Most kids battle diarrhea from time to time, but the good news is
that it's often caused by infections that don't last long and usually
are more disruptive than dangerous. Still, it's important to know what
to do to relieve and even prevent diarrhea.
Causes of Diarrhea
Diarrhea — frequent runny or watery bowel movements (poop) — is
usually brought on by gastrointestinal (GI) infections caused by
viruses, bacteria, or parasites. The specific germs
that cause diarrhea can vary among geographic regions depending on
their level of sanitation, economic development, and hygiene. For
example, developing countries with poor sanitation or where human waste
is used as fertilizer often have outbreaks of diarrhea when intestinal
bacteria or parasites contaminate crops or drinking water.
In developed countries, including the United States, diarrhea
outbreaks are more often linked to contaminated water supplies,
person-to-person contact in places such as child-care centers, or "food
poisoning" (when people get sick from improperly processed or preserved
foods contaminated with bacteria). In general, infections that cause diarrhea are highly contagious.
Most cases can be spread to others for as long as someone has diarrhea,
and some infections can be contagious even longer.
Diarrheal infections can be spread through:
- dirty hands
- contaminated food or water
- some pets
- direct contact with fecal matter (i.e., from dirty diapers or the toilet)
Anything that the infectious germs come in contact with can become
contaminated. This includes toys, changing tables, surfaces in
restrooms, even the hands of someone preparing food. Kids can become
infected by touching a contaminated surface, such as a toilet or toy,
and then putting their fingers in their mouths.
A common cause of diarrhea is viral gastroenteritis
(often called the "stomach flu," it also can cause nausea and vomiting).
Many different viruses can cause viral gastroenteritis, which can pass
through a household, school, or day-care center quickly because it's
highly infectious. Although the symptoms usually last just a few days,
affected kids (especially infants) who are unable to get adequate fluid
intake can become dehydrated.
Rotavirus
infection is a frequent cause of viral gastroenteritis in kids.
Rotavirus usually causes explosive, watery diarrhea, although not all
will show symptoms. Rotavirus has commonly caused outbreaks of diarrhea
during the winter and early spring months, especially in child-care
centers and children's hospitals, however, a vaccine now recommended for
infants has been found to prevent approximately 75% of cases of
rotavirus infection and 98% of the severe cases that require
hospitalization. Another group of viruses that can cause diarrhea in children,
especially during the summer months, are enteroviruses, particularly coxsackievirus.
Source: kidshealth