A mother brings a girl, 8 months old, to the Emergency Department with a 2 month history of diarrhea which is described as frequent liquid stools. There is no blood in the stool. The child has not been vomiting and has abdominal pain. The child's weight was 50th percentile at birth, but after 6 months of age began dropping and is now 10th percentile. There are no known sick contacts. The child is fully immunized and is formula fed plus a variety of solids. Family history reveals that the child's father has type 1 diabetes. On examination the child looks well. The vital signs are as follows, bp: normal, hr: normal and temp: 37.2°C. Abdominal examination is normal. Perianal examination is normal. Skin examination is normal. 

What is/are the most appropriate initial investigation(s)? Check all that apply.

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Author

Dr. Joanna Holland

joanna.holland@iwk.nshealth.ca

Reviewers

Dr. Karen Forbes

Dr. Nicole Johnson

nicole.johnson@ahs.ca