Diarrhea can be defined as being either acute or chronic. Acute diarrhea means the diarrhea will be brief, while chronic means it will be long-lasting. In addition, the causes for diarrhea will depend on your age. Gastroenteritis causes acute diarrhea in babies. The chronic causes in babies include their diet, intolerance to the protein in cow's milk, cystic fibrosis and post-infectious lactase deficiency.
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is the most common cause of acute diarrhea in babies. The term is used to describe the infection and inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the stomach and intestines. Viruses are the main cause of gastroenteritis, with rotavirus being the most common virus to do so. According to Judith Sondheimer, M.D., in "Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics," rotavirus usually affects babies 3 to 15 months old in the wintertime.
Diet
Infants who are fed a lot of starches can have diarrhea, because they do not yet have enough of an enzyme called amylase that is needed to metabolize starches. Fruit juices are a main cause of diarrhea, especially if those juices have a lot of sorbitol or fructose. These two substances are not absorbed in the intestines very well.
Intolerance to Cow's Milk
Infants who suffer from intolerance to the protein in cow's milk will have diarrhea, but they will also have vomiting and colicky abdominal pain. This diarrhea will, at times, have small amounts of blood. And if they are intolerant to cow's milk protein, they may also be intolerant to soy protein as well. Babies who are allergic to cow's milk protein will make antibodies against the milk protein. But, they will be able to drink soy formula.
Cystic Fibrosis
Gwendolyn Kerby, M.D., of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, writes that cystic fibrosis is one of the most common severe hereditary diseases in America. Many newborn babies will have a condition called meconium ileus, where their intestines are obstructed by a thick mucus and meconium (the first bowel movement). But, all babies with cystic fibrosis will eventually have greasy, smelly diarrhea that will not go away.
Post-Infectious Lactase Deficiency
This term describes the temporary decreased amount of lactase that occurs after a baby has had acute gastroenteritis. The inflammation of the intestinal mucous membranes, which was caused by a virus, will cause a temporary injury to the baby's intestines. The baby will, therefore, temporarily have less lactase. This causes the lactose from milk to accumulate in the intestines, which will lead to diarrhea. The condition will usually last for several days.
References
- "Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics"; William Hay, Jr., M.D., Myron Levin, M.D., Judith Sondheimer, M.D., Robin Deterding, M.D.; 2009
- The Merck Manual: Diarrhea
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Babies and Diarrhea -- Overview
