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Functional Diarrhea of Infancy (Toddler’s Diarrhea), Pediatric

Roberto Gugig, MD Reviewed 10/2018
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Benign chronic diarrhea in a toddler or a preschool child who appears healthy and is normally active and who is growing, without evidence of systemic illness, infection, malabsorptio...

DIAGNOSIS

There is no definitive diagnostic test. The diagnosis is primarily clinical based on age of onset, the history, symptoms, clinical course, and limited number of laboratory tests. Usually, it...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

Daily diet and defecation diary may document a specific food responsible for loose stools. 

MEDICATION

  • Medications are unwarranted for a condition primarily caused by food that...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Improvement with dietary changes confirms the diagnosis and reassures the parents.

  • Follow up phone call to parents within a few days of instituting diet. If no imp...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Hoekstra JH. Toddler diarrhoea: more a nutritional disorder than a disease. Arch Dis Child.  1998;79(1):2–5. [View Abstract on OvidInsights]

  • Huffman S. Toddler’s diarrhea. J Ped...

CODES

ICD9

  • 564.5 Functional diarrhea

  • 579.8 Other specified intestinal malabsorption

ICD10

  • K59.1 Functional diarrhea

  • K90.4 Malabsorption due to intolerance, not elsewhere classified

SNOMED

  • 39963006 toddler di...

FAQ

  • Q: How do I know that my toddler’s diarrhea is not serious?

  • A: Growth is usually normal and your child looks and feels well. His or her activity and development seem unaffected by the diarrhea. The...

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