Children's diarrhea is divided into two major categories.

Written by Yan Xin Liang

Pediatrics

Updated on March 27, 2025

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Childhood diarrhea is categorized into infectious and non-infectious diarrhea. Common infectious diarrhea is caused by infections from bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Non-infectious diarrhea often includes allergic diarrhea, diarrhea caused by food intolerance, and diarrhea due to lactose intolerance. Less commonly, some malignant diseases can cause gastrointestinal dysfunction leading to diarrhea. Among children, infectious diarrhea is more prevalent, especially viral diarrhea caused by rotavirus during the summer and autumn seasons. Additionally, bacterial infections such as those caused by Escherichia coli and Shigella (bacterial dysentery), often related to poor hand hygiene, are examples of infectious diarrhea.

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Written by Yao Li Qin

Pediatrics

53sec

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What medicine should a child take for diarrhea?

For children with diarrhea, it is first necessary to determine the cause of the diarrhea. If the child has diarrhea due to a viral infection, with watery stools, the first step is to replenish oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration and oral mucosal protectants, and then give the child probiotics. For severe diarrhea, some anti-diarrheal medications can also be taken. If the child has diarrhea due to a bacterial infection, or dysentery, which is also a bacterial infection, or caused by Shigella bacteria, it is necessary to treat the child with antibiotics under the guidance of a hospital doctor in order to achieve the treatment goal. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)

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Written by Feng Ying Shuai

Traditional Chinese Medicine

54sec

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Where to massage for children's diarrhea

If a child's diarrhea is not severe, it can be alleviated by massage to ease this clinical symptom. Where do we usually massage? First, local abdominal massage can be performed using kneading and rolling techniques, commonly targeting acupoints like Zhongwan, Xiawan, Jianli, and Tianshu. These are some of the acupoints on the abdomen. On the distal parts of the limbs, we can also select some acupoints for massage, especially Liangqiu, Zusanli, Shangjuxu, and Xiajuxu, which are excellent for regulating childhood diarrhea. Additionally, massaging the child's Yongquan acupoint can also relieve symptoms of diarrhea. During the massage, it's essential to combine it with a diet that is bland and easy to digest to enhance the effectiveness.

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Written by Yao Li Qin

Pediatrics

1min 11sec

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Pediatric diarrhea is divided into two main categories.

Childhood diarrhea can be divided into two major categories based on its causes: infectious and non-infectious. Infectious factors primarily include viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites, among which viral and bacterial infections are most common. Viral infections are mainly seen in rotavirus infections, while bacterial infections are predominantly associated with pathogenic, invasive, toxigenic, and hemorrhagic strains of Escherichia coli. Additionally, infections from other bacteria such as Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella also occur. Intestinal infections can also cause diarrhea, such as those accompanying upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, etc., because the toxins released by the infecting agents during fevers or diarrhea associated with antibiotic treatments can induce diarrhea. Non-infectious causes mainly include dietary and climatic factors.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang

Pediatrics

1min

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What should children with diarrhea not eat?

Children's diarrhea can be classified into infectious and non-infectious types. Generally, if it is infectious diarrhea, it is crucial to provide a light and easily digestible diet. If the infant is breastfed, continue breastfeeding, but the mother's diet should also be light and easily digestible. If the child is formula-fed, you can feed them diarrhea-specific formula and gradually add some supplementary foods such as thin porridge, noodles, and fruit juice. However, greasy and hard-to-digest foods should be avoided as much as possible, and this applies to older children as well; they also should not consume fatty and spicy foods. Additionally, foods that are hard to digest should be avoided to aid in the recovery of the condition. If it is non-infectious diarrhea, for example, caused by allergies to milk or eggs, avoid consuming these allergenic foods. In cases of lactose intolerance causing diarrhea, avoid lactose-containing milk powder; switch to diarrhea-specific formula instead.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang

Pediatrics

46sec

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Can children with diarrhea eat eggs?

In cases of diarrhea in children, we must pay attention to their diet. Since diarrhea itself is inflammation of the intestines, digestive function is definitely impaired, and the activity of digestive enzymes will also decrease. Under these circumstances, it is essential to provide a bland and easily digestible diet. If the diarrhea persists for a long time, it is best to feed with diarrhea-specific formula. Eggs are relatively difficult to digest, and in cases of diarrhea, they should be avoided as much as possible. Eating eggs can increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, hinder digestion and absorption, and is not conducive to the recovery of the condition. Thus, it is advisable to avoid consuming eggs when experiencing diarrhea.