What is the cause of toddlers diarrhoea?
The cause is not clear. The small bowel (small intestine) digests and absorbs food into the body and works normally in affected children. The large bowel (colon) normally absorbs any excess water and forms stools. It is thought that the balance of fluid, fibre, undigested sugars and other undigested foods that reach the large bowel (colon) may be upset in affected children. This can increase the amount of fluid (water) that is kept in the large bowel rather than being absorbed into the body. In young children, even a slight increase in fluid left in the large bowel can cause stools to become more frequent and runny than normal. As the child grows, the large bowel becomes more efficient and the condition goes. Toddler’s diarrhoea is not due to malabsorption (poor absorption) of food or to a serious bowel problem. It is also not due to an intolerance of a type of food.
