1. What is diarrhea?
It is the passage of liquid or watery stools more than 3 times a day.
A recent change in character of stool is more important.

2.What is dysentery?
Gross blood in the stool is the hallmark of dysentery and may be accompanied by abdominal cramps and fever.

3. What is not diarrhea?
. Passage of frequently formed stools.
. Passage of pasty stools in breast fed infants
. Passage of stool during or immediately after feeding due to gastrocolic reflex.
. Passage of frequent loose greenish yellow stools on the 3rd and 4th day of life called as transitional stools.

4.What are the consequences of diarrhea?
Dehydration and Malnutrition leading to Death.

5.Why does diarrhea cause malnutrition?
. Impaired intestinal absorption causes loss of nutrients in diarrhea.
. Increased catabolism(waste of energy) due to infection.
. A child with diarrhea is often not hungry.
. Mothers withhold food during diarrhea.
. Doctors do not emphasize proper feeding during diarrhea.

6.What are the common causes of diarrhea?
. Rotavirus is the commonest cause of dehydrating diarrhea in children.
. Cholera is seen in epidemics.
. Shigella is the most common cause of dysentery.
. Giardia and Amoebiasis are uncommon causes of acute diarrhea.

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