Lets talk about… Toddler Diarrhoea!
Since my new book ‘The Sensational Toddler Sleep Plan’ was published last August, I’ve had hundreds more parents contacting me asking for help with their toddlers and older children. And not just about sleep — I’ve been advising on all manner of issues from temper tantrums to toilet training, but also I’ve been hearing much more about a problem that is kind of dismissed as ‘toddler diarrhoea’.
I’ve heard from a large number of parents who have been told by the health professionals from whom they sought help, that their child is just suffering from ‘toddler diarrhoea’ and not to worry about it as he or she will just outgrow it!
The following is a quote taken from https://patient.info/childrens-health/acute-diarrhoea-in-children/toddlers-diarrhoea and is written by the TV Doctor, Sarah Jarvis;
“Toddler’s diarrhoea is a common cause of persistent (chronic) diarrhoea in young children. It mainly affects children between the ages of 1 and 5 years and is more common in boys. Toddler’s diarrhoea is not serious and the child is well. The diarrhoea will go as the child becomes older. The diet of young children is often not ideal and is thought to contribute to the cause.
Toddler’s diarrhoea is also known as chronic nonspecific diarrhoea. Affected children develop three or more watery loose stools (bowel motions) per day. Sometimes it can be 10 or more. The stools are often more smelly and pale than usual. You can often see bits of vegetable food in the stools (such as bits of carrot, sweetcorn, etc). These have come from a recent meal. Mild tummy (abdominal) pain sometimes occurs but is unusual. Some affected children develop constipation which alternates with diarrhoea.
A child with just toddler’s diarrhoea is otherwise well, grows normally, plays normally and is usually not bothered about the diarrhoea. An examination by a doctor doesn’t reveal anything abnormal. No further tests are usually needed if the child is otherwise well. Symptoms usually go, with or without treatment, by the age of 5–6 years.”
OK. So this is obviously not seen as a serious issue and it is even suggested that the child is mainly unaffected and the whole situation is just somewhat normalised in the article.
I totally disagree with this as the ‘condition’ can actually cause quite severe tummy aches, often interferes with sleep patterns and prevents the child being able to sleep through with early morning waking also being an issue. It can also lead to some iron and other nutrient deficiencies as the child is not digesting and absorbing the food properly. All this in turn, leads to sleep deprivation and then poor behaviours during the day which causes a lot of stress to build.
Also - how on earth do you manage to toilet training a child who is having frequent, loose and runny stools? I’ve spoken to some parents who have to literally hose the child down in the bath or shower to clean them as it’s just too messy to clean with just a wipe. If they are actually already out of nappies, then many ‘accidents’ can occur in clothing and these incidents are difficult to manage and again can create a very stressful situation.
In the article Sarah Jarvis alludes to the fact that it is often due to a ‘poor diet’ but there’s no suggestion that the diet should be more scrutinised, assessed and changed — but why, I will never understand!!
In nearly every single case that I have advised upon, after a change of diet that includes cutting back on fruit and fruit juice, limiting processed foods and refined sugars and often eliminating dairy and / or wheat & gluten, the diarrhoea has totally stopped within days, the stools soon regulate to a more normal pattern of once or twice a day and become a formed, firmer, more solid stool, which one would expect. Very lose and frequent stools can also indicate the child’s system is producing too much acid and reflux may be an active problem that causes the child much discomfort, though in many cases — once the diet is changed the acid reflux disappears too!
Also much of the excess wind and bloating that has been an issue is usually resolved and then a full night’s sleep is also more easily established and the early morning waking eradicated.
If your toddler or child is experiencing any sort of tummy or digestive discomfort, having loose, watery stools or has erratic bowel movements that range from diarrhoea to constipation then please seek help to resolve the situation — as I do NOT believe it should just be dismissed as ‘normal’ or ‘something they will grow out of’!
There’s loads more information in my book and you can also book a private consultation with me so I can advise directly.
Let’s get our children’s gut health and poo 💩 moving in the right direction!!
For information about my books and services please go to alisonscott-wright.com
