What do I give her?

Question

My lil girl willl be one friday and for the past two weeks she has had diarrhea shes fills her diaper prolly atleast 6 times a day and i don't know whats wrong wit her and shes been really cranky

she doesn't drink much juice so i know its not from that and its not from medication because she hasn't been on any for the past 4 months she isn't vomiting and doesn't have a fever i think she might be gettin dehydrated bc she hasn't had as many wet diapers shes been sleeping alot also

its hard for me to get her to the hospital i do not drive my dad will not take me and the doctor isn't n til monday my dad said she would be fine and not to worry hes the one that has to take me to her doctors theres no one else i can have take me

Answer 1

Here's some information on diarrhoa in infants from a book of mine that I think you might find helpful.

"This problem, too, is unusual in breastfed babies because there appear to be certain substances in breast milk that destroy many of the micro-organisms that cause diarrhoea.

Symptoms: Liquidy, runny stools

Sometimes: Increased freqeuncy, increased volume, mucus, vomiting

Season: Any time but may be more common in summer, when more fruit is consumed and food spoilage is common. Rotovirus infection is more common in winter.

Cause: Very varied
Illness
Teething
Sensitivity to a food in the diet
Too much fruit, juice (particularly apple or grape) or other laxative-type foods
Gastrointestinal infections (viral, bacterial or parasitic)/
Antiobiotic medication (feeding yogurt with live cultures to a baby on antibiotics may prevent this type of diarrhoea.

Method of transmission: Infectious cases can be transmitted via the faeces-to-hand-to-mouth route. Also transmitted by contaminated food.

Incubation periods: De[emds on the causative organism.

Duration: Usually anywhere from a few hours to several days, but some cases can become chronic if the cause is not discovered and corrected.

Treatment: Depends on the cayse, but most common approaches are dietary. Sometimes medication may be prescribed. Do not give antidiarrhoeal medication to an infant without the doctor's approval - sme can be harmful to young children. Protect baby's bottom from irritation by changing nappies as soon as possible after they're soiled and by spreading on a thick ointment after each chance.

A very sick baby may need hospitalisaton to stabilise body fluids.

Dietary changes: Continuing formula or breastfeedings is most cases is best. Since a baby with diarrhoea may develop a temporary lactose-intolerance, a switch to a lactose-free formula may be recommended if the diarrhoea doesn't improve on baby's regular formula.

High fluid intake (at least 55mL an hour to replace fluids lost through diarrhoea. To augment breast milk or formula, rehydratoion misxture (such as Electrolade, Gastrylyte or Glucolute), avaiable over-the-counter of any pharmacy, is usually recommended. Rehydration formulas must be prepared accordingto the instructions as incorrect preperation can lead to serious complications. Offer a few sips by spoon, cup or bottle every two or three minutes, working up to the prescribed amount between loose bowel movements. Do not give sweetened drinks (such as colas), undiluted fruit juices, athletic drinks, glucose water or a homemade salt-and-sugar mixture.

Continuation of solids, if baby takes them regularly. The theory that it is beneficial to 'rest the bowel' by withholding food in cases of diarrhoea is no longer widely accepted. The sooner a baby is fed, the sooner the baby will fully recover. Starchy foods such as mashed banana, white rice of white cereal, potatoes, pasta or dry white toast, can, depending on baby's usual diet, all be good choices. Small amounts of protein foods (chicken, cottage cheese) are also appropriate.

If there is vomiting, solid feeding is usually not resumed until vomiting has stopped. But do offer sips of clear fluids (dilute juices or oral rehydration fluid, if prescribed), or for an older baby, ice-blocks made with diluted fruit juice. Offering small amounts (no more than a tablespoon or two at a time, less for a very young infant) will greatly increase the chance that it will be held down. Once vomiting has ceased, foods can be added as above.

When baby's stool begins to return to nromal, usually after two or three days, the doctor will recommend that you begin to return your baby to a regular diet but continue limiting milk and other dairy products (other than breast milk and formula) for another day or two.

In diarrhoea that lasts for two weeks or more in a bottle-fed infant, the doctor may recommend a change in formula.

Prevention: Diarrhoea can't always be prevented, but risks can be reduced

Attention to sanitary preperation of foods
Careful hand washing by baby's carers after handling nappies and going to the bathroom
The dilution of fruit juices taken by babies, limiting total intake (Babies are young children have been known to have chronic diarrhoea as a result of drinking 1.25L or less of apple or pear juice a day

Complications:
Nappy rash
Dehydration, which if severe, could lead to coma or even death

When to call the doctor: One or two loose stools is no cause for concern. But the following indicate diarrhoea that may need medical attention:

You suspect baby may have consumed spoiled food or formula

Baby has had loose, watery stools for 24 hours

Baby is vomiting (more than the usual posset) repeatedly, or has been vomiting for 24 hours.

There is blood in baby's stools

Baby is running a fever or seems ill

Call immediately if baby shows signs of dehydration, decreased urine output (nappies aren't as wet as usual and/or urine is yellow), tearless and sunken eyes, a sunken fontanel, dry skin, scanty saliva.

Chance of recurrence: Likelyif cause has not been eliminated, some babies are more prone to diarrhoea.

Diseases with simliar symptoms:
Food allergies
Food Poisionings
Enzyme defiencies"

Hope that could help!

Answer 2

It is so difficult when your child is sick and can not tell you what is wrong.
First you need to make sure that she is staying hydrated. if she is still taking formula that is good, or try apple juice if she has been introduced to it. Just try to stay away for sugary juice.

Then you want to put her on the BRATY diet
B - bananas
R - rice
A - apple sauce, or apple juice
T - toast - dry no butter or jam
Y- yogurt (has to be yogurt not milk, yogurt has a special enzyme that helps.

You should watch her weight if she is losing weight you want to make an appointment and get her into the Dr. Dehydration can be a big problem this time of year and if she isn't keeping anything in her it can go from bad to worse quickly.

Good Luck - I know it is hard to handle.

Answer 3

If a child has had diarhea for that long she needs to see her pediatrician to make sure she is okay. As far as diet is concerned , if she will drink pedialyte or gatorade push that to make sure she doesn't dehydrate and then try to follow the BRAT diet . It consists of bananas , rice , apples and dry toast. This is what is given in the hospital when a child has this problem. These items tend to slow down the digestive tract and prevent further irritation. MOST IMPORTANT call a doctor.

Answer 4

Oh honey, you need to get that baby to a doctor. That's too long and too frequent for her to have diarrhea. She's too young to not get some medical attention for that. You need to talk to your dad or call a friend or someone to help you get her to the doctor. If you wait too long, she could become dehydrated and then you will have a lot more problems on your hands. Take care of that baby.

Answer 5

you'd be cranky too, if you were dehydrated, and had poopy diapers. She probably has a bacterial upset in her digestive system, first ensure that she gets extra to drink, but not milk, don't fed her fatty or spicy foods, and as little protein as possible. a bland diet with no fibre may work as well. if that doesn't do the trick, take her to the doctor, she may need medical intervention

Answer 6

You should really take her the Emergency Room right away. If she is not wetting diapers like normal and is sleepy alot she needs to be seen right away. Call 911 and tell them her age, she's staying sleepy a lot more than usual and isnt wetting diapers as normal either.

If she gets hard to wake up then you should call 911 immeadiatly, this is your childs life. Call a taxi if you are scared to call 911.

911 operators are very polite and helpful so don't be afraid to call them. My husband was a dispatcher and you wouldn't believe to kind of calls they get so don't be afraid to.

Answer 7

If she has had diarrhea for the last 2 weeks she is probably dehydrating you need to find a way to get her to the doctor. Dehydration can kill a baby.

Answer 8

I'm not a dr, but it sounds like rota-virus which can become serious as many babies get dehydrated. CALL your doctor and make sure she is getting fluids. If she won't drink, try popsicles - not the best thing - but atleast it will get dluid in her.

Answer 9

Take her to the doctor! Take her to the emergency room! Two weeks with diahrea....she can become dehydrated and more problems could occur. You want her to be healthy and not sick. It will also help reduce her crankiness because she will feel better!

Answer 10

She really needs to see a doctor. She's loosing too much fluid and she seems dehydrated. Please take her too the doctor, something could be wrong. In the mean time...give her pedialyte or gatorade, but DO NOT try to medicate her. She needs to see a physician.

Answer 11

If she has had the runs that much you should take her to the doctor she could be dehydrated. there could be a number of things wrong with her. you really should take her to the doctor.