It’s quite normal for toddlers to suffer diarrhea. This type of diarrhea is also known as chronic non-specific diarrhea and children who suffer from it pass three or more watery stools per day. In some cases, the toddler may also pass as many as ten stools per day. Toddler diarrhea is sometimes accompanied by mild tummy pain but other than that the child will be quite well and grow normally. You may take the child for a pediatric examination but no tests are required, unless you notice that the child is losing weight or develops some other symptoms that need attention.
The exact reason for toddler diarrhea is not clear, however, there are a number of factors that can cause diarrhea in toddlers, such as: a change in food or introduction of new foods. Toddlers usually develop certain eating habits and when these change, it may cause diarrhea. Also, your toddler could be allergic or intolerant to some foods, which when consumed for the first time also cause diarrhea. Viruses and infections are other common factors that give rise to diarrhea in toddlers. Unfortunately, there is no medication available to treat this condition and it’s not a good idea to buy over-the-counter medicines as they tend to cause dehydration.
Some Preventive Steps For Diarrhea
Since your toddler is passing more than normal the amount of stools he or she is prone to dehydration. Make sure that your child drinks enough liquids to prevent this from happening. If the toddler is not happy drinking plain water, try giving adding some juice to the water. Give your toddler plenty of clear fluids such as broths. You could also purchase a commercially prepared electrolyte formula. Give this to the child at regular intervals as indicated on the packet. This should effectively prevent dehydration. Avoid sweetened drinks such as colas, punches, etc. Also, make sure your child gets the necessary nutrition during the five to seven days that the diarrhea lasts. Give him or her foods that are easy to digest. One effective diet to treat toddler diarrhea is the BRAT diet. It consists of bananas, rice, apples and some toast. These foods rarely cause an allergy and provide the necessary fiber to thicken the stools and bring them back to normal. You may also continue to feed the child with milk and add some rice cereal to the milk. Your toddler should be back to normal within a week.
