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Ongoing or intermittent diarrhea in children

Diarrhea that is continuous or comes and goes in a young child can have many causes, including:

Food intolerance.
Stress.
Parasitic, viral, or bacterial infections.
Inflammatory bowel disease.
Abnormal intestinal structure.
Side effect of a medication.

It is not uncommon for a child with ongoing diarrhea to have abdominal pain with the diarrhea.

Many babies may seem to have cramping abdominal pain that is continuous or comes and goes and causes them to be fussy and irritable (usually in the evening) for 2 to 3 months. Colic may occur at the same time that the child has abdominal pain and diarrhea. While the cause of colic is unknown, passing stools seems to relieve some of their abdominal pain and may help the colicky behavior. Occasionally a more complete evaluation will be done to rule out more serious problems.

Author	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Primary Medical Reviewer	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics
Last Updated	April 28, 2008

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: April 28, 2008

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.