instead of drinking liquids with your meals, drink liquids between meals. Sip small amounts of fluids often. Liquid probiotics may also help.

Your rectal area may become sore because of all the bowel movements that diarrhea brings. You may have itching, burning, or pain when you go to the bathroom.

For relief, take a warm bath or sitz bath. Afterward, pat the area dry (don’t rub) with a clean, soft towel. You may also try using a hemorrhoid cream or petroleum jelly on the affected area. If this continues for several days, you should contact your doctor.

If you still have diarrhea after 4 weeks, then you have chronic diarrhea.

To figure out the cause, your doctor will want to know your symptoms and medical history. You’ll get the most out of your appointment if you can tell them:

• How long you’ve had diarrhea
• Whether your diarrhea comes and goes, or is continuous
• If you think certain foods and situations make things better or worse
• If your stool looks bloody, oily, fatty, or watery
• Other symptoms you have and how long you’ve had them
• If you have a family history of chronic diarrhea
• Places you’ve traveled to recently
• Unusual foods you’ve tried in the last little while
• Any medication or supplements you’re taking
• If you’ve lost a lot of weight

Top Picks

15 Common Causes and How To Treat It

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• What Is Diarrhea?
• Diarrhea Causes
• Diarrhea Symptoms
• Serious Symptoms of Diarrhea
• When to See a Doctor for Diarrhea
• Diarrhea Diagnosis
• Treatment for Diarrhea
• Relief From Diarrhea Symptoms
• When Diarrhea Won’t Go Away
• More

When you have diarrhea, your bowel movements (or stools) are loose and watery. It’s common and usually not serious.

Many people get diarrhea a few times a year. It normally lasts 2 to 3 days. Some people get it more often. That could be because they have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or other conditions.

Usually, diarrhea happens because of a virus that gets into your gut. Some people call it “intestinal flu” or “stomach flu.”

Other causes include:

• Allergies to certain foods
• Diseases of the intestines (such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis)
• Eating foods that upset the digestive system
• Infection by bacteria (the cause of most types of food poisoning) or other organisms
• Laxative abuse
• Running (Some people get “runner’s diarrhea” for reasons that aren’t clear.)
• Some cancers
• Surgery on your digestive system
• Trouble absorbing certain nutrients, also called “malabsorption”

Diarrhea may also follow constipation, especially for people who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

You may have:

• Bloating in your belly
• Thin or loose stools
• Watery stools
• An urgent feeling that you need to have a bowel movement
• Nausea and throwing up

Most cases of diarrhea are nothing more than a brief inconvenience. But sometimes, they warn of a serious condition. Talk with your doctor if your child has diarrhea for more than 24 hours. If you have it for more than 3 days, make an appointment.

Also, be sure to let your doctor know about your diarrhea if you have cancer, or have had recent treatment for it.

More serious symptoms of diarrhea include:

• Blood or mucus in your stool
• Weight loss

If you have watery stools more than three times a day and you’re not drinking enough fluids, you could become dehydrated. That can be a serious problem if it’s not treated.

Call your doctor right away if you have:

• Blood in your diarrhea or black, tarry stools
• A fever that is high (above 101 F) or that lasts more than 24 hours
• Diarrhea lasting longer than 2 days
• Nausea or throwing up that prevents you from drinking liquids to replace lost fluids
• Severe pain in your belly (especially the right lower quadrant) or rear end
• Diarrhea after coming back from a foreign country

These can be warning signs of things like:

• Infection
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Pancreatitis
• Colon cancer

Also, call your doctor right away if you have diarrhea and any of these signs of dehydration:

• Dark urine
• Smaller than usual amounts of urine or, in a child, fewer wet diapers than usual
• Rapid heart rate
• Headaches
• Dry skin
• Crankiness
• Confusion

Your doctor will ask about your medical history and what medications you take, as well as what you’ve eaten or had to drink recently. They will give you a physical exam to look for signs of dehydration or belly pain.

Certain tests can help pinpoint the cause of your diarrhea, including:

• Blood tests to look for certain diseases or disorders
• Colonoscopy, in rare cases, in which your doctor looks inside your colon with a thin, flexible tube that holds a tiny camera and light. They can also use this device to take a small sample of tissue. Or your doctor might need to do only a sigmoidoscopy, which looks at just the lower colon.
• Stool tests to look for bacteria or parasites

If your case is mild, you may not need to take anything. Adults can take an over-the-counter medicine such as bismuth subsalicylate or loperamide, which you can get as liquids or tablets.

You also need to stay hydrated. You should drink at least six 8-ounce glasses of fluids each day. Choose electrolyte replacement drinks or soda without caffeine. Chicken broth (without the fat), tea with honey, and sports drinks are also good choices. Instead of drinking liquids with your meals, drink liquids between meals. Sip small amounts of fluids often. Liquid probiotics may also help.

Your rectal area may become sore because of all the bowel movements that diarrhea brings. You may have itching, burning, or pain when you go to the bathroom.

For relief, take a warm bath or sitz bath. Afterward, pat the area dry (don’t rub) with a clean, soft towel. You may also try using a hemorrhoid cream or petroleum jelly on the affected area. If this continues for several days, you should contact your doctor.

If you still have diarrhea after 4 weeks, then you have chronic diarrhea.

To figure out the cause, your doctor will want to know your symptoms and medical history. You’ll get the most out of your appointment if you can tell them:

• How long you’ve had diarrhea
• Whether your diarrhea comes and goes, or is continuous
• If you think certain foods and situations make things better or worse
• If your stool looks bloody, oily, fatty, or watery
• Other symptoms you have and how long you’ve had them
• If you have a family history of chronic diarrhea
• Places you’ve traveled to recently
• Unusual foods you’ve tried in the last little while
• Any medication or supplements you’re taking
• If you’ve lost a lot of weight

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causes, symptoms, treatment of diarrhea: what to give, how to stop quickly

Diarrhea, also known as diarrhoea, is a fairly common ailment that affects people of all ages. In addition to tangible discomfort, it is characterized by a significant decrease in the quality of life. In some cases, there are serious complications that require treatment in a hospital, therefore, with severe diarrhea that does not stop for a long time, you should consult a doctor.

It is important to eliminate the problem in any case, even when it was provoked by taking medications or products that have a laxative effect. Sometimes you can get rid of diarrhea on your own, but there are situations when you cannot do without medical help. You will need to contact a specialist if:

• the onset of fever and its increase;
• severe pain in the abdomen;
• dehydration;
• blood and purulent inclusions in fecal secretions, as well as mucus detection;
• intoxication;
• lack of stabilization for more than two days.

What is diarrhea

Diarrhea is understood as a type of disorder of the lower gastrointestinal tract, occurring against the background of frequent bowel movements, liquefaction of feces and the appearance of cutting pains in the abdomen. The disease can be provoked by poisoning as a result of taking stale or low-quality products, or be a sign of a serious pathology.

It is appropriate to talk about diarrhea when adults and children over the age of one year have liquefied or unformed stools more than three times a day. Fecal masses may contain inclusions of pus, blood, mucus, or particles of undigested food, which occurs due to a failure in the absorption of nutrients or damage to the gastrointestinal mucosa. Often, the disorder is accompanied by vomiting and nausea, as well as sharp pains in the abdomen.

Diarrhea in acute form occurs suddenly. Its duration is approximately a day or two. The chronic form is characterized by a longer duration, equal to four weeks, during which exacerbations are replaced by periods without any symptoms. The latter include:

• increased gas formation;
• general weakness;
• the appearance of bloody inclusions in the feces;
• sensation of pain during the urge to empty the bowels.

Quite often, diarrhea causes pain in the abdomen, similar to contractions, as well as belching with an unpleasant odor. In addition, there is an increase in body temperature to thirty-eight degrees or more, vomiting and itching in the anus. In some cases, diarrhea pills help relieve unpleasant symptoms, but medical attention may also be required.

Varieties

The general description of diarrhea implies an increase in the process of defecation up to three or more times within 24 hours, accompanied by liquefaction of feces. This disease has several types, which are distinguished on the basis of a number of signs.

According to the clinical course

In accordance with this symptom, the disease is classified into:

1. Chronic . In this case, the symptoms bother the person for four weeks. The provocateurs are parasitic, bacterial or viral intestinal pathologies of an infectious nature.
2. Acute lasting less than four weeks. The causative agents are the same diseases as for the type of diarrhea described above.

Separately, it is worth noting the so-called “traveler’s diarrhea”, which is understood as a clinical syndrome characteristic of people traveling to other climatic zones and countries. This condition worries for no more than a week.

By pathogenesis

Depending on the characteristics of the occurrence and development of diarrhea, the following types of it are distinguished:

1. Osmolar characterized by copious excretion of liquid feces with a significant proportion of undigested food residues.
2. Exudative characterized by mild fecal discharge with bloody or purulent inclusions.
3. Secretory , occurring against the background of bowel movements in a volume exceeding a liter per day.
4. Hypo- and hyperkinetic , which is a mushy or liquid stool in small volumes (one-time).

Causes of diarrhea in adults

The appearance of the disease leads to damage to the intestinal mucosa, which occurs under the influence of pathogenic microorganisms. It could be:

• adenovirus;
• salmonella;
• rotavirus infection;
• Coronavirus
• dysentery;
• E. coli;

Any of these pathogens can be found in contaminated food or water. In addition, dirty hands are a source.

There are also other causes of diarrhea:

• Lactose or gluten intolerance.
• Taking antibiotics for a long time.
• Frequent consumption of foods containing artificial sweeteners.
• Food poisoning.
• Inflammatory processes occurring in the pancreas.

In addition, in some cases, stool liquefaction is observed:

• During pregnancy.
• After vaccination.
• As a result of abdominal surgery.

As a rule, the liquid load of the stomach and intestines per day does not exceed ten liters. This volume also includes the digestive secret. Almost all liquid is absorbed by the large and small intestine. If the absorption process is disturbed, an increase in the volume of fluid in the lumen is observed, which provokes liquefaction of the feces. This may be due to:

• increased osmotic load resulting in accumulation of unabsorbed water-soluble substances in the intestine;
• increase the rate of transit of digested food in the lower digestive tract;
• increased excretion of intestinal secretions, as a result of which the body is not able to fully absorb it.

What diseases cause diarrhea?

Irritation of the intestinal mucosa occurs with the development of the following diseases and pathological conditions:

• Ischemia of the colon and small intestine.
• Congenital disorders of absorption.
• Neurogenic disorders.
• Pancreatic enzyme deficiency, chronic pancreatitis.
• Intestinal dysbacteriosis.
• Diseases of the thyroid gland.
• Irritable bowel syndrome.
• Tumors in the adrenal glands, pancreas or intestines.
• Obstructive jaundice.

Diarrhea with water is also a sign indicating the presence of diseases such as:

• ulcerative colitis;
• pseudotuberculosis;
• Crohn’s disease;
• amoebic dysentery;
• various viruses (roto-, COVID-19, adeno-, noro-).

Why do I have diarrhea during my period?

During the menstrual cycle, the concentration of prostaglandins in the body increases. They are hormones that affect the contraction of the smooth muscles of the intestines and uterus. This leads to the fact that during menstruation the activity of the muscle tissue of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract becomes higher. At the same time, food absorption slows down, and the release of electrolytes into the intestinal lumen increases. As a result, there is an increase in defecation. There is no need to treat diarrhea during menstruation.

Which doctor to contact for diarrhea

If there are signs indicating irritation of the intestinal mucosa and the development of diarrhea, you need to go to an appointment with a therapist. In addition, a gastroenterologist and a general practitioner can help solve the problem. Any of these specialists will prescribe the examination required for making an accurate diagnosis, which will determine the cause of the occurrence of unpleasant symptoms. Sometimes it may be necessary to consult a parasitologist or infectious disease specialist.

Diagnostics and examinations

In the event that the manifestations of the disease are noted for no more than three days, there is no reason for concern. However, the failure of attempts to independently eliminate the problem with the help of medications should be the reason for going to the doctor. In addition, you should make an appointment with a specialist if:

• fever;
• rapid weight loss;
• blood and purulent inclusions in feces;
• drop in blood pressure;
• dehydration and intoxication.

Before deciding what to give for diarrhea, the doctor will palpate the abdomen, find out the circumstances in which the symptoms arose, and also ask the patient about the presence of concomitant pathologies. In addition, the patient is weighed, body temperature and heart rate, as well as blood pressure are measured.

In the process of making a diagnosis, the specialist must solve the following tasks:

1. Determine the cause of the disease. You can understand how to stop diarrhea only when you identify its provocateurs.
2. Determine the duration of symptoms, which will make it possible to understand the nature of the disorder and determine the further tactics of the examination.
3. Identify disorders and their severity (dehydration, intoxication, etc.).
4. Exclude acute surgical pathologies.

Difficulties in making a diagnosis are rare. They appear only when diarrhea acts as the first sign of a systemic pathology, or becomes dominant in the clinical picture.

What tests should be done for diarrhea?

Analyzes are a standard component of the diagnostic program and make it possible to establish the reasons for the dilution of the drain and the increase in defecation. The list of necessary studies is determined by the doctor personally for each patient based on the duration and nature of the symptoms, as well as other factors. As a rule, the following laboratory tests are prescribed:

• general clinical and biochemical blood test;
• analysis of feces for helminth eggs, dysbacteriosis, intestinal infections.

Diarrhea guide

Most often, if such an unpleasant problem occurs, a visit to the doctor is not required due to the fact that it quickly passes on its own. In order to accelerate the pace of normalization of the state, it is recommended:

1. Drink as much fluid as possible while minimizing alcohol and caffeinated drinks.
2. Add low fiber foods such as crackers, boiled eggs, rice, etc. to your daily diet.
3. Avoid fatty or high-fiber foods, and spices and spices.
4. Take probiotics to help restore intestinal microflora. The choice of a suitable drug should be carried out together with the doctor.

At the first signs of an intestinal disorder, Polysorb should be taken. You will need to see a specialist for examination and treatment of diarrhea if you cannot get rid of it on your own within no more than three days. In addition, critically ill health should be the reason for an immediate visit to the doctor.

Popular drugs

Various drugs are prescribed as effective tools to combat intestinal upset. Only a doctor can prescribe this or that medication, taking into account the results of a verified examination. The most popular drugs are:

Antidiarrheal, with a complex action and able to solve several problems at the same time:

• slowing of intestinal motility;
• absorption activation;
• decreased tone of the intestinal musculature;
• prolongation of fecal transit.

Of this group, the most popular is smecta for diarrhea. Loperamide-based drugs are also prescribed.

Antimicrobials, indicated for patients in whom diarrhea is a sign of a bacterial infection. They are prescribed exclusively by a doctor after receiving the results of the diagnosis. The choice in favor of a particular drug depends on the established pathogen. It is important to remember that taking antimicrobials should be carried out exactly at the dosage indicated by the specialist. This is due to the fact that diarrhea after antibiotics is possible with their uncontrolled intake.

Other medicines aimed at combating such manifestations of the disease as abdominal pain, dehydration, etc. This group includes:

• antispasmodics to relieve pain;
• enterosorbents (activated carbon) that promote the removal of toxins;
• rehydrators, replenishing the lack of fluid;
• vitamins and minerals that help replenish the deficiency of nutrients in the body, which arose against the background of fluid loss.

Clinical treatment of diarrhea

Therapy of intestinal disorders can be carried out in a hospital. This need arises when:

1. Significant dehydration of the body, in which there is more than 10% underweight.
2. The elderly patient, when he does not feel thirsty and is not able to make up for the lack of fluid in the body.
3. Serious condition, expressed in fever, excessive weakness, vomiting and loss of consciousness.
4. Frequent vomiting and intestinal obstruction, which does not allow to restore the fluid content in the body to normal levels by the oral route.

Diarrhea Diet – Do’s and Don’ts

In order to stabilize the condition with diarrhea, the diet is adjusted. During this period, it is allowed to eat:

• boiled rice;
• white bread crackers or toast;
• lean meats and fish that are to be baked or steamed;
• mashed potatoes.

In addition, you can eat baked apples and fresh bananas for diarrhea. Drink as much clean drinking water as possible to avoid excessive fluid loss. From drinks, strong black tea is also allowed.

If this problem occurs, fried, spicy and fatty foods should be abandoned in order not to aggravate the condition. For the same purpose, it is worth refusing fruits for diarrhea, as well as excluding:

1. Dairy and fermented milk products.
2. Black bread.
3. Sweets and flour products.
4. Legumes.
5. Canned, salted, pickled and smoked products.
6. Dried fruits.
7. Coffee.
8. Alcohol.

Prophylaxis

Since diarrhea is most often caused by an infection, it can be avoided by following certain preventive measures:

1. Refusal to eat raw or undercooked food, as well as eating in establishments with a dubious reputation – in terms of sanitation.
2. Washing hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis.
3. Monitoring the expiration dates of consumed foods and drinks in order to avoid delays.
4. Immunization against E. coli, measles, salmonella, etc.
5. Refusal to drink water from the tap. Drink only boiled or bottled water.
6. Compliance with the rules of cooking in terms of temperature and duration.
7. Avoid eating fruits, vegetables and berries without first washing them.

Diarrhea in a child | Treatment of diarrhea in children

Diarrhea in a child develops on the background of errors in nutrition, stress. Diarrhea is often a sign of an intestinal infection, inflammatory bowel disease, a manifestation of a food allergy, or drug damage. For the treatment of diarrhea in a child, an integrated approach is used: diet therapy, rehydration, drug therapy to eliminate the causes and consequences of diarrhea.

Causes and symptoms of diarrhea in a child

Diarrhea in children can be physiological and pathological, caused by the action of pathogens and other external stimuli. Let’s consider these types in more detail.

Physiological factors

Frequent bowel movements, liquid stools are normal for newborns and infants. Stools in infants may be pasty or unformed, and have a sour smell when breastfeeding. In children on artificial feeding, the stools are more dense and viscous.

Normally, the daily number of bowel movements in newborns is up to 8 times.

Short-term diarrhea is a frequent consequence of dietary errors. This can be caused by eating too many sweets or fatty, unhealthy foods at one time. In infants, physiological diarrhea occurs when changing the mixture, introducing complementary foods. Diarrhea can be a reaction to stress, but after the elimination of provoking factors, it disappears on its own.

With physiological diarrhea, the stool returns to normal within 1-2 days, the general state of health is normal, there are no other negative symptoms.

Acute intestinal infections (AII)

It is intestinal infections that most often cause diarrhea in children of all ages. They are especially dangerous for children under 5 years of age due to the rapid development of dehydration.

Intestinal infections always begin suddenly, proceed in an acute form. Infectious diarrhea is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, rumbling in the abdomen, flatulence, and sharp pain in the abdomen.

OII groups:

1. Viral. The main causative agents of pathology in children are enteroviruses, rotaviruses. When entering the body, they cause loose stools with mucus impurities, the daily number of bowel movements increases up to 15-20 times. In severe secretory diarrhea, a watery discharge with a fecal odor is observed during bowel movements.
2. Bacterial. Salmonellosis is accompanied by liquid green stools with a sharp unpleasant odor, with escherichiosis, stools become orange or bright yellow. With dysentery during defecation, a small amount of mucus interspersed with blood is released. A characteristic sign of cholera – feces resembles rice water.
3. Protozoa. Signs of Giardia infection are similar to enterocolitis, enteritis. Amoebiasis is accompanied by mucous stools, in which there are many blood streaks.

Food allergy

In allergic enterocolitis, a child has loose stools with a lot of mucus and particles of undigested food. In a severe course of the disease, blood impurities appear in the feces. The severity of symptoms depends on the amount of the allergen that has entered the body, the type of allergic reaction.

Diarrhea occurs hours or days after exposure to the allergen. In addition, skin and respiratory signs of allergy are observed.

Chronic pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract

In diseases of the digestive system, diarrhea lasts more than two weeks, periods of remission are replaced by an exacerbation phase. The problem mainly occurs in schoolchildren against the background of non-infectious lesions of the digestive system.

Groups of diseases:

1. Congenital pathologies. Protracted and repeated diarrhea in a child occurs with celiac disease, disaccharidase deficiency. Diarrhea occurs after eating intolerable foods. Fecal masses have an unpleasant odor, liquid with particles of undigested food.
2. Somatic diseases. Periodically, diarrhea occurs when the rules of nutrition and treatment of cholecystitis, pancreatitis, and hepatitis are violated. Exacerbation develops after the use of prohibited foods. Loose stools are accompanied by pain in the abdomen in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe diseased organ, bouts of nausea and vomiting.
3. Inflammatory processes in the intestines. Crohn’s disease is accompanied by repeated diarrhea, severe pain in the abdomen. In the feces, blood is often present in the form of scarlet streaks or dark clots. Signs of nonspecific ulcerative colitis – poor diarrhea, blood in the stool.

Inflammation of the appendix

In children, an attack of acute appendicitis often resembles food poisoning: there are repeated diarrhea without foreign impurities, refusal to eat, nausea, single vomiting, pain in the navel, in the right side. In this case, the protective tension of the muscles of the peritoneum, pathognomonic physical symptoms can be blurred.

Consequence of antibiotic therapy

The problem often occurs in children of the first years of life due to the inferiority of the intestinal microflora. Most often, loose stools are observed during treatment with macrolides, lincosamides, cephalosporin or tetracycline antibiotics. Diarrhea up to 15 times a day, feces frothy, greenish, with a pungent odor.

Diarrhea in newborns

Diarrhea in newborns is most often physiological, diarrhea occurs against the background of adaptation of the digestive tract. If the number of bowel movements in infants up to three months is not more than 7 times a day, there are no other negative symptoms, there is no reason for concern.

Abnormal diarrhea in a newborn may be a manifestation of hereditary diseases – enzyme deficiency, congenital chloride diarrhea or exudative enteropathy. Less commonly, the cause of diarrhea in infants is a viral infection, dysbiosis. Dysbacteriosis develops against the background of late attachment to the breast, with artificial feeding, errors in the mother’s diet, and taking antibiotics.

Diarrhea in an infant up to one year old

After the introduction of complementary foods, food allergies and intolerance to certain products often appear. Diseases are manifested in the form of foamy stools, bloating.

Celiac disease, or gluten intolerance, develops 1-3 months after the introduction of products that contain barley, wheat, rye into the child’s diet. The second common cause of diarrhea in children under one year old is an allergy to cow’s milk protein, which manifests itself after the introduction of dairy products.

Loose stools can be caused by the abuse of juices, water, mixtures. Such diarrhea does not apply to pathologies, it disappears after correction of feeding.

Diarrhea in children from one year old

After 12 months, the child begins to actively explore everything around, often puts hands and foreign objects in his mouth. As a result, the likelihood of poisoning, the development of infectious diarrhea of ​​​​a viral or bacterial nature increases.

Diarrhea may be caused by atony or weak bowel contraction. The problem occurs with some lesions of the nervous system, stress.

After 18 months, the child may develop adult-type lactase deficiency. In infancy, there was enough lactase, but as they grow older, the synthesis of the enzyme slowed down. After a year, there may be debuts of inflammatory, autoimmune bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome. Most often, these diseases begin after severe stress, nervous shock.

What not to do:

• force-feed if there is no appetite;
• give antibiotics, antidiarrheals, enzymes and other medicines without a doctor’s prescription;
• use potassium permanganate for gastric lavage;
• vomiting and diarrhea are protective reactions, so the body is cleansed of toxins, so it is impossible to immediately give medicines for diarrhea and vomiting;
• prohibit drinking water for fear of vomiting.

Be sure to call a doctor if:

• there are blood impurities in the feces, vomit;
• dark green vomit;
• the child completely refuses to eat, drink;
• there was a sharp and severe pain in the right side of the abdomen;
• the temperature rose sharply;
• diarrhea lasting more than 8–12 hours;
• the child is constantly thirsty;
• there were signs of dehydration – dry skin and mucous membranes, a decrease in the volume of urine and the number of urination, no tears when crying, retraction of the fontanel in the baby.

Diagnosis

If your child has frequent diarrhea, visit the pediatrician. After collecting anamnesis, physical examination, consultation with a gastroenterologist, allergist, infectious disease specialist may be required.

Diagnostic methods:

1. Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. Assign to exclude urgent surgical conditions, to study the structural features of the gastrointestinal tract. It is possible to identify chronic inflammatory processes, congenital malformations, symptoms of damage to the liver, pancreas, and other organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
2. X-ray of the gastrointestinal tract with contrast. The study of the state of the walls of the stomach, intestines, colon.
3. Fecal analysis. The coprogram shows the presence of undigested food particles, striated muscle fibers, an increase in the level of mucus, leukocytes.
4. Bakposev, PCR of feces. Assign to exclude or confirm viral, bacterial intestinal infections.
5. Clinical, biochemical blood test. It is carried out to identify the inflammatory process, assess the functioning of internal organs, the degree of dehydration, and select effective therapy.
6. Serological blood tests are necessary in severe infectious pathologies.

Treatment

Before diagnosis, the main goal is to avoid dehydration. The child needs to drink a little salted water, dried fruit compote, rice water – often, but in small portions of 1-2 tsp. every 5-10 minutes, the liquid should be warm. After each bowel movement, drink 50–200 ml of water. To quickly cleanse the body of toxins, give enterosorbents.

Conservative therapy in a satisfactory condition of the child can be carried out on an outpatient basis. In severe, dangerous pathological conditions, hospitalization in the infectious, gastroenterological, and surgical departments is required.

The treatment regimen depends on the severity of dehydration:

1. For mild exsicosis, oral rehydration agents are prescribed. Breastfed babies need to breastfeed more often.
2. For moderate dehydration, an increased fluid load is administered orally in the first 4 hours to eliminate the effects of frequent defecation. After improving the patient’s well-being, they are transferred to standard maintenance rehydration.
3. For severe dehydration, saline solutions are given intravenously. The volume depends on the patient’s body weight, blood test results.

Diet therapy is an important part of the treatment of diarrhea in a child. In the early days, sparing nutrition is shown: slimy soups, pureed cereals, biscuit cookies, stewed vegetables in a small amount. Gradually, lean meat dishes, dairy products are introduced into the diet. If diarrhea is caused by diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, intolerance to certain foods, the diet is prescribed taking into account the underlying disease.

Drugs for drug therapy are selected according to the cause of diarrhea in a child. For mild and moderate intestinal infections, specific treatment is not required. Antibiotics are prescribed for severe bacterial infections, primary or secondary immunodeficiency, with a history of severe concomitant diseases.

Pathogenetic treatment – enterosorbents, drugs for vomiting and diarrhea. Probiotics and prebiotics are prescribed to restore the balance of the intestinal microflora.

Acute appendicitis requires emergency surgery. Elective surgeries are performed for severe, recurrent bowel diseases – Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis. Surgical treatment is necessary to eliminate bleeding, remove the ulcerated area, segmental resection, and anastomosis.

Features of the treatment of diarrhea in newborns, infants and toddlers from the year

Diarrhea often occurs in children of different ages, and parents are not always in a hurry to see a doctor. But in infants, diarrhea is more severe than in adults, and severe dehydration quickly develops, since there is practically no internal fluid supply. Therefore, with frequent and loose stools in a child, it is imperative to consult a doctor.

At home, you need to give your child a little water to make up for the lack of liquid. Slightly salted water is suitable for small children. Older children – rice water, weak tea without sugar, vegetable broth, special pharmacy solutions for rehydration. You can not drink sweet and carbonated drinks, juices. But if the child wants to drink only forbidden drinks and they do not cause an attack of vomiting, let him drink. In such situations, it is important that some kind of liquid constantly enters the body.

There are no restrictions on the amount of fluid consumed. Minimum – 50-200 ml after each bowel movement. In severe dehydration, the fluid is urgently started to be administered intravenously.

With diarrhea, appetite often disappears, it is recommended to completely refuse food for 4-6 hours, but this method is not suitable for small children. With diarrhea, the absorption of nutrients is disrupted, and a long break between meals is dangerous.

Children with diarrhea should be given light but nutritious meals. During the acute period, a diet of rice, applesauce, bananas and toast or crackers is indicated, with the addition of tea. The diet helps to cope with diarrhea, but contains little protein, so you can’t stick to it for a long time.

Babies with diarrhea can be switched to a lactose-free formula. If diarrhea started after the introduction of complementary foods, it is better to temporarily stop complementary foods.

Antiviral and antimicrobial drugs, enzymes can only be prescribed by a doctor. Self-medication will do more harm than good. Sorbents can be given independently, preferably in the form of a suspension, powder. Activated charcoal adversely affects the thin gastric mucosa.

Prevention

To avoid a recurrence of diarrhea in a child, it is necessary to thoroughly wash vegetables, fruits, hands. The baby can only drink purified water. Children should not be given food without proper heat treatment.