What is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in early childhood?

What is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in early childhood?

Pathogens that cause diarrhea can be viral, bacterial, or parasitic. Viruses are the most common cause of acute infectious gastroenteritis in children (Table 1, part A). There are several reasons for the preponderance of cases of viral diarrheas.

What is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea?

Viral infections are the most common cause of acute diarrhea. 9 Bacterial infections are more often associated with travel, comorbidities, and foodborne illness.

How can you tell if diarrhea is viral or bacterial?

The type of gastrointestinal symptoms are a clue to the type of infection – viral infection generally produces diarrhea without blood or mucus, and watery diarrhea is the prominent symptom. Conversely, mucus and blood are more often seen in bacterial diarrhea.

What viral infections cause diarrhea?

Viruses that can cause diarrhea include Norwalk virus (also known as norovirus), enteric adenoviruses, astrovirus, cytomegalovirus and viral hepatitis. Rotavirus is a common cause of acute childhood diarrhea.

What are the most common causes of diarrhea in children?

Food allergies and intolerances. Food allergies, lactose intolerance, fructose intolerance, and sucrose intolerance are common causes of chronic diarrhea. Milk, milk products, and soy allergies are the most common food allergies that affect the digestive tract in children.

How can a doctor tell if a child has diarrhea?

Physicians can determine if someone is dehydrated and how severely they are dehydrated by examining them. Parents can monitor children for signs of dehydration. Acute diarrhea may be due to infections with bacteria, viruses or parasites. Diarrhea is more common in children attending day care and is usually due to a virus.

Which is the most common infectious disease in children?

Acute Infectious Diarrhea and Gastroenteritis in Children Diarrheal diseases are one of the most common diseases in childhood. The most common cause is rotavirus. A key element in the approach of a child with diarrhea is determining their hydration status, which determines the fluid management.

How long does diarrhea usually last in a child?

Diarrhea usually lasts less than 7 days; if it lasts longer than 14 days, it is called protracted diarrhea (1). In the first few months of life, changes of stool consistency compared to the usual situation for the individual child are a more significant indication of an acute diarrheal illness than stool frequency. Epidemiology