Intermittent diarrhoea with undigested food in a thriving toddler

What it is

Toddler's diarrhea is also known as chronic nonspecific diarrhea of childhood, shortened to CNSD. It affects children from 6 months to 5 years of age. Children with it will have 3-10 loose stools per day, and these stools typically occur during the day when the child is awake and sometimes immediately after eating.

What the stool carries is the clue the course files single out: a child presenting with diarrhoea in which undigested vegetable is present in the stool has toddler diarrhea.

Causes and risk

The causes given are increased fluid intake, sweetners, and fructose and sorbitol containing beverages.

How it presents

A 14-month-old boy has a 4-month history of intermittent diarrhea. He frequently has explosive bowel movements containing food particles. He is growing well, is otherwise healthy, and has a normal physical examination. Despite the diarrhoea the child will gain weight as long as his or her diet has the required calories.

Beside it the same deck sets a different picture: an 18-month-old girl who presented with a 6 month history of diarrhea, abdominal distension, failure to thrive, irritability and decreased appetite, with giardiasis, toddler diarrhea, Crohn's disease, celiac disease and lactase deficiency offered as the options. Growth is what tells the two apart.