travel)Evaluation of past medical history includes:
Family history
Conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, cystic fibrosis, and celiac diseasePhysical examination involves:
Abdominal examination (tenderness, distention, and/or bowel sounds)
Genital examination (rashes, anal fissures, and/or ulcerative lesions)
General assessment and vital signs (any signs of dehydration such as tachycardia and low blood pressure)
Examination of extremities and head (any signs of dehydration such as dry mucous membranes and skin turgor)

Diagnostic Tests
The following tests can also be performed to assist in the diagnosis of toddlers diarrhea and evaluation of any associated complications/underlying conditions:
Stool tests provide further information about bleeding, infectious agents, and/or anatomical problems. Blood tests allow assessment of inflammatory markers and/or other criterion for causative diseases. X-rays provide evaluations of any problems that may originate in the gastrointestinal tract/liver/etc. Upper endoscopy or colonoscopy allows visualization of the gastrointestinal tract to assess location of inflammation. Breath hydrogen tests are utilized to determine lactose, fructose, and/or sucrose intolerance. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) may also be indicated by this test. Genetic Testing
Most commonly, chronic diarrhea in infants and children are classified as acquired diarrhea, identified with the general diagnostic tests mentioned above. The other classification of chronic diarrhea, congenital diarrheas and enteropathies (CODEs), are rare diagnoses of exclusion. With recent advances in genome sequencing, the addition of targeted genetic testing to diagnostic algorithms has been proposed to allow faster diagnoses and earlier treatment of CODEs. While certain genes and mutations have been associated with various CODEs, further research and studies are necessary to support the role of diagnostic genetic testing.
Treatment
According to doctors of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), treating the cause of chronic diarrhea in infants is primarily through diet (e.g. avoiding foods their bodies dont tolerate such as gluten, lactose, fructose, and sucrose). Dietary fiber and fat can be increased and fluid intake, especially fruit juice intake, decreased. With these considerations, NIDDK doctors recommend that children consume a normal balanced diet based on their age to avoid malnutrition or growth restriction.Non-prescription medications such as loperamide are not recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for children below 6 years of age as they dont address the underlying cause of the condition. According to Benjamin Ortiz, M.D., a pediatrician in the Food and Drug Administrations Office of Pediatric Therapeutics, bismuth subsalicylate is not recommended in children below 12 years of age because its contents, including magnesium, aluminum, and bismuth, are not readily cleared from their bodies, making them more susceptible to harm.Studies have shown that certain probiotic preparations such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus (a bacterium) and Saccharomyces boulardii (a yeast) may be effective at reducing the duration and severity of diarrhea in acute settings as a result of gastroenteritis, while other studies have found that the use of probiotics doesnt have an effect on the length of diarrhea in toddlers.While treatments for chronic diarrhea of infancy arent clear cut, it is crucial to address the complications of dehydration that may arise from chronic diarrhea with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines recommendation of oral rehydration therapy (ORT).