How to tell if diarrhea is more than a temporary issue.
You should contact a doctor if you have experienced watery, loose stools for over two days. If several rectal or abdominal pains are associated with the condition, call your physician immediately. A fever over 102 F (39 C) is a severe symptom of diarrhea and bloody or black stools. If you become dehydrated as a result of diarrhea, you will need to seek medical attention right away.
When children, especially toddlers and babies, experience diarrhea, they can reach a level of dehydration rather quickly. You need to call a doctor if your child has symptoms for over a day. Symptoms of dehydration for children are akin to those of adults; however, nausea and the inability to keep food in the stomach are also factors in childhood dehydration. Symptoms related to diarrhea can sometimes be early indications of a more serious illness like irritable bowel disease, pancreatitis, or colon cancer.

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