Diarrhea
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Diarrhea (say "dy-a-re-ya"), also spelled diarrhoea, is feces that are runny or liquid. In a baby it is the most common symptom of malnutrition. This means not eating enough, or well enough.
There are many other diseases that cause it. Most are temporary and related to diet - the food you eat. Food safety and hand washing can cut the risk of getting diarrhea. Some causes other than disease are stress and drinking too much alcohol.
In developing nations, malnutrition is a common cause of child death. Diarrhea is often treated with aspirin or glucose - these reduce pain and may stop some symptoms for a while. However, if the root cause is malnutrition, it will not save the child's life. Spending money on rehydrating salts, clean water, and more food is wiser, as the first step.
The opposite of diarrhea, firm feces are a sign of good digestive health. Many people adopt vegan diets with high dietary fibre to prevent diarrhea and other digestive problems.
