Know when to stay calm, and when it's time to seek your pediatrician's help.
Diarrhea in toddlers is fairly common - generally, toddlers (kids age 1 to 3 years old) will most likely experience diarrhea from time to time. That's why parents - especially first-time ones - need not panic and rush over to the emergency room if their little one suddenly has loose bowel movement. It's a common affliction that can be treated at home, and more often than not, should be allowed to run its course.
Diagnosing Diarrhea in Toddlers
Each toddler is unique, which means that even bowel movements vary per child. Some may have one or even three a day, while others can go a day without one. Even the texture and condition (so to speak) of each child's stool will differ - so the occasional loose stool shouldn't send parents into a panic.
The key to knowing if a child has diarrhea or not is to observe the frequency of their bowel movements carefully. For example, a toddler, who usually only has one a day, is pooping more than usual, may be cause for concern.
Yet again, observe his or her stool carefully. Is it watery or runnery? Does he or she poop more often than usual, and is this happening more than twice?
Parents should also watch out for common symptoms of diarrhea. These include stomachache or stomach cramps, a low-grade fever, nausea, and vomiting. If there are signs of these, along with unusual bowel movement that lasts for more than a day, then most likely your toddler is experiencing a case of diarrhea.
Causes, Treatment, and Remedies
There are a myriad of factors that can cause diarrhea in toddlers. Usually, diarrhea is caused by infections or, in layman's terms, germs, bacteria, or viruses that are found in contaminated water and/or food. But aside from these, laxatives and antibiotics can cause your toddler to have loose bowel movement (in fact, one of the more common side effects of most antibiotics is diarrhea). Parasitic infection and lactose intolerance or even food allergies are also other reasons for diarrhea in toddlers.
Viral gastroenteritis, or more commonly known as "stomach flu," is a diarrheal culprit and can be highly contagious. Since viral infections can easily be passed on from one person to another - due to its nature of being airborne - diseases that arise from such infections can become minor “epidemics” in no time. If your toddler is already going to preschool or daycare, he or she may be more at risk of being exposed to stomach flu from other kids. Take note that apart from diarrhea, stomach flu also comes with nausea and vomiting.
If your toddler has mild diarrhea, there is no need to rush to the pediatrician. Ensure his or her safety and well-being with these easy and simple home remedies.
When Is It Time to Call the Doctor?
A serious case of diarrhea can lead to severe dehydration, one of the worst complications that can occur. While doctors often advise to let mild diarrhea run its course, moderate to severe diarrhea in toddlers need the care and attention of professionals (i.e. pediatricians).
To know if your little one is experiencing moderate to severe diarrhea, keep an eye out for these telltale signs:
A Word of Caution to Parents
It is very important to get in touch with your child's doctor right away if you catch any of the above mentioned symptoms. If left untreated, moderate to severe diarrhea that leads to dehydration can cause seizures, brain damage, coma, organ failure, and even death.
Even then, as a parent, you want to be vigilant about your child's health and well-being, so it's perfectly all right to call the doctor if your child is experiencing diarrhea for the first time. Says Sally, mother to toddler Jeremy, "My pediatrician is very warm and personal, and she doesn't mind getting calls or texts from me at odd hours. Even if my son's condition isn't critical, it still calms me down when the doctor reassures me. It's like she's validating my instinct as a mother that my is okay."
Prevention and Other Healthy Reminders
No doubt about it - contaminated food and/or water are the leading causes of diarrhea in toddlers. That's why it's crucial that everything your toddler touches and/or comes in contact with is clean and germ-free.
Keep in mind these hygienic hints to prevent your toddler from suffering from another bout of diarrhea:
Diarrhea in toddlers is fairly common - generally, toddlers (kids age 1 to 3 years old) will most likely experience diarrhea from time to time. That's why parents - especially first-time ones - need not panic and rush over to the emergency room if their little one suddenly has loose bowel movement. It's a common affliction that can be treated at home, and more often than not, should be allowed to run its course.
Diagnosing Diarrhea in Toddlers
Each toddler is unique, which means that even bowel movements vary per child. Some may have one or even three a day, while others can go a day without one. Even the texture and condition (so to speak) of each child's stool will differ - so the occasional loose stool shouldn't send parents into a panic.
The key to knowing if a child has diarrhea or not is to observe the frequency of their bowel movements carefully. For example, a toddler, who usually only has one a day, is pooping more than usual, may be cause for concern.
Yet again, observe his or her stool carefully. Is it watery or runnery? Does he or she poop more often than usual, and is this happening more than twice?
Parents should also watch out for common symptoms of diarrhea. These include stomachache or stomach cramps, a low-grade fever, nausea, and vomiting. If there are signs of these, along with unusual bowel movement that lasts for more than a day, then most likely your toddler is experiencing a case of diarrhea.
Causes, Treatment, and Remedies
There are a myriad of factors that can cause diarrhea in toddlers. Usually, diarrhea is caused by infections or, in layman's terms, germs, bacteria, or viruses that are found in contaminated water and/or food. But aside from these, laxatives and antibiotics can cause your toddler to have loose bowel movement (in fact, one of the more common side effects of most antibiotics is diarrhea). Parasitic infection and lactose intolerance or even food allergies are also other reasons for diarrhea in toddlers.
Viral gastroenteritis, or more commonly known as "stomach flu," is a diarrheal culprit and can be highly contagious. Since viral infections can easily be passed on from one person to another - due to its nature of being airborne - diseases that arise from such infections can become minor “epidemics” in no time. If your toddler is already going to preschool or daycare, he or she may be more at risk of being exposed to stomach flu from other kids. Take note that apart from diarrhea, stomach flu also comes with nausea and vomiting.
If your toddler has mild diarrhea, there is no need to rush to the pediatrician. Ensure his or her safety and well-being with these easy and simple home remedies.
- Make sure that he or she is properly hydrated. Diarrhea in toddlers usually results in dehydration, since diarrhea is the body's way of getting rid of toxins and germs. Make sure that the water is clean and not from tap, since you don't know how clean (or how dirty) the water from tap is, even if it claims to be potable.
- Feed him or her table food, such as crackers, bread, dried cereal, mashed potatoes, rice, and pasta (minus the cheese, oil, and sauce). Avoid fibrous foods - such as fruits and veggies - as these will only cause your little one to poop even more.
- Avoid giving your child milk, soda, fruit juice, and sports drinks as these will also worsen diarrhea. In fact, avoid giving your child anything diuretic or may only trigger losing more important fluids and nutrients through peeing or pooping.
- Let the diarrhea run its course and don't give your toddler medicine unless his diarrhea still won't stop after a couple of days. Parents may be tempted to self-medicate their kids, but it's really best to consult with their child's pediatrician for the right medicine to battle diarrhea.
- However, if your pediatrician or doctor isn't responding immediately, you can administer the generally doctor-approved medication for diarrhea to your little one, which is rehydration solutions or tablets. These are available over-the-counter in most drugstores and pharmacies.
When Is It Time to Call the Doctor?
A serious case of diarrhea can lead to severe dehydration, one of the worst complications that can occur. While doctors often advise to let mild diarrhea run its course, moderate to severe diarrhea in toddlers need the care and attention of professionals (i.e. pediatricians).
To know if your little one is experiencing moderate to severe diarrhea, keep an eye out for these telltale signs:
- Lethargy or lack of energy
- Dark yellow urine, or too little to no urine
- A dry, sticky mouth
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- A faster than normal heart rate or heartbeat
- Few or no tears when crying
- Recurring to constant fever
A Word of Caution to Parents
It is very important to get in touch with your child's doctor right away if you catch any of the above mentioned symptoms. If left untreated, moderate to severe diarrhea that leads to dehydration can cause seizures, brain damage, coma, organ failure, and even death.
Even then, as a parent, you want to be vigilant about your child's health and well-being, so it's perfectly all right to call the doctor if your child is experiencing diarrhea for the first time. Says Sally, mother to toddler Jeremy, "My pediatrician is very warm and personal, and she doesn't mind getting calls or texts from me at odd hours. Even if my son's condition isn't critical, it still calms me down when the doctor reassures me. It's like she's validating my instinct as a mother that my is okay."
Prevention and Other Healthy Reminders
No doubt about it - contaminated food and/or water are the leading causes of diarrhea in toddlers. That's why it's crucial that everything your toddler touches and/or comes in contact with is clean and germ-free.
Keep in mind these hygienic hints to prevent your toddler from suffering from another bout of diarrhea:
- Practice safe food handling and preparation. Only feed him clean water and food. Be sure that the food or dish isn't spoiled as kids' digestive systems are quite sensitive and will react more violently to expired consumables, so to speak. Not only will spoiled food cause diarrhea, it may even lead to salmonella and/or food poisoning as well.
- If you're dining out, don't rely on the restaurant's service water - ask for bottled water. You can also use your own utensils to further ensure your child's safety while eating out.
- Know your kid's food allergies (especially if he or she is lactose-intolerant) early on. As they say, knowledge is power, so you can prevent diarrhea by not serving your little one food that will not sit well with him or her.
- There is a reason behind the advice of most experts and nutritionists about refraining from giving your little too much sugar. Aside from other health reasons (e.g. high risk of obesity, hyperactivity, weakened immune system, etc.), some kinds of sugar have been found to cause loose, watery bowel movement. So keep your sugary servings in moderation.
- Teach your little one the proper way to wash hands, and to wash his or her hands every time he or she touches anything dirty or goes to the bathroom. Simply put: Teach him or her proper hygiene, period. Cleanliness is your child's best defense against diarrhea and other diseases.
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