Diarrhea resident survival guide (pediatrics)

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:

Synonyms and keywords:

Diarrhea resident survival guide (pediatrics) Microchapters
Overview
Causes
FIRE
Diagnosis
Treatment
Do's
Don'ts

Overview

Diarrhea remains one of the leading causes of preventable death in developing countries, especially among children under 5 years of age. Diarrhea is defined as an increase in the number of stools or the presence of looser stools than is normal, like more than three bowel movements each day. Acute diarrhea is when diarrhea occurs for less than 3 weeks total. When diarrhea lasts longer than three weeks, it is considered to be chronic.

Causes

Life Threatening Causes	Common Causes	Misc
Cholera Entamoeba histolytica Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) Campylobacter spp. Nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica	Rotavirus. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) Cryptosporidium Shigella spp.	Parenteral causes including infections elsewhere in the body : UTI,Acute otitis media, Sepsis. Inflammatory including IBD,Allergy to cow's milk , whipples disease. Malabsorption including celiac disease ,lactase deficiency Feed related Endocrine :Hypothyroidism,Addison's disease ,Hyperparathyroidism' Neoplastic causes psychosocial

Life Threatening Causes

Life-threatening causes include conditions that may result in death or permanent disability within 24 hours if left untreated. A wide range of underlying causes induce life threatening conditions for a child with diarrhea .Hence , physical examination plays a crucial role in assessing children with diarrhea in the first step .

• Cholera: Vibrio Cholera leads to a severe watery Diarrhea which can result in severe dehydration if left untreated.
• Surgical related causes: Intussusception which presents with red jelly diarrhea and an ill baby.

Common Causes

• Enteral infections including common viral, bacterial and parasitic infections.
• parenteral causes including infections elsewhere in the body : UTI,Acute otitis media, Sepsis.
• Inflammatory including IBD,Allergy to cow's milk , whipples disease.
• Malabsorption including celiac disease ,lactase deficiency
• Feed related
• Endocrine :Hypothyroidism,Addison's disease ,Hyperparathyroidism'
• Neoplastic causes
• psychosocial

Complete Diagnostic Approach

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Treatment

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Do's

• The content in this section is in bullet points.

Don'ts

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