5-Year-Old With Diarrhoa

[LadyCG]

Ratboy Slim has had diarrhoea now for at least 10 days (he first had it in Turkey, with one several episodes of vomiting that lasted for one evening).

The diarrhoea continues and he went to the Dr yesterday who said his tummy was nice and soft and he wasn't showing any signs of being dehydrated. We fed him as normal this morning and took him to school and by 10am the school were calling and asking us to collect him. To be safe we'll probably keep him off for the rest of the week. He's happy and alert and his appetite is now fine since we got home.

Should I perhaps not feed him for 24 hours? He's asking for food (cakes) and I feel bad but I don't know what to do for the best. We've tried the bland diet and tried probiotic yoghurts but the diarrhoea won't die down.

Thanks.

[calmck]

Do the BRAT diet bananas, rice, apple juice and weak black tea. Cook the rice with a few chicken pieces. How many times a day is he going, how much and how liquid.? 7 up and coke have electrolytes in them so small amounts of both is good. It might be an idea to get a sample to take to a doctor. Also do the sellotape test. When he is asleep pull down his jammies and. Put sticky side of tape to his anus. See if any round white worms are present. If I remember you have been to Turkey. He could have got worms from any dried food he has eaten rice, biscuits ice cream cones etc

[calmck]

Keep off milk, butter ice cream sweet corn etc. plain chicken, chicken soup is good

[Patsy33]

Poor little soul. Sounds like a good idea to keep him off for the rest of the week. Hopefully, it will be settled by next week. :-)

[LadyCG]

Thank you for your answer. We have tried the BRAT diet and have largely avoided milk but nothing is working. He hardly ate anything on holiday - a couple of chicken nuggets and some fries here and there. One day he ate a slice of pizza but then refused to eat it again. He doesn't like ice cream anyway.

I just wonder whether 24 hours without food is a good idea or not?

[LadyCG]

I hope so, Patsy, because in-laws are off on their latest cruise on Sunday and we have no childcare for two weeks.

[MargoTester]

It might be worth discussing with a pharmacist LCG.

[calmck]

He will need fluids. I would go for boiled chicken with rice and a stock cube for salt replacement. That's a long time to have diarrhoea. Maybe back to the doctor

[LadyCG]

GP said that it can sometimes take two weeks and in some cases three weeks to clear and that we should take him back if he's not better within another week. She only saw him yesterday so it's a bit soon.

[MargoTester]

I've just read on a couple of websites that BRATis no long recommended??

[Canary42]

Poor little fellow, hope he's better soon.

[LadyCG]

He's skin and bone. I don't want to make him go without if it's not necessary but if it's going to resolve the diarrhoea I'm willing to try it. :-(

[ladybirder]

Ratboy Slim doesn't like ice cream??? I thought everyone liked ice cream!

Diarrhoea seems to be a real problem at the moment with others from Turkey. I read it somewhere today.

I hope he gets better soon poor lad.

[Peter Pedant]

I do not recommend not feeding a child for 24 h

[LadyCG]

He's a funny onion ;)

[Floko]

It could be he has picked ip a bacterial or virus imfection (abroad?) so for one of those, antibiotics may be needed.

[Buenchico]

^^^ The cause may well be a virus but antibiotics have absolutely no effect at all on viruses!

[Floko]

Correct, but what about using them on a bacterial infection ?
I did say either in my post.

[jourdain2]

'Dioralite' crystals (in packets from the chemist) dissolved in cooled, boiled water contain essential nutrients and are ideal for childhood diarrhoea. I used to use them when the children were like that.
Plain, boiled chicken, chopped small or in a clear soup is good, as calmk says. No roughage.

Good thinking about checking for worms.

[237SJ]

I`ve had diarrhoea for 2 weeks before now (funnily enough one time from Turkey - ice from the mini bar in Istanbul, big mistake) Got as far as a stool sample with that one but the bug had long gone by the time I was tested. I've had other 2 week episodes as well. When you get something like that it irritates the bowel and for a while everything you put into your body goes straight through you. I would continue with fluids and a bland diet and it will probably settle down almost overnight soon.

[LadyCG]

Hi Jourdain. I had to have the sachets as I was so dehydrated I had severe cramps in the night in my arms and legs. For two days I lived on Yakult drinks and Activia yoghurts and now I'm fine.

We tried the sachets on little one and even hid it in his blackcurrant squash but he was having none of it.

I only let him have a Yoghurt just before 3pm today and, touch wood, he seems okay. He's eaten a brioche bun and some mini cheddars since. He hasn't been to the loo for a "number two" since his episode at school this morning. He's drinking and passing water okay.

I think if he goes to N&G's tomorrow he'll be fine to go back to school on Thursday.

Thank you all x