In the childcare setting, diarrhea is often simply an inconvenience to staff who must diaper the children and assist with toileting. However, diarrhea also can be a more serious concern, depending upon its cause.
Diarrhea can be infectious in that it easily can be transmitted from person to person.
However, it also can be noninfectious in that it is a reaction of the child's body to something and therefore, is not spread to other people. Before you exclude a child from childcare, it may be helpful to determine the cause of the diarrhea. Noninfectious Diarrhea One of the more common causes of diarrhea is the use of antibiotics. The potential varies from child to child, but there are some antibiotics that far more frequently cause diarrhea than others. If a child taking an antibiotic is suffering from stomach cramps or diarrhea, you may want to encourage the parent to discuss it with the child's doctor.