Question: What is chronic diarrhea in children?
Answer: Chronic diarrhea is passing loose, watery stools three or more times a day for at least 4 weeks. Children with chronic diarrhea may have loose, watery stools continually, or their diarrhea may come and go. Chronic diarrhea can affect children of any age.

Diarrhea that lasts only a short time is called acute diarrhea. Acute diarrhea, a common problem in children, usually lasts a few days and goes away on its own.
Question: What are the complications of chronic diarrhea in children?
Answer: Malabsorption

Certain diseases and conditions that cause chronic diarrhea may cause malabsorption—a condition in which a child’s body can’t absorb nutrients from foods, resulting in shortages of protein, calories, and vitamins. See a list of malabsorption symptoms.

A child who does not absorb enough nutrients from the food he or she eats may become malnourished. Malnourishment during the years when nutrition is important to a child’s normal growth and development can result in health problems.

Dehydration

Chronic diarrhea may lead to dehydration. With diarrhea, especially acute diarrhea, a child’s body loses more fluid and electrolytes in loose stools than solid stools. See a list of dehydration symptoms.