Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Give him Pedialite.  You can get it in the formula section of the
    grocery store.  This is whay my doctor told me to give my kids when
    they had diarreah.  It give them the nourishment they need and they
    wont get dehydrated.
    
    		- janice

Reminder:

WE ARE NOT DOCTORS.  (with a few exceptions, no doubt)

The PARENTING community is a wonderful resource to share experiences,
provide reassurance, and occasionally to provide a suggestion that your
doctor may not have thought of.  But we are not substitutes for a real
doctor.  (Or, as Steve Lionel's personal name used to observe, free
advice is worth every cent.)

If you really suspect that your situation is an emergency, please contact
your doctor.  If you aren't satisfied, get a second opinion.

	-Neil Faiman, PARENTING co-moderator

    RE: .0
    
    Pedialite is rather expensive.  We were told that GATORade is basically
    the same stuff.  Its much cheaper and tastes better too.  After a few
    days we usually put the kids on what is called the BRAT diet.  Bread,
    Rice,Apple juice and Toast.  The BRAT allows the digestive track a
    little break to recover while still providing all the child needs.
    
    Dan

    Though I've never needed to try the BRAT diet, I thought the B stood
    for bananas (doesn't Toast cover the bread category)?{
    Leslie

    RE: .-1
    
    Oops, yes the B does stand for bananas.  I was late for dinner while
    typing that last note and was typing and talking at the same time.
    (Much like walking and chewing gum I suppose... :)
    
    Dan

We have used pedialyte in the past, in the same situation.  

As some noters have mentioned, dehydration is the greatest danger, not 
starvation.  

I agree with Neil -- we are not doctors.  Before you start giving him food, 
BRAT or anything else, I think you should talk to your pediatrician.  Humans, 
even babies, can survive for quite a while without food, but not without 
water.  So the doctor may intend that you give your child no solid food right 
now.  Of course there comes a time when you need to start solid food; diarrhea 
can be serious stuff, so I wouldn't hesitate to talk to the doctor every day.

Some doctors just don't suggest things, and you have to ask them.  Where I 
think this notesfile, and other sources of information, such as various books, 
are good, is to give you something to ask your doctor.  For example, you could 
say "Is it OK to give him . . ."  It may be fine to try, or there may be some 
reason why the doctor would prefer not.

Clay

    Alice,
    
    I hope this really isn't an "emergency"; perhaps just a bout of
    diarrhea from a stomach virus.   My son has had it once and the
    diarrhea (watery stools MANY times a day) lasted about 3 days;
    the loose stools (at a "normal" frequency) lasted a whole week!
    
    I used the BRAT diet suggested in earlier notes.  Also, since Jason
    is a real milk drinker, I ended up putting him on diluted soy formula 
    instead of his regular milk for the duration of the diarrhea.
    At the end of the virus, I gradually re-introduced the cow's milk.
    
    I'm not a doctor but I'd suggest that the seriousness of the problem
    can be judged by your son's behaviour and/or other signs.  Is he
    playing, smiling, sleeping well, and otherwise going about his
    normal routine?    Or is he cranky, irritable, feverish, sedate
    or otherwise not himself?   If the latter, there may be some real
    cause for concern.
    
    Hope it clears up soon!
    
    Carol
    

    I second re.6 (I think that's the one) - avoid apple juice, that will
    make it worse.  My sister's daughter went through a severe bout of
    diarea at about 3 years of age - had my sister really stumped as to
    what was causing it.  Turned out it was apple juice - that was all she
    was drinking during the day.  My sister cut out the apple juice at the
    diarhea stopped.
    

    If you are thinking about bringing your son to the doctor for the
    diarhea you should first keep him on a liquid diet for 24 hours.
    We went through a week (at least) of diarhea this summer. In the
    beginning of her illness my daughter vomitted and ran a fever. When
    it seemed she was feeling better I offered her yogurt, ice cream,
    bananas, etc. Which she did eat a little of. She still had the
    diarhea and weakness and when I called the doctors office I was told
    to keep her on a liquid diet for 24 hours (that would have been easier
    when she didn't feel like eating).
    
    Anyway, what I'm trying to say is the doctor's office stressed keeping
    her full of liquids and when I called later in the week saying she
    still had the diarhea they told me that children have a tendency to
    hang onto viruses longer and not to be too worried as long as she was
    drinking fluids (I even managed to get her to drink the pedialyte -
    the stuff tastes awfull). 
    
    good luck, it's no fun to have a miserable child on your hands.

    
    When my oldest daughter was about 4, she had a bout with diarhea and
    vomiting for about 3 days.  I was in constant contact with her doctor. 
    As she was vomiting about every 15 minutes and going to the bathroom in
    between I was unable to keep ANYTHING in her.  I'd try a teaspoon of
    Pedialite and she'd throw up almost immediatly.  After the third day,
    the doctor said, well, why don't I meet you at the hospital (it was a
    Sunday).  She threw up on the way there, again when we got into the
    hospital. 
    
    When we got in there to see the doctor he looked her over and
    IMMEDIATELY admitted her.  He said she was SO dehydrated she could have
    gone into a coma.  She was put on an IV.  (It took 4 trys to get it in,
    her little veins kept collapsing because she was so dehydrated.) 
    Anyway, within about 24 hours on the IV she was much better and got out
    of the hospital 3 days later.  (She liked having popsicles for
    breakfast!)
    
    Anyway, the point of this story is that it's VERY important to be in
    contact with your doctor.  My doctor was actually surprised at how
    dehydrated she had become in such a short time.
    
    Dehydration is a very serious thing.
    
    
    							jean
     

    Regarding the taste of Pedialite.  There's something else called
    Ricealite.  It's made by the same people as Pedialite but only it
    has a different base product and it's fruit flavored.  When my son
    was sick with vomitting and diarreah and the doctor recommended
    Pedialite, he wouldn't drink it.  The pharmacist recommended the
    Ricealite (it costs about $1 more than the Pedialite) and he actually
    liked the stuff more than apple juice.
    
    Lori B.

    Eric has been through many diarrheas.  The procedure that we
    follow is: clear liquid (such as pedialyte) for 24 hours, then
    BRAT diet.  His last diarrhea lasted for about a week.  We followed
    the procedure for 3 days and put him back on regular diet (only
    avoid dairy products)  after 2 days of BRAT diet.  His pedi. 
    doesn't like to put kids on special diet for too long.  He said 
    that the virous will clear up by itself, if he is hungry, then 
    feed him. However, every doctor is different, you should consult
    with your own doctor.
    
    Wendy

Thank you all!

I did bring my son to pedi Monday night.  He asked me to put him on non-dairy
diet.  I just feel aweful for my son because I can tell he's so hungry.  I gave
him enough water to drink, so he won't run out of water in his body.

I tried Pedialyte and he hated it.  Pedi told me that I could give him 7UP.  But,
he didn't like it either.  The only thing he likes is the apple juice which 
people have different idea about.  I tried rice cereal yesterday.  So far so 
good.  There's different opinions about bananna too.  Some people say it will
cause the consipation while other people say it will give diarrhea.

Hope he get better today.

Thanks again everybody!

    We just went through this with Steven (13 mos).  Today is only
    the 2nd day he's been over it.  His diarrhea lasted for a full
    week!
    
    We put him on the B.R.A.T diet and it didn't work.  On the
    4th day we called the doctor and she recommended the Ricelyte
    that Lori B. mentioned.  We were told that the Ricelyte contains
    rice solids that the Pedialyte does not contain and it has been
    known to help clear up diarrhea faster than Pedialyte.  We 
    started Steven on it on Sunday afternoon and by Tuesday morning
    he was better.  It could be that the "bug" had run it's course
    by then, but I'd still recommend the Ricelyte.  It's new to the
    market and made by the same company that makes Pedialyte.  We
    found it at CVS for $3.69/bottle (quart)
    
    I hope he's feeling better soon!
    
    Linda

    Recently Eric had diarrhea for about 2 weeks.  When I called
    the doctor's office they said stop all dairy.  Give as much
    juice as he wants (apple included).  I forget the exact timetable,
    but it was something like juice, clear liquids, his regular food
    but more of the stuff that's binding like rice, bananas, toast.
    on the third day introduce yogurt.  On the fourth day Donnagel 
    (1/4 teaspoon - but I would NEVER do this without your own
    doctor's advice).  Then slowly start him back on milk and his
    regular diet. This took care of it for us.  
    
    I just threw away some Pedialyte.  Eric never took it so I never
    bothered tasting it, but it sure had a terrible smell.
    
    Donna
    

    There is an over-the-counter product, St. Joseph's Diarehea Medicine,
    that seems to work pretty well for "common" diarehea, not persistent
    (namely because persistent diarehea is probably a virus that needs to
    run its course). It's a childrens version of Kaopectate, I think.
    
    We visit family alot in Turkey so the St. Joseph's is a must because of
    the dietary changes (cook with lots of olive oil and fruit juices are
    very heavy). I do also bring the powdered gatorade to keep this body in
    balance due to us being in the sun and the foods (one cup a day as 
    a precautionary measure).
    
    Like everyone said, stay in contact with your pedi - he/she knows best.
    I'm thankful my son has only had one bout with persistent diarehea. It
    did last about a week.
    
    Andrea   

    I'll add this note, a little late but just FYI tips more than anything.
    About the time this note was started this same bug ran ramant through
    our group here in the office, of course I was the first in the group
    but the last in our home, and of course mine was in the middle of a
    business meeting so I saw *lots* of time in my hotel room! I was doing
    a *solo* act here for the week before Christmas.
    
    Anyway from my experience with Aj (who turned 4 Jan 2) the key things I
    learned were BRAT is Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast&Tea (black
    tea/White toast)  The rice should be the old fashion kind you have to
    cook for a while, not minute rice.  It absorbes the excess moisture in
    the bowel.  I mixed the baby bananas with the rice intoa kind of
    pudding, and still keep a couple jars on the shelf just incase.  I also
    mixed the pedialyte with a little apple juice, just for flavor.  A
    friend told me recently her son broke out in a rash from some coloring
    in the gatorade.
    
    When asking the pedi for advice on whether he needed to be seen it was
    always the same set of questions; Is the diaper wet?  Is he crying
    "real" tears?  If "NO" you're dealing with dehydration.  For vomiting
    the rule of thumb is try to get and keep down once ounce of fluid per
    hour.  Use soy based formula even up to two years, after all it's only
    a few days.  and oh yes, a great filler upper we discovered was plain
    saltine or soda crackers.
    
    Here's hoping for an early spring!
    Lyn