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Published on: December 8, 2014
Insights
Recurrent diarrhea in young children often resolves by age 3. Some cases are linked to food allergies, while others may involve reactions to environmental stress, persisting into later childhood.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
- Allergy & Immunology
Background:
- Recurrent, unexplained diarrhea is a common intestinal issue in children aged 6 months to 3 years.
- Understanding the long-term outcomes and potential causes is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical course and outcomes of recurrent, unexplained diarrhea in children up to 5 years of age.
- To identify potential subgroups and contributing factors, such as food allergies and environmental stress responses.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study of 27 children diagnosed with recurrent, unexplained diarrhea.
- Follow-up assessments conducted until the children reached 5 years of age.
Main Results:
- Diarrhea onset occurred at a mean age of 9 months, with resolution by age 3 in 21 children.
- Food allergy (cow's milk, vegetables) was identified in six children, with persistent symptoms in four.
- Unexplained diarrhea resolved in 19 of 21 children; nutritional deficiencies were rare.
- At age 5, six children still experienced diarrhea; abdominal pain, headaches, and atopy were more common.
Conclusions:
- Two main subgroups of recurrent diarrhea exist: those with food allergy and those reacting to environmental stressors.
- While many cases resolve, some children experience persistent symptoms and associated conditions into later childhood.
Abstract:
Recurrent, unexplained diarrhoea is the most common intestinal complaint in children aged 6 months to 3 years. We studied 27 consecutive children with this complaint and followed them up until the age of 5 years. Diarrhoea began at the mean age of 9 months (range 4 to 16 months) and resolved in 21 children by 3 years of age. Twelve children had had infantile colic earlier. In six patients diarrhoea was caused by food allergy (cows' milk allergy and allergy to fresh vegetables). Episodes of diarrhoea persisted in four of these six. Twenty one children had unexplained diarrhoea: this resolved in 19. Nutritional deficiencies were rare; only one child had iron deficiency. Relative weights of the children were significantly lower at 2 years than at 1 year of age. At 5 years of age six of the children continued to have episodes of diarrhoea, and abdominal pains, headaches, and atopy occurred more commonly than in the general population. We suggest that there are two major subgroups among children with recurrent diarrhoea--children with food allergy and those who react to environmental stresses with a variety of somatic symptoms.
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