Diarrhea without being sick?

[Marie]

Does anyone know if a child can have diarrhea but not actually be sick? I have a 14 month old girl who had loose stools yesterday and today was even looser...makes me wonder if it's diarrhea? I've only had her for a month so I can't really tell if her poop is normally this runny. Since she's been here she's been sick on and off but has had some firmer stools. She seems to be feeling fine other than the diarrhea.
Thanks for your input!

[Inspired by Reggio]

I know that children who are teething tend to have looser acidic stools - however they do not tend to GO MORE ... I typically characterize diarrhea as an 'increase and change in the normal bowel movement routine' .... so some kids are just always LIQUID due to diet ... but if they normally only go once a day and that changes to every hour I would assume sick.

[Sandbox Sally]

Agree with Inspired by Reggio...if this is a departure from the norm, something is going on, and if it's more frequent loose stools, it's diarrhea, and I'd treat her as ill according to my handbook.

[Lou]

I have 2 little ones who characteristically have looser stools than the others. I classify diarrhea as runny/liquidy and wouldn't be concerned until the stools reach that point. I think it's totally possible to have diarrhea without showing other symptoms though...and since none of us are doctors I send home children if they have had 2 or more bouts of true diarrhea during a daycare day regardless of any other symptoms.

[Inspired by Reggio]

I have 2 little ones who characteristically have looser stools than the others. ...

I agree the key is knowing what is 'normal' for a child ... however either way if 'normal' is exploding out the diaper liquid several times a day I would be concerned as to 'why' as well and want to know cause unless it is a wee one on a strictly breastfed diet - that is not 'normal' bm behaviour for children

My understanding that a characteristic 'healthy poop' once 'solid food' is being introduced is soft enough to pass with ease but still has 'formation' to it - in the toilet it would look like an S shapre ... in a diaper it would sort of be a 'squished pancake' consistency ... from my years of dealing with kids hard balls are a sign of dehydration or lack of fibre in the diet and 'loose' stools are often due to food allergy or intolerance such as dairy / wheat / gluten and so forth...children with these style of stools often end up with excema and other 'skin conditions' as well over time from constant exposure to the foods that they are not digesting properly

[Sandbox Sally]

Ladies and Women, may I present to you :

THE BRISTOL STOOL SCALE No, I am not a doctor, but I am an avid googler.

http://www.continence.org.au/pages/b...ool-chart.html

[Inspired by Reggio]

Ladies and Women, may I present to you :

THE BRISTOL STOOL SCALE No, I am not a doctor, but I am an avid googler.

http://www.continence.org.au/pages/b...ool-chart.html

Oh this is awesome resource!

[sunnydays]

Thanks for the poop chart Alphaghetti Do you think it applies to infants as well? Two of the little ones in my care have very soft BM's pretty much always and one goes at least 3 times a day (lucky me), but his are often more formed. I have often wondered abotu food intolerences for the first two (they are brothers) as they poop a lot and very runny and they both have skin issues and the little one now has an issue if milk gets on his skin. I no longer serve bran or corn in my daycaare because of these little poopers...learned the hard way...poop in the shoes and everywhere...do not repeat!

[Inspired by Reggio]

Ya - my understanding that chart would only apply to those eating a normal diet ... if your diet consists of 99-95% liquid and 1-5% finger foods you got nothing to be 'formed' from and are likely to be looser as a result?

[playfelt]

A lot of factors effect poops in kids. Being overtired as many will be this week is cause, too much of anything be it overindulging in cookies or strawberries, fighting off an infection as in the body is trying to flush it out.

My rules on diarreha are the frequency and the abilty of the diaper to contain it and in the absence of other symptoms loose stools is not enough for me to consider the child sick. A child that is sick will generally alter their eating or sleeping pattern in addition to the bowel changes.

I love that chart too. Unfortunately I have one in care that is at the top end of the scale and last spring was so impacted from constipation that he spent a week in the hospital because home enemas were no longer effective. He still isn't right but butter - we are number 2 now.

Signs to watch for when looking for illness are undigested pieces of food, frothiness, foul odour and severe acidity.