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Here at Neocate, we get lots of questions about diapers. I mean lots! Many questions relate to constipation or diarrhea. We’ve posted about constipation in the past, but I thought it would be helpful to pull together our past comments on diarrhea, as well as provide some more medical information on the topic courtesy of the National Institutes of Health, or NIH.

Defining “Diarrhea”

Simply defined, diarrhea is loose, watery stools. It also means having these loose stools three or more times a day. There are more specific guidelines, but most people know diarrhea when they see it. Diarrhea happens to everyone, usually about once a year for adults and twice a year for young children.

Typically, diarrhea is acute, meaning that it lasts one or two days and then goes away. This type of diarrhea is typically caused by an infection. If diarrhea lasts more than two days, it can be something more serious. Diarrhea lasting more than two to four weeks – chronic diarrhea – may be a symptom of a chronic disease or condition.

The concern with diarrhea, especially when it lasts more than two days, is a risk of dehydration. Our bodies absorb most of the water and some minerals at the end of our digestive tract. When we have diarrhea we can’t absorb those things, leading to dehydration, which can be serious.

Diarrhea in Infants

New parents quickly become experts at several things, one of which is changing diapers. Since infants go through about eight diapers a day, parents easily pick up on anything abnormal. Every baby’s stools are different in terms of how watery they are, which makes defining diarrhea in infants difficult. To keep it simple, diarrhea is typically a sudden onset of frequent bowel movements that are more watery than usual.

The risk of dehydration from diarrhea is much higher in children than most adults, and especially in infants. Since infants can’t tell us what they’re feeling, it’s important to keep an eye out for signs of dehydration. With children and infants, you shouldn’t hesitate to call their healthcare provider if you have concerns. For infants under 4 months, the recommendation is that you contact the doctor at the first sign of diarrhea or dehydration.

Diarrhea and Food Allergies

Pulling this all together, diarrhea is one of the top signs of a food allergy, especially for infants. In infants with food allergies, diarrhea often lasts more than just a few days and may even be combined with other symptoms. It’s not uncommon to also see blood or mucus in the stool. Diarrhea can also result from lactose intolerance, which is not as severe as a food allergy, but which may also require a change in diet.

Like we hear from many Neocate parents, diarrhea is often one of the first signs to clear up after they start using Neocate. This is because Neocate doesn’t contain any lactose (or any dairy at all!) or whole proteins. These substances would normally cause a reaction in the body that leads to poor absorption and diarrhea. Infants are able to absorb the nutrients they need from Neocate without the bad reaction that often results in diarrhea. Most parents tell us that the switch to Neocate has meant more solid stools and many fewer diapers.

- Rob

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Last month we launched our redesigned website, Neocate.com! Our goal for the new site is to provide even more support, answers and guidance for your family’s journey with food allergies.

In case you haven’t visited us online yet, one of the helpful new resources we added to help you find answers about your child’s condition is the Parent’s Toolbox. The applications in the toolbox were designed to help you identify, track and understand the different symptoms your child may be experiencing. 

Below are some of the different ways you can use the Parent’s Toolbox:

Confused about what is “normal” and what could be a sign of food allergies? Use the Symptom Guide and Checklist as a reference.

Knowing what symptoms to look for and understanding what they may mean is the key to finding relief for your child. These tools help you identify symptoms so that you know what to discuss with your doctor and dietitian.

Not sure what that long medical term your doctor just used means? Look it up in the Glossary.

Sometimes it can seem like you need to be an MD to understand your child’s condition with all of the terms that are used. Our glossary breaks everything down so that you can easily understand what everything means.

Want to educate yourself? Visit our Learn About Conditions page.

We’ve got detailed, easy to understand information on what causes conditions like Cow’s Milk Allergy, Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Multiple Food Protein Intolerance, what symptoms are generally associated with each one, and how Neocate can help provide relief.

Don’t forget that you can also connect with the nutrition specialists on the Food Allergy Living blog or at 1-800-NEOCATE for real-time advice and tips.