Diarrhoea in children
Gastroenteritis
Chronic diarrhoea
Infants
- main risk is severe dehydration
- most common cause is rotavirus - typically accompanied by fever and vomiting for the first 2 days. The diarrhoea may last up to a week
- treatment is rehydration
Chronic diarrhoea
Infants
- most common cause in the developed world is cows' milk intolerance
- toddler diarrhoea: stools vary in consistency, often contain undigested food
- coeliac disease
- post-gastroenteritis lactose intolerance