On average, adults In the United States have acute diarrhea once a year. Young children have it an average of twice a year. People who visit developing countries are at risk for traveler's diarrhea. It is caused by consuming contaminated food or water. If a virus or bacteria is the cause of your diarrhea, you may also have a fever, chills, and bloody stools. Diarrhea can cause dehydration , which means that your body does not have enough fluid to work properly.
Dehydration can be serious, especially for children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Although it is usually not harmful, diarrhea can become dangerous or signal a more serious problem.
Contact your health care provider if you have. If children have diarrhea, parents or caregivers should not hesitate to call a health care provider. Diarrhea can be especially dangerous in newborns and infants. If you have chronic diarrhea, your health care provider may perform other tests to look for signs of disease. Diarrhea is treated by replacing lost fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration. Depending on the cause of the problem, you may need medicines to stop the diarrhea or treat an infection.
Adults with diarrhea should drink water, fruit juices, sports drinks, sodas without caffeine, and salty broths. As your symptoms improve, you can eat soft, bland food. Children with diarrhea should be given oral rehydration solutions to replace lost fluids and electrolytes.
Two types of diarrhea can be prevented - rotavirus diarrhea and traveler's diarrhea. There are vaccines for rotavirus. They are given to babies in two or three doses. You can help prevent traveler's diarrhea by being careful about what you eat and drink when you are in developing countries:.
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. What isn't absorbed by the intestines continues along the digestive tract and is expelled as stool during a bowel movement. Diarrhea can be present due to abnormalities in the small intestine or the large intestine.
Diarrhea — loose, watery and possibly more-frequent bowel movements — is a common problem. It may be present alone or be associated with other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or weight loss. Luckily, diarrhea is usually short-lived, lasting no more than a few days. But when diarrhea lasts beyond a few days into weeks, it usually indicates that there's another problem — such as irritable bowel syndrome IBS or a more serious disorder, including persistent infection, celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease IBD.
In children, particularly young children, diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration. Call your doctor if your child's diarrhea doesn't improve within 24 hours or if your child:. Diarrhea can cause dehydration, which can be life-threatening if untreated. Dehydration is particularly dangerous in children, older adults and those with weakened immune systems. You can help protect your infant from rotavirus, the most common cause of viral diarrhea in children, with one of two approved vaccines.
Ask your baby's doctor about having your baby vaccinated. Diarrhea commonly affects people who travel to countries where there's inadequate sanitation and contaminated food. To reduce your risk:. Watch what you drink. Talk to your family doctor if you or a loved one is frequently vomiting or having diarrhea. This article was contributed by: familydoctor.
This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.
Over-the-counter antidiarrheal medicines like Imodium, Kaopectate, or Pepto-Bismol can help to relieve frequent and liquid bowel movements. You can buy over-the-counter OTC medicines without a prescription, including medicines that treat nausea and vomiting.
These are called…. It happens when you lose more fluids…. Visit The Symptom Checker. Read More. Fever in Infants and Children. Home Diseases and Conditions Vomiting and Diarrhea.
Table of Contents. What is vomiting and diarrhea? What are the symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea? Signs of dehydration include: Little or lack of urine, or urine that is darker than usual.
Urinating less frequently than usual fewer than 6 wet diapers a day for infants and 8 hours or more without urinating for children. Thirst babies may show thirst by crying, being irritable and eager to drink when something is offered. Not eating as well as usual. Weight loss. Dry mouth. No tears when crying. In babies who are younger than 18 months old, sunken soft spots on the top of their heads. What causes vomiting and diarrhea? How are vomiting and diarrhea diagnosed?
Is older than 6 months old and has a fever higher than Has signs of dehydration see box above. Has been vomiting longer than 8 hours or is vomiting with great force. Has blood in his or her stools. Has blood in his or her vomit. Has not urinated in 8 hours.
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