Causes of Acute and Chronic Diarrhea in kids

Causes of Acute and Chronic Diarrhea in kids

What is Diarrhea?

When kids abruptly get loose, watery, and have more frequent bowel actions, this process is called diarrhea. Diarrhea is a common sign of sickness in young children. In most cases, the reason is unidentified, and it moves away on its own after a few days. Lack of water is a risky side effect of diarrhea.

Although most diarrhea issues are self-limited, sometimes diarrhea can lead to severe complications. Diarrhea can generate dehydration, loss of sodium, potassium, and kidney failure. You lose water and electrolytes along with stool in diarrhea. You need to consume plenty of fluids.

Causes of Acute diarrhea in children:

The following types of infections can cause diarrhea:

1-Viral infection:

Viral infection is the most common cause of sensitive or acute diarrhea. Further causes have bacterial disorders, side impacts of antibiotics, and infections. Viral, bacterial, and parasitic diseases are all infectious and can help in controlling the spread of infections.

Symptoms of the viral disease can include fever, liquid diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, lack of hunger, headache, and muscle discomfort.

Viral infection usually starts 12 hours to 5 days after disclosure and resolves within three to seven days. No exact antiviral remedy is available for viral reasons of diarrhea.

2-Bacterial infection:

Bacterial infection is sometimes difficult to differentiate from viral infection. Bacterial infections are more common in locations with dangerous drinking water and deficient handling of sewage. Most children with bacterial infections do not require antibiotics and recover with time and supportive measures.

3-Parasitic infection:

Diarrhea from parasitic infections may survive for weeks to months. Several antibiotics can generate diarrhea in both kids and adults. Contact your Pediatrician if a child on antibiotics has severe diarrhea. The assessment of diarrhea in kids who desire medical evaluation needs a careful review of medical history.

Causes of chronic diarrhea in children:

Common illnesses and infections that cause chronic diarrhea in children include:

Digestive tract infections:

Infections from dangerous viruses, bacteria, or parasites sometimes lead to chronic diarrhea. Children may become contaminated through polluted water, liquids, or person-to-person connections.

Celiac disease:

Celiac disease is a digestive ailment, and this disorder is started by consuming foods having gluten. Wheat, barley, and rye are the components of Gluten. Gluten is common in products such as bread, pasta, cookies, and cakes.

Functional GI disorders:

In functional GI disorders, symptoms are reasoned by modifications in how the digestive tract works. Kids with a functional GI infection have regular symptoms, yet the digestive tract does not become harmed.

Toddler’s diarrhea:

Toddler’s diarrhea is also named functional diarrhea or chronic nonspecific diarrhea of childhood. It is a familiar cause of chronic diarrhea in toddlers and preschool-age Children.

Toddlers’ diarrhea grows between the ages of 6 months and 3 years.

Food allergies and intolerances:

The common causes of chronic diarrhea are food allergies, lactose intolerance, and fructose intolerance.

Food allergies:

Milk, milk products, and soy allergies impact the digestive tract in children. Food allergies usually occur in the first year of life.

Allergies to different meals such as cereal seeds, eggs, and seafood may also impact the digestive tract in children.

Lactose intolerance:

Lactose intolerance is a common ailment that may generate diarrhea after ingesting foods or drinking liquids. The most common kind of lactose insufficiency in children grows over time, forming after about age 2 when a child’s body starts to create less lactase.

Fructose intolerance:

Fructose intolerance is a situation that may cause diarrhea after consuming foods or drinking liquids that possess fructose, a sugar seen in fruits, fruit juices, and honey.

Sucrose intolerance:

Sucrose intolerance is a situation also known as table sugar or white sugar. Children who are sucrose intolerant lack the enzyme that assists in digesting sucrose.

Inflammatory bowel disease:

The two primary kinds of IBD are Crohn’s illness and ulcerative colitis. These diseases can impact children at any age. However, they generally start in the grade school years or youth.

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth:

SIBO is an increase in the number of bacteria or a modification in the sort of bacteria in your slight intestine. SIBO is usually connected to ailments that harm the digestive system such as Crohn’s sickness.