Talk to me about toddler diarrhoea... (sorry!)

[Galena]

So DD is 2.4 and never has particularly firm poos. Has been very mildy constipated maybe twice in her life, but it cleared within 12-24 hours so I'm certainly not considering 'overflow'.

Usually her poo is probably between 5 and 6 on the Bristol pictures, probably more often a 6. When teething or when she has a cold it goes to a 7. It's vile - it stinks, is mucousy and it often leaks.

The past month she's been getting her second molars and it has been hideous! She's like a breastfed newborn again, requiring at least one change of clothing during the day because she's exploded all over her vest, trousers, top... Now she's got a cold too... oh hell!

So, do I assume she has toddler diarrhoea as she is happy and active and putting on weight, or do I take her to the doctor? And please tell me it'll improve! I don't dare try to potty train at the moment - she seems to have no idea about when she's pooing and the thought of rinsing off more and more clothing just fills me with dread!

could she maybe have a food intolerance? no harm in going to the doctor to get her checked over anyway

DD was the same at about 15mo, poo was very loose and required a change of clothes and sometimes bedding (she would always go when she was having a nap)

I changed her diet and reduced the majority of 'healthy' foods (green veg, cereal) and slowly reintroduced them, she seems to have got over it now and she's 18mo, but I do watch her nappies now and if things are bit loose then I give her more carbs and less fibre for a day or two.

We went through similar with DS1. There's a thread I remember here that has a link to useful info:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/1086728-DS-2-7-has-ahem-horrendously-smelly-poo/AllOnOnePage

All the advice I had, which also tied with our experience, is that if DC is happy, active and gaining weight then it's just bad luck but nothing to worry about (other than the cleaning up...). To make your job a little easier, I would limit weetabix (the bits get EVERYWHERE in the poo slick), and avoid excessive grapes, rhubarb or strawberries.

Also (as I mentioned on the linked thread) - potty training actually helped. DS1 is now 4.5 (and just started school ). He does still have long poo 'sessions' on the toilet and a tendency to looseness and sometimes a bit explosive/mucousy, but no continence problems or anything.

Sorry - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/1086728-DS-2-7-has-ahem-horrendously-smelly-poo/AllOnOnePage

Also - if you are using washable nappies FGS swap to disposables! That helped me, if not DS1...

Just to make it 4 diarrhea posts - re-reading OP noticed that you haven't asked GP. I would do this - they will probably say fine, but it wouldn't hurt to ask and to have it in notes in case it ever progresses to further problems.

Thanks - I'll have a read of that when I feel up to it! She doesn't have weetabix or rhubarb, and only occasional grapes and strawberries.

Dunno if it's relevant and it's definitely TMI, but earlier today she seemed to be 'firming up' again, until mid afternoon when she passed wind and a lot of mucous came with it. But by bedtime it was sticky again and had a bit of texture...