An increase in the frequency and/or fluidity of bowel movements.

Children in the United States average one or two bouts of diarrhea a year. The primary danger associated with diarrhea is dehydration from the excess fluid lost through bowel movements, especially if the diarrhea is accompanied by fever and /or vomiting. Diarrhea-inducing diseases such as cholera are associated with the deaths of 4 million children in developing countries every year. Although the problem is much less severe in industrialized countries such as the United States, it is estimated that 500 children die annually as a result of diarrhea, mostly in low-income, single-parent, African American families. Diarrhea has a wide variety of causes, including bacterial and parasitic infections, viruses, inflammatory bowel disease, reactions to medications, congenital defects, food poisoning, allergies, malabsorptive conditions, and stress. It occurs in both chronic and acute forms and may be accompanied by vomiting, stomachaches, and...