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.