The Straight Poop on Kids and Diarrhea

Diarrhea is never a good thing, but for an infant or toddler, it can be very bad—even life-threatening.

If the bout of loose, watery stools lasts more than a day, young children run the risk of dehydration—the loss of essential fluids that contain salts and other minerals needed for the body to function properly. Frequent, loose stools along with repeated vomiting may also be cause for concern.

Many over-the-counter (OTC) products can provide relief to adults and older children. But giving an infant or toddler one of these anti-diarrheal products can be harmful, says Benjamin Ortiz, M.D., a pediatrician in the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Pediatric Therapeutics.

“The most important aspect of treating diarrhea is knowing the signs of dehydration and taking steps to rehydrate the child,” says Ortiz.

Signs of Dehydration

The early signs of dehydration in infants and young children include

faster heartbeat than normal
dry lips, mouth and tongue
no tears when crying
no wet diapers for 3 hours or more

Later in the process of dehydration, the child may have

sunken eyes, cheeks, or soft spot on the top of the head
sleepiness and irritability

Severe dehydration can cause seizures, coma, organ failure, and, in rare circumstances, death.

Rehydration

“Mild diarrhea is a discomfort, but not dangerous if the child can continue to drink fluids and eat a regular diet,” says Ortiz. Infants should continue to be given breast milk or their usual formula. If diarrhea persists or is frequent, a change in diet and treatment with oral rehydration solutions may be necessary.

Oral rehydration solutions, also called electrolyte solutions, help to replace the water and salts lost during diarrhea, and they may be easier to digest than the child’s regular diet. They often come in liquid or popsicle forms, and in different flavors. Some common rehydration products are Pedialyte, Naturalyte, Enfalyte, and CeraLyte. You can find these OTC products in drugstores and some retail stores.

“At first onset, try to encourage the child to drink as much of an oral rehydration solution or a regular diet as possible, even a few ounces every 15 to 30 minutes is good,” says Ortiz. “But if your child is persistently vomiting and can’t hold anything down, call your pediatrician or go to the ER.” Vomiting will speed up dehydration.

Avoid using home remedies for diarrhea like boiled milk or rice water. “Sports drinks are also not recommended for young children,” says Ortiz. “They tend to have extra sugar in them to help athletes during vigorous physical activity, but they are not an appropriate replacement fluid. Foods and fluids with higher sugar content, such as juice, cookies, cakes and sodas, can contribute to the diarrhea by pulling more fluid into the intestines, causing the excess fluid and sugar to come out the other end quickly.”

Ortiz also notes, “The beauty of oral rehydration products is that they have just enough sugar to allow for the absorption of sodium, potassium, and water without causing more diarrhea.”

Parents should discuss any concerns about worsening symptoms or the risk of dehydration with their child’s pediatrician, adds Ortiz.