Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Infant Diarrhea - Diarrhea in Infants
- Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
- Symptoms & Signs
- Diagnosis & Tests
- Prevention & Expectations
- Treatment & Monitoring
- Attribution
- View All
Symptoms & Signs
What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?
Diarrhea in infants can cause the following conditions:
It is important to be able to tell the difference between diarrhea and the normal loose, watery stools of infants in the first 6 to 8 weeks of life. Breast-fed infants normally have stools that look like watery, yellow cottage cheese. Their stools also are frequent, often occurring during or after each feeding. Breast milk stools usually are sweet-smelling as compared to the stools of formula-fed infants.
Most infants, even those fed formula, have frequent, watery stools until they are six to eight weeks old. After that, the stools become firmer and less frequent. In fact, infants who are only fed breast milk beyond the first two months of life may have a stool only every three to five days. As long as the stool is soft, this is normal. Babies' stools are firmer once they start on solid food.
When severe, diarrhea can cause dehydration. Signs of dehydration include the following: