My 20 Month Old Has Diarrhea for 4 Days Now, and Loss of Appetite!!! Help!!!

Hi J.,

You may want to try what they call the BRAT diet..she will probably have diarrhea for a couple more days, usually 7-10 with no other complaint..BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. This will slow the diarrhea down and it's easy on the stomach. Keep her hydrated, stay away from anything with sugar and milk as they make diarrhea worse. Most kids don't like pedialyte so I used gatorade diluted with water...good luck. It's frustrating but it will end shortly. :) M.

As long as she's drinking fluids and haing wet diapers, that's a great sign. It's not abnormal to not have much of an appetite. Great news that she's not throwing up anymore. It sounds like she's on the road to recovery.

N.

The BRAT diet worked every time for my son when he had diarrhea. It is bananas, rice, applesauce and tea. I don't remember the particulars, but you can look it up.

It truly sounds like your daughter has the stomach flu! You need to stop worrying about her eating, and start giving her Pedialyte. Once she can keep it down and her diarrhea clears up, then start introducing bland foods a little at a time. I would highly recommend you talk to your pediatrician!!

Hope this helps. I hope your daughter recovers quickly.

I would call the doctor ASAP since children can become dehydrated so quickly. A friend of mine who's a nurse once told me that if they're throwing up or having bouts of diarrhea more than three times an hour, they can become dehydrated before you know it. Four days of diarrhea sounds like a lot to me. I say, "when in doubt, call the doctor."

Hi J.- well it sounds like it could be a virus, something along the lines of Rotavirus. Not much fun. What exactly is "bad" diarrhea? How many diaper changes are you doing and what color and smell is it? Those are important in helping to determine things. Is the baby also voiding (going pee) with the diaper changes? It is highly important that the baby is being re-hydrated because severe diarrhea can dehydrate you just as vomiting. With things like rotavirus babies tend to have the fever, the diminished appetite and severe diarrhea. I am concerned mostly that the baby is being hydrated. If you have a hard time telling if she is voiding, place a small cotton ball in that area and check with the next diaper change. Is she active and playful or tired and sleepy? It may be in your best interest to have the baby seen by your local Pediatrician to determine if it is a virus or something of more concern. Again biggest issue is that the baby is staying hydrated. Make sure you have pedialyte on hand as that is your best bet getting the baby electrolytes she needs. Make sure and appropriately clean all toys, especially those that go in the mouth to help prevent re-infection of viruses and do your best handwashing ever. Good luck to you!!!!

I am not a doctor but it sounds like she may have Rotavirus. It starts as throwing up, then lots of diarhhea - usually for 5-7 days. My (now two year old) got it at one year and had it for a week. The doctor recommended Pedialite, which he wouldn't drink, and, otherwise, the only thing he kept in his system was breast milk. (We supplemented with formula from early on). Anyway, I read in one of the baby books that "if you're going through 20 diapers a day, it's Rotavirus". Ben was a little clingy and tired, but otherwise, he didn't seem too uncomfortable. I hope this helps, but, I would strongly recommend checking with your doctor because dehydration is a definite risk with this illness. I wish you all the best. R.

P.S. Ben was unable to eat any solid food when he had this, so the BRAT diet didn't work. In fact, every time I gave him food to eat, he started throwing up again. I hope Rylin is keeping food down; that would be a good sign.

I've read through a few responses and they sound just like what I'm going to say..take her into the doctor. When my son was about her age we went through the same thing, and ended up being hospialized with an I.V. for dehydration. Though there wasn't a lot I could do about it, it was one of the most heart wrenching things to see..not to mention hear the nurses trying to put an I.V. into his little arm. :(

CALL THE DOCTOR. She needs electrolytes but you should really take her to see a doctor.
S. T
Woodland Hills

I don't thinks it's dangerious as long as she's drinking fluids. What kind of fluids is she drinking?? If she's drinking apple juice you may want to switch to pear juice, grape juice, plain water or pedilite. Apple juice will give her diarrhea. I cannot give my kids (6 and 3) more than 4 oz of apple juice a day without it causing a problem. I would take her off apple juice or water it down alot and consult your Doctor Monday, excessive diarrhea can cause dehydration in children very quickly.

L.

Hello! Sounds like your daughter has the stomach flu that is going around. Vomitting & diarrhea is normal and can last up to a whole week, but it is the dehydration you need to watch out for. Some tips to keep her hydrated:
1) Just a few sips at a time gatorade, water, &/or pedialyte and space them out every 10 - 15 min. Big gulps don't tend to sit well & come back up or upset the stomach.

2) Give her popsicles. I make gatorade or pedialyte popsicles and my daughter tends to take those better than liquids. You may also give her flavorice.

3) Look out for signs of dehydration such as dry lips and mouth, listlessness, dark circles under her eyes. If need be, take her to ER to get IV fluids.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Girlfriend - get your child to a doctor immediately! As a full-time student, your child should be covered through your healthcare plan. Although diarrhea seems innocuous, the resulting dehydration can be extremely harmful to your child. Don't wait and go now!

When my daughter had bad diarrhea that went on and on, I was given the advice to put her on the BRAT diet. It worked, we still follow it when needed, and she is now 18. For a day or so, only eat Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and dry Toast (BRAT). Make the toast as dark as you can eat, or get her to eat.

If it doesn't clear up in a day or two of this, call the doctor.

Hi J.
We're on day four of the same thing. Saw the Dr. on Friday and she said it was the stomach flu. Give plenty of fluids but no dairy. Use the BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) diet to firm up the bm. Hang in there!

If you're nursing her, the breastmilk is the best thing to hydrate her. If not, give her electrolyte-enhanced drinks like Smart Water (it's also possible to get just the liquid electrolytes, of which you put a 1/4 tsp. in water or diluted juice). I would call the doctor, as it's been 4 days; but it's a good sign that she seems well in every other way.

If you haven't gone to see the doctor yet, I would definately do that, it could be something serious if it has gine on this long- also you should be feeding her the BRAT diet-bananas, rice, apples and toast to firm up her stool.Gatorade is good to replace electrolytes.Hope she feels better!

I went through the exact same thing at Chrismastime with my two year old. She threw up for hours and hours, but didn't seem "sick." Her attitude was fine. At one point, she was sitting on our bed, heaving into a plastic lined trash can and actually looking over the trashcan's edge so she could still watch Cinderella.

After the vomiting she had diarrhea for 9 days. I took her to her pediatrican after day 5 or 6, but she told me just to keep her hydrated and to sit it out. She said to stay away from all dairy products and not to give her too much fruit while she was still affected. Otherwise, not to worry about the loss of appetite.

As predicted, the diarrhea stopped and her appetite came back. It was a tough stretch, though. (I was 9 months pregnant!) Good luck.

You need to put her on the BRAT diet....BRAT meaning....bananas...rice....applesauce...and toast....fluids are essential....NO MILK OR DAIRY PRODUCTS.....Pedialyte popcicles or juice is better then any other liquids....My grandson just had this....Even regular popcicles are good...

Dear J.,
If she is drinking fluids, I think that is the most important at this point. sounds like the stomach flu (my son just had that too!) Dehydration is the biggest concern with infants but if she is happy and drinking, she is good. It never hurts to just put a call in to your pediatrician for a return phone call, and to discuss the situation with him/her. They can always give you advice and when, if needed, you should bring her in. -AM

Sounds like the stomach flu both my boys had. Try Pedialite. They only need fluids during this time, not food. If she starts getting dehydrated you'll need to take her to the ER/Clinic. Lots of liquids, love and patience. It just has to run it's course. My kids were sick for about two weeks. Good luck.

She needs fat in her diet. Avocado, meat, eggs, fish etc. It'll help make her poop more solid. Also give her yogurt to replace the lost bacteria in her body. Will also help with Diarrhea. Has her fever gone down? Put a tissue in the front of her diaper to make sure she's peeing. You have a problem if she doesn't pee at least every 8 hrs. It's a good sign that she has a good attitude. Have you called her pediatrician?

Btw, the BRAT diet is on it's way out. It will help stop the flow but it doesn't help replace all the nutrients she lost thus not helping her get better. I follow my son's normal diet but add more banana and rice etc. Good luck! Let us know how's she's doing!

Hi J., it might be that your baby is growing some teeth. Both my kids had diarrhea and loss of appetite when they had some teeth coming. Just make sure they keep hyderated and give them lots of crackers, saltines. I gave them a lot of gatorade/powerade too.

vomiting and diarrhea is a bit more serious in kids-they can become dehydrated and suffer electrolyte imbalances much more quickly than adults. i would take her to the pediatrician or pediatric urgent care-they may need to test her stools for some common ailments that babies get and then treat it. good luck!

Call your doctor! She could get dehydrated. She should get electrolytes (pedialyte) and clear liquid (like gatorade and flat 7-up) in small amounts, frequently. She should be on the BRAT diet (bananas, rice cereal, applesauce, dry toast, dry cherrios). After 24 hours, begin giving her skim milk and after 48 hours, gradually go back to regular diet, assuming the diarrhea is gone. But, still...call your doctor for confirmation.

Just to reinforce the BRAT diet advice, this really works! Also lots of Pedialite. If it continues or if fever comes back, of course call your Doc.

Most insurance plans offer free Nurse advice through an 800 number. If I have a health question, I usually call a registered nurse and they will give advice, what to watch for and if/when you should see your doc.

She probably has what is going around. Don't feed her protein while she is going through this. Make sure she has enough fluids to keep her hydrated. If she is eating things that are hard to digest, her little tummy while it is inflammed is going to toss it. Make sure she has pedialyte. I know of a better hydrator but you have to order it. You can get pedialyte at the store. So, back off the solids and try just letting her have liquids until she is asking for them. My nephew just went through the exact same thing. The throwing up and then diarrhea. It has taken him over a week to get over it, he started throwing up on the 5th. He is just coming out of the diarrhea, he had some yesterday.

J., You might want to have her see the Peditrician so they can check if she has the stomach flu or something else. If she does, they can give her something for her tummy. I highly recommend Pedialyte and no milk. The pedialyte will help keep her hydrated. As long as she has saliva (no dry mouth) and a wet diaper then she should be okay and not be dehydrated. Unfortunately both of my girls got sick (stomach flu twice - diarrhea, votiming and light fever) and I learned a lot from the Pedi. =0)
Good Luck - I hope she feels better soon.

Hi,

I would give your daughter a pro-biotic either in liquid or powder form. This will help balance out the good and bad bacteria in her gut. Try buying it at Everlasting Health (if still open in Reno) or Wild Oats. I would also recomend calling you doctor. Once you get a diagnosis consult with a holistic practioner to see if they can help you too.

Peace and Health,
Vanesza

Take her to the Dr. -children/babies especially become dehydrated very fast. Unless you know she is getting enough nutrition (glucose for her brain and fluids for her vascular system heart etc) it is best to have them taken care of by an MD. It would take measuring her intake (fluids etc, knowing she got enough food for electrolytes, glucose) and weighing her diapers to insure she has adequate output to do this on your own...
An MD can do an assessment and be able to tell if she has a passing bug or is dehydrated or needs further medical care.
Ask your pediatrician for guidelines on when he/she expects you to bring little one in with diarrhea, vomiting. They all have great guidelines to help parents make judgment calls.
Take care,
J.

My advice would be to call the docs office and ask them. My understanding is that babies become dehydrated very easily. I would not mess around with it and take your baby in to make sure it is okay. I always play on the safe side. Good luck and I hope all is okay. : )

Hi J.,
My 3 year old just got over the same thing. He had it for a week and a half. He started out with a fever, threw up for about 4 days with diarrhea, and then the diarrhea lasted for about 4 more days and he is finally over it. The doc told me that the diarrhea usually lasts longer than throwing up. So, as long as your daughter is hydrated, she should be good. I gave my son, water, crackers, rice, bananas, apples to help with the diarrhea, which all worked. (BRAT diet) Good luck with your little one.
Sincerely,
J.

I am 58 years old and raised two children of my own and was a mother to my neighbors daughter. Get your child to a doctor or hospital immediately!!!!!! I was a single mother also at one time. Your childs health is very important. If you are worried about the doctor bills don't. Your chld's health is more important. If your childs father is responsiable for the mecical bill him and no hospital or doctor can turn you away if you don't have insurance. Please take your child for medical treatment. Just think how you would feal if you were going through the same thing. God bless.

Just like you I love to travel as well. My daughter born 07/29/06 had the same problem. It was kind of a bummer because she vomited on me on our way to Hawaii. It was a good thing it was towards the end of the trip. We were there for four days and experienced the same symptoms. What is her temp? Do you have a regular pediatrician for her? I called her pediatrician and they advised me pedialyte (which she totally hated) or gatoraide. You can try the freezer pedialyte since most kids love popsicles. I gave her gatoraide and absolutely no dairy. That order was hard to give up considering she loves her milk. One good thing was I was able to kick her of the habit from her beloved bottle and transition her to a sippy cup. If she runs a slight fever again no motrin ( can cause elevated fever). As far as her eating. Give her things that would be easy on the tummy. Crackers,broth (low sodium). I made my daughter a chicken rice porridge. Just keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't get dehydrated or lethargic or high fever. Any signs of those symptoms take her to the ER. I remember calling her pediatrician and he told me that an intestinal virus was going around. What was a bummer is that the day my husband and I got home we caught it and were of our feet for 4-5 days. So make sure you disinfect everything and always wash your hands. Good luck and if you want that recipe for the chicken and rice poorage feel free to email me.

Scary huh?! As long as your child is drinking and there is no blood in the stool, your child will be ok. If the fever gets out of control too. Those are some signs I have been told to look for with this virus. My family has had this many times. It is called Rotovirus. http://www.rotavirusinfo.com/index.html?blksrv=T&WT.s...
Just make sure your child is HYDRATED!!! Diaper rashes can become a concern, too. There is a mixture of milk of magnesia and Aquaphor, it is hard for me to get the paste consistancy though. I usually use aquaphor OR corn starch. The other ointments deistin and balmex BURN!!!
Bottom line, if you are worried take child to pediatrician. Good luck!

Dear J.,

We did this when my son was 2, and because we had slow weight gain issues, I was a little panicky. He starting with the vomiting and diarrhea Christmas Eve. I left for Christmas with my husband's family (to show off the new baby), and within two hours, he had vomited 5 times and had 7 diaper changes. It was so bad that we opened presents 4 days after Christmas, and he had no interest in them whatsoever. All I can tell you at this point is since the vomiting has stopped, you can now concentrate on the diarrhea. Feed her (when she'll eat) a BRAT diet: Bananas, Rice, Apple Sauce, and Toast. This will help stop her up - and keep pushing the fluids.

Good luck!
B.

Ok sweetie:
You should get some Pedialite in her since she'll drink.
Yes, diarrhea for that long is somewhat of a concern. Since Rylin's attitude is good, perhaps it's a little stomach bug.
Try to slow the diarrhea with some banana perhaps. You should call her pediatrician, Let them know what's up.
Again, 4days and continued diarrhea should concern you, yes.

I'm a 49 year old UCSC mom and Auntie and care giver to many sweet babies.
I too am a single mom, and very honored and blessed to be my daughter's mother..L. S

Hello J.,

It sounds like your little one could use a visit to the doc ASAP...diarrhea, espically prolonged in small children can quickly lead to dehydration. Even if they seem fine, they could very well end up in the hospital, I am not an alarmist...just a mom whos 5yr old wound up in the hospital on an IV for four days after only three days of vomiting...he seemed fine, even wanted to play so I wasnt too worried.

You can NEVER be too careful, and should ALWAYS consult your doctor with health concerns regarding your little baby...even if all of us have good intentions sharing our suggestions. We should not be your final source of medical advice.

Blessings,

Jen

As long as she is keeping things down, does not have a fever anymore and is peeing you should be on the road to recovery :) My doctor always puts my kids on the BRAT diet when they have diarrhea until their stool is firm again takes away all milk products for a week. (BRAT= Banana, Rice Applesauce, Toast)
Works every time!!!

Are you giving her milk/dairy and/or veggies? If so, stop until the diarrhea stops. Just remember the BRAT diet.

B is for bananas
R is for rice
A is for applesauce (but not juice)
T is for toast

They also have Pedialite Popsicles to offer her to keep her hydrated.

If you take children to the doctor and they recommend Tamiflu, refuse it and ask for something else. A LOT of people are showing allergic reactions to that drug and developing a full-body rash. Not fun to have when you're already sick.

Get her to the doctor TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello J.,

You definitely want to get your child to the doctor. Diarrhea for that long could be due to many serious problems and potentially lead to dehydration. Best to lean to the safe side here.

A. (mom of two boys 4 and 1 ).

Hi Well My son is 18 years old, only one. If it were me I would take her to the doctor, what are you waiting for!! If she is drinking fluids it should be petilyte or gatorade, something that has sugar in it. If she is throwing up & diarrhea it could be some type of bug that needs antibiotics. I am not a big fan of them but sometimes they are just needed. Don't let her suffer, her body is small and needs to be replenished. And make sure she gets plenty of rest!!! The good old standard stuff that our moms did, still wworks, believe me. I have been thru it all and came out on top. He is a very healthy son at 18 years old. but I always called my doctor, he was the best & was always right on with the answer.

You really need to be careful that she does not become dehydrated. Sounds like she is drinking enough fluids, But don't be shy about calling your citys hospital ER, they usually have a advice nurse available.

You need to get your child to a doctor right away. If she has been having diarrhea and vomiting for this long, she could easily be dehydrated and she could actually die! Get her to a doctor right away so they can put her on intravenous fluids.

I would take her to the doctor just to be safe.

You need to call the doctor.