How to Handle a Child’s Diarrhea That Has Lasted for Three Months

Question

A 15-month-old child has been experiencing diarrhea for three months, with stools sometimes appearing watery or egg-like, and sometimes paste-like. The stool color may be green or yellow, with no odor. Regular stool tests and bacterial culture results are normal, no parasites detected, and the rotavirus test is negative. The child has a good appetite and shows no signs of obvious dehydration.

Answer

The presence of no or only a small number of white blood cells in the stool usually indicates diarrhea caused by non-invasive factors (such as viruses), which often manifests as watery diarrhea and may be accompanied by dehydration symptoms. Treatment principles include: continuing to eat and reasonably adjusting the diet to maintain nutrition; quickly correcting imbalances in water and electrolytes; controlling gastrointestinal infections both inside and outside; symptomatic treatment; strengthening care to prevent complications; and avoiding the excessive use of antibiotics. It is recommended to differentiate this condition from physiological diarrhea, which is more common.

Question

A 15-month-old child has been suffering from diarrhea for three months, with stools sometimes appearing watery or egg-like, and sometimes paste-like. The stool color may be green or yellow, with no odor. Regular stool tests and bacterial culture results are normal, no parasites detected, and the rotavirus test is negative. The child has a good appetite and shows no signs of obvious dehydration.

Answer

Diarrhea with no or only a small number of white blood cells in the stool is typically caused by factors other than invasion (such as viruses), often presenting as watery diarrhea and sometimes accompanied by dehydration symptoms. Treatment principles include: continuing to eat while adjusting the diet for nutritional maintenance; promptly correcting imbalances in water and electrolytes; controlling both internal and external gastrointestinal infections; symptomatic treatment; enhanced care to prevent complications; and avoiding excessive use of antibiotics. It is advisable to distinguish this condition from physiological diarrhea, which is more frequent.