the most common cause of chronic diarrhea in childhood
possibly a variant of irritable bowel syndrome, family history of IBS is common
children are 6-58 months of age, most commonly 11-24 months old)
otherwise in good health with normal weight gain, without signs of malabsorption syndrome or enteric infection
morning stool is the most formed, with the stools becoming progressively looser through the day that are malodorous with food particles
most often due to dietary factors causing altered gastrointestinal motility such as reduced fat intake or excessive fluid intake, especially sucrose-containing fruit juices
treatment is based on modification of the contributing dietary factors
References
Davidson M, Wasserman R. The irritable colon of childhood (chronic nonspecific diarrhea syndrome). J Pediatr. 1996;69:1027-1038
Kneepkens CM, Hoekstra JH. Chronic nonspecific diarrhea of childhood: pathophysiology and management. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1996;43:375-390
