Many conditions, medications, and diseases interfere with your child's ability to heal or fight infection. Your child may be at risk for a more serious problem from his or her symptoms if any of the following are present. Be sure to tell your child's health professional.

Conditions

• A newborn or younger than 3 months old
• Developmental delay or failure to thrive
• Exposure to tobacco smoke
• A history of intussusception
• Premature birth
• Previous surgery to the abdomen

Medications

• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Medications to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Medications used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
• Radiation therapy

Diseases

• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Kidney disease
• Structural problems of the digestive tract, including:
  • Hirschsprung's disease
  • Malrotation of the intestines
  • Pyloric stenosis