When is diarrhea serious in children

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Updated visitor guidelines. Top of the page. Mild, Moderate, or Severe Diarrhea. Topic Overview Diarrhea is described as an increase in the frequency of bowel movements or a decrease in the consistency of stools that causes the discharge of watery, loose stools.

Severe diarrhea means having more than 10 loose, watery stools in a single day 24 hours. Moderate diarrhea means having more than a few but not more than 10 diarrhea stools in a day.

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Informational Alert. Is this your child's symptom? Sudden increase in the number and looseness of stools Diarrhea means 3 or more watery or very loose stools. Reason: 1 or 2 loose stools can be normal with changes in diet. Causes of Acute Diarrhea Virus such as Rotavirus. An infection of the intestines from a virus is the most common cause. Bacteria such as Salmonella.

Less common cause. Diarrhea often contains streaks of blood. Food Poisoning. This causes rapid vomiting and diarrhea within hours after eating the bad food. It is caused by toxins from germs growing in foods left out too long. Most often, symptoms go away in less than 24 hours. It often can be treated at home without the need for medical care. Giardia a parasite. More likely in child care center outbreaks. Traveler's Diarrhea. Caused by germs in food or drink. Suspect this if it follows recent foreign travel.

Antibiotic Diarrhea. Many antibiotics cause mild diarrhea. This is not an allergic reaction. Keep giving the antibiotic. Call your doctor if any serious symptoms occur. Serious Causes. Most bacterial diarrhea goes away on its own. A few can cause a severe large bowel infection such as Shigella colitis. Serious Complication: Dehydration. This is the health problem where the body has lost too much fluid.

Other symptoms that might come with diarrhoea include stomach pain or cramps, bloating, nausea , vomiting or fever. Severe and long-lasting diarrhoea might lead to dehydration , which can be a serious problem. If your child is under 6 months old and has diarrhoea, always see your GP.

Take your child to a hospital emergency department straight away if they have diarrhoea and they:. Signs that your child has a serious illness that requires urgent medical attention include severe pain, drowsiness, pale or blue skin, dehydration, breathing difficulties, seizures and reduced responsiveness.

If the diarrhoea is chronic, your doctor might order some blood and poo tests to look for other underlying causes. Fluids The most important thing is to make sure that your child has enough to drink. Give your child small amounts to drink often — for example, a few mouthfuls every 15 minutes.

You can buy these fluids over the counter from a pharmacy. These products might come as premade liquid, powder or icy poles for freezing. Make sure that you make up the liquid carefully according to the instructions on the packet. Use 1 part of lemonade or juice to 4 parts of water.