Diarrheal diseases in children Diarrheal disease is a major health problem in pediatrics worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diarrhea refers to passing of loose or watery stools at least three times in a 24-hour period, or more frequent passage than what is considered normal for an individual.1 Diarrhea is among the major causes of mortality and morbidity in children. It is considered to be the second leading cause of mortality and accounts for about 525000 annual deaths in children less than 5 years of age.1 It has been estimated that there are nearly 1.7 billion cases of childhood diarrheal disease every year globally. The burden is more pronounced in low- and middle-income countries.2 Diarrheal disease can be classified as acute, persistent (duration>/= 14 days), severe persistent (duration>/= 14 days with some or severe dehydration) and dysentery (blood in the stool).3 A variety of viruses, bacteria, protozoa and helminthes cause diarrheal disease. Severe watery acute diarrhea, caused mostly by rotavirus, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, and Vibrio cholerae, causes rapid dehydration and can be fatal.4 Other pathogenic organisms include Shigella spp, Salmonella spp, and Campylobacter spp, Giardia intestinalis and Entamoeba histolytica.5 Apart from these causes, diarrhea is also caused by use of certain antibiotics. this is called antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD).