Signs and symptoms

• You experience constipation, then diarrhea
• Cramps in your stomach
• You pass blood
• Small, irregular stools
• Incontinence – leaking watery diarrhea

Fecal impaction most often occurs in people with limited mobility, children or the elderly. Treatment for the condition will be removal of the stool. This might require a mineral oil enema to moisten the stool. Sometimes, your doctor might need to manually break up the stool and remove it from the rectum by hand. In rare cases surgery is required to remove the mass.

Once the condition is treated, changes must be made to diet and exercise so that constipation is less likely to reoccur. These changes include increasing dietary fiber, and introducing exercises to the daily routine where possible. Bulking laxatives might also be used to help prevent constipation, as well as a stool softener.

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• Diarrhea

This is the most commonly reported symptoms of Chrohn’s disease. Chrohn’s disease causes cells in your intestine to secrete water and salt that cannot be fully absorbed by the colon. This often leads to diarrhea and loose stool and some people report having diarrhea 10 to 20 times per day.

• Abdominal Pain and Discomfort

Pain and cramping in the abdomen is often caused by the swelling and thickening of the bowel walls due to scar tissue from ulceration. This can lead to abnormal movement of contents through the digestive tract, which in turn causes pain and other intestinal discomfort. This pain is usually intermittent and is sometimes characterized as causing soreness to the touch. A dull, persistent ache sometimes develops. In some cases, this develops further into nausea and vomiting.

• Blood in the Stool

Another Crohn’s disease symptom can be blood in your stools. As food passes through the digestive tract, it can cause inflamed tissue on the walls of your intestines and bowel to bleed. This can manifest in blood showing up in the stool, visible in the toilet, but sometimes does not show at all. This is known as occult blood. Excessive bleeding can lead to low iron levels which can result in anemia.

• Ulcers

Small sores on the walls of the intestine often develop that can become larger ulcers that penetrate through the intestinal walls. Sometimes, people also develop ulcers in the mouth that are similar to canker sores.

• Reduced Appetite and/or Weight Loss

The abdominal pain associated with Chrohn’s disease often causes people to lose their appetite. In addition, inflammation of the walls of the bowel can interfere with digestion and absorption of food, manifesting most commonly in the form of diarrhea, which can lead to weight loss.

• Other Symptoms

Some people with Crohn’s disease also report such symptoms as fatigue, fever, night sweats, arthritis, skin conditions, eye inflammation and inflammation of the liver or bile ducts.

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Toddler Diarrhea

The first thing we need to explore is what causes diarrhea in toddlers.  Most parents immediately jump to the conclusion that it is something in their diet, but in fact diarrhea has many causes, the most common of which in children that age is a stomach virus. Another cause that you may want to consider stress level. If you are in the beginning stages of potty training, it is possible that the stress from trying to keep from going potty before they get to the toilet could cause diarrhea. If your toddler is past the diaper stage, then the most common cause is some type of stomach virus.

A stomach virus will often go away on its own in most cases. However, make sure that you visit your pediatrician if you have done any recent traveling, especially out of the country, in case your child has picked up something out of the ordinary.

The most common infection that causes diarrhea in children is rotavirus, responsible for approximately ten percent of toddler diarrhea cases in the U.S.. It is important to get your child checked out if showing symptoms of this virus, because it can be serious – resulting in approximately 65,000 hospitalizations each year. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea for up to a week. Children are most susceptible to this virus, and almost all children will suffer from it at some point. Natural resistance is built up as your child gets older.

Other causes of diarrhea in toddlers include food intolerance, in which your child is allergic to a particular food, such as children who are lactose intolerant and cannot use milk or other dairy products. Once cause of diarrhea in children and adults alike, that is often overlooked, is a gluten intolerance – or celiac disease. Celiacs are allergic to gluten, which is a protein found in most common grain based products – for example bread and pasta. If your toddlers diarrhea is ongoing and accompanied by bloating and stomach pain, try withholding any food containing gluten from the diet. Make sure to read the labels on all food products, as wheat based products can be found where you wouldn’t expect them. If the symptoms cease after 1-2 weeks, and then reappear when gluten is reintroduced to the diet, talk to your doctor about the possibility that your child might be gluten-intolerant.

Other possible causes, although less frequently, include parasites or other medical conditions. It is important to note that the infections from Rotavirus and parasites are only found in a small number of severe diarrhea cases so if it is an smaller case, then it is unlikely that your baby is infected with the virus. Of course, never substitute your the information contained here for the opinion of your medical provider.

There are a few remedies for toddler diarrhea that you can use to help your child get over the diarrhea but unfortunately, there isn’t a magic pill that will stop the diarrhea completely. The first and most important thing is to keep your child hydrated, to assist in the removal of whatever is causing the diarrhea by the body’s own natural method. You can use regular beverages or specialty drinks like Pedialyte, which prevents dehydration. You can also withhold food from your child for a few hours, to allow the gastrointestinal tract to settle.

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The first line of treatment for diarrhea is to determine the cause, if possible. For example, acute diarrheal episodes can be caused by sensitivities to specific foods, certain prescription medications, viral infections or food poisoning. Therefore, treating acute diarrhea can be as simple as switching medications, avoiding particular foods or focusing on staying hydrated as a virus runs its course. Absorbents, bismuth compounds and anti-motility medications are examples of over-the-counter diarrhea treatments that can provide relief for some people suffering from diarrhea.

The most common absorbents are polycarbophil and attpulgite, which treat diarrhea by binding with water to make stools less watery. Other diarrhea treatments are anti-motility medications such as loperamide (Imodium) slow down movement in the intestines by relaxing the muscles, which allows for increased water absorption, resulting in less watery stools. Bismuth compounds, such as bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol), have some anti-bacterial qualities and provide a protective coating that alleviates symptoms and allows the gut to heal. Prescription anti-motility medications, such as diphenoxylate, are also available for diarrhea treatment.

In cases of acute diarrhea that do not require medical attention, staying hydrated and eating foods that will not further irritate your digestive system are key factors in managing a short-term episode. Drink plenty of water and avoid spicy, rich or fatty foods during the episode and for a few days after. Both children and adults may benefit from adopting the popular BRAT diet to assist with diarrhea management, which includes bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Foods that are high in probiotics, such as yogurt, are also recommended for the treatment of diarrhea, and the use of oral rehydrating solutions (ORS) that contain carbohydrates and electrolytes can help maintain hydration.

Herbal remedies used in the treatment of diarrhea include dandelion, fenugreek, skullcap and goldenseal, which can be purchased in tea or capsule form at most health food stores. The abdominal discomfort and cramping that generally accompanies diarrhea can often be alleviated with chamomile or peppermint teas, which have the added benefit of assisting in increasing water consumption to avoid dehydration.

Medical treatment may be necessary for chronic diarrhea, persistent acute diarrhea or severe dehydration. For example, in some cases of severe dehydration caused by diarrhea, intravenous rehydration may be used to replace lost fluids, and testing and observation may be required to determine the cause of chronic or persistent diarrhea in order to determine a treatment plan.

In most cases, effective diarrhea treatment can be managed at home and most diarrheal episodes will subside within a few days. For long-term or repeated episodes, you should consult with your doctor to ensure that there are no underlying medical issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or colon cancer.

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If your infants diarrhea has traces of blood, lasts for more than three days, if your child seems to be violently ill along with the diarrhea, or is less than five months old, you should not attempt home treatment and should instead bring your baby or toddler to the doctor. These symptoms often signal a more serious condition.

Infant Diarrhea

Diarrhea is caused in most instances by a virus. The viruses that cause diarrhea in young children are often not very dangerous, so the primary risk that your child faces when stricken with diarrhea is dehydration. What this means for you is that you must be extremely vigilant in treating your baby or toddler.

If your child has diarrhea, the first thing you need to do is ensure that he or she gets a lot of liquids. Your child may resist the unusual influx of liquids, so it’s up to you to make sure they are drinking enough water and juice. As the parent, it is your responsibility more than your child’s to force them to drink. Most doctors recommend that you watch your young child for most of the day if he comes down with diarrhea.

Some more recommendations:

• If you are still nursing your baby or toddler, you should continue to do so. On top of nursing your child, you should also have them drink plenty of water and juice.

• Watch out for signs of dehydration. Even if you are vigilant in ensuring your child gets enough liquids, they can still become dehydrated. You can tell if your child is becoming dehydrated if he or she has a dry mouth, urinates infrequently, appears tired or lethargic, cries with very few tears, or has dry skin that feels inelastic. If your child begins showing these symptoms along with her diarrhea, you should bring her in to a doctor immediately. Dehydration is the single most dangerous outcome of diarrhea, and is extremely serious. Once the diarrhea begins dehydrating your child, it can be difficult to reverse the process or prevent permanent damage unless professional medical help is sought.

• Do not change your baby or toddler’s standard diet. While your child may attempt to refuse food, it is important that he continues consuming his normal diet due to nutrient loss resulting from the diarrhea. You may even wish to increase your child’s food intake. Try to add yogurt, jello, and rehydrating solutions (these are often sold in your local supermarket) to your child’s diet. These things may relieve the symptoms or even relieve the diarrhea entirely.

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