Gastroenteritis

• main risk is severe dehydration
• most common cause is rotavirus - typically accompanied by fever and vomiting for the first 2 days. The diarrhoea may last up to a week
• treatment is rehydration

Chronic diarrhoea

Infants

• most common cause in the developed world is cows' milk intolerance
• toddler diarrhoea: stools vary in consistency, often contain undigested food
• coeliac disease
• post-gastroenteritis lactose intolerance - Transient lactose intolerance is a common complication of viral gastroenteritis. Removal of lactose from the diet for a few months followed by a gradual reintroduction usually resolves the problem.