• Viral Gastroenteritis. GI infection from a virus is the most common cause. A common agent is the Rotavirus. The illness starts with vomiting. Watery loose stools follow within 12-24 hours. On cruise ship outbreaks, the most common viral cause is Norovirus.

• Food Poisoning. This causes rapid vomiting and diarrhoea within hours after eating the bad food. Caused by toxins from germs growing in foods left out too long. An example is Staph toxin in egg salad.

• Traveller’s Diarrhoea. Caused by germs in food or drink. Suspect this if it follows recent foreign travel.

• Bacterial GI Infection. Diarrhoea can also be caused by some bacteria. Most bacterial diarrhoea goes away on its own. A few can cause a severe large bowel infection (such as Shigellacolitis).

• Serious Complication: Dehydration. This is the health problem where the body has lost too much fluid. (See below for more on this).

 

 

 

• Dehydration means that the body has lost too much fluid. This can happen with vomiting and/or diarrhoea. A weight loss of more than 3% is needed. Mild diarrhoea or mild vomiting does not cause this. Neither does a small decrease in fluid intake.

• Vomiting with watery diarrhoea is the most common cause of dehydration.

• Dehydration is a reason to see a doctor right away.

• These are signs of dehydration:

• Decreased urine (no urine in more than 8 hours) happens early in dehydration. So does a dark yellow colour. If the urine is light straw coloured, your child is not dehydrated.

• Dry tongue and inside of the mouth. Dry lips are not helpful.

• Dry eyes with decreased or absent tears

• In babies, a sunken soft spot

• Slow blood refill test: Longer than 2 seconds. First, press on the thumbnail and make it pale. Then let go. Count the seconds it takes for the nail to turn pink again. Ask your doctor to teach you how to do this test.

• Fussy, tired out or acting ill. If your child is alert, happy and playful, he or she is not dehydrated.

• A child with severe dehydration becomes too weak to stand. They can also be very dizzy when trying to stand.

 

 

Treatment:

 

• ensure that the child is hydrated to avoid dehydration 

• allow the child to consume only clear liquids and avoid solid foods

 

 

How it affects child development