A lot of kids get diarrhea from time to time, and thankfully it's usually not a serious issue and it will pass in a few days. Diarrhea can be caused by a lot of different things, but it's usually caused by coming in contact with certain bacteria or viruses that cause gastrointestinal upset. It messes up the normal bacteria that exists in the colon and it can make you have diarrhea. The types of germs that cause this can vary from region to region and they can be spread in many different ways. One of the most common ways is by coming in contact with fecal matter of someone who was infected by it, or by touching surfaces that someone touched that was infected by it, or by eating foods that were infected by it.
So there are things that you can do to reduce exposure to these different bacteria and viruses. One of the best things you can do is wash your hands and wash your children's hands before eating and after using the restroom. Stay away from people who you know are sick. Be sure to wash fruits and vegetables well. When you go to the grocery store and bring meats home, refrigerate them as soon as possible. Pets can also spread illness, so make sure that you're not preparing or eating food near areas where your pets eat. And then kids like to put everything in their mouths, so maybe you have a thumb-sucker or someone who bites their nails. That is going to increase the chances that they're exposed to different illnesses. Again, hand-washing is key.
Of course, diarrhea can also be caused by other things. It can be associated with an allergy, like milk allergies or those types of things. If diarrhea is short-lived, and your child is eating well, they're drinking well, and act normal, then there's no big cause for concern. But if your child starts to run a fever of 102 or higher, they're not eating and drinking well, they show signs of dehydration [like they're not urinating as frequently as usual (in an older child, this is not urinating in 10 to 12 hours; in a younger baby, it's not seeing at least 6 to 8 wet diapers a day), if you notice a drastic decline in the number of wet diapers you're seeing or the number of times your toddler or older child urinates, then that could mean they're dehydrated, and that's one of the greatest concerns associated with diarrhea.], encourage fluids, as long as your child is able to keep them down.
And if they get to the point where they're vomiting, and they're having diarrhea, and showing other signs of dehydration (like they don't cry and have tears; For babies, they have the soft spots on their head - they're sunken in babies that are dehydrated; Maybe they're just lethargic, they're not responding to you as usual), all of those things need to be brought to the attention of your pediatrician. After asking you more specific questions (about what you've been seeing) and performing an exam on your child, then they'll decide if further investigation or treatment and intervention is necessary. In severe cases, the child may have to be hospitalized and be given IV fluids, but again, this is severe. Usually this is something that can be managed at home with the help of your pediatrician. If you have any other questions for me in the future, feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/IntermountainMoms, and recommend us to your friends and family too.