<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Hi and many, many thanks to the folks who responded to my query! After I posted the note, I found a description of TD on the Pediatric Database... it defined it as "a chronic non-specific diarrhea in an otherwise healthy, thriving child which is benign and self-limiting." I have my doubts that there is any such thing as a "benign" diarrhea!!! It went on to say the problem involves 3-10 (usually <5) stool/day, occurs twice as often in boys as girls, half the kids had infantile colic and it "may be an early manifestation of irritable bowel syndrome." I guess the big clue here was 'non-specific'-- many of you expressed your irritation at professionals who slap a label on a syndrome that they don't understand. The Database did at least give some suggestions, which is more than my pediatrician did: provide normal diet; may restrict fruit juices, excessive water and cold foods (?!) but not milk or fats; may use psyllium or methylcellulose as stool-firmers. Your replies were much more helpful!!!! Again, I thank you. Here are the results: 1. Four respondents indicated that their toddlers had achieved relief with a GF diet --altho one wasn't exactly a toddler when finally diagnosed with CD FOUR YEARS after the initial label of toddlers' diarrhea, irritable bowel, etc. (Now on a GF diet, it is hoped she will catch up on her growth. Benign, my foot!) Some of these noted that the slightest bit of gluten could give their child "the runs." One indicated a low-fat/fat-free diet had also helped her child. 2. Two specifically recommended seeing a pediatric GI. I was cautioned against going GF before testing. 3. Two noted my son's allergies and wondered if maybe we were overdoing fruit juice to compensate for the milk allergy. One mom with CD had a daughter allergic to a million things and found watering down the juice, per the advice of her pediatric GI, made "a world of difference." 4. One noted my yeast allergy and suggested that excess use of antibiotics can leave room for a Candida (yeast) infestation. 5. Finally, one dad said that in New Zealand, any persistent diarrhea is routinely treated for giardia, a single-celled organism common to water supplies which can mimic CD, even causing lesions, is easily transmitted through water, eating sand out of sandboxes, etc, and while the spores are very hard to detect they are easily killed with a three-day course of Flagyl. After comparing notes I thought the easiest thing to try first would be cutting out the juice. (Yes, I had been pouring it out mindlessly as if it were milk!) Lo and behold: "Mommy! I feel well. I don't feel sick." Music to my ears. Not to mention the kid hasn't complained of a tummy ache or had to run to the potty this weekend. So I'm hoping this isn't just a lull in the storm. But even if it is, at least I have some concrete experience from y'all to draw on! Sure beats paying $50 to be told "it will probably go away by itself in a year or so." God bless you all, Jeanne ____________________ __________________ ____________________ --==<<00000OO000000>>==-- __________________ The Holt Family. [log in to unmask] Brendon, Jeanne, Brason and Braelyn. Allen, Texas http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/6464/ __________________________________________________________________