Day 5 of Diarrhea in 16 mth old

[silveryfox]

My little boy has had diarrhea for 5 days now, he was sick 3 times in the night on Friday night, but not since then. However, he's had diarrhea since Saturday morning and virtually no appetite. He saw the doc yesterday who just said stay off dairy (but to give him rice pudding...) and to give him dioralyte, which I've done. I've been trying to give him white rice and chicken but he doesn't want it, he's been nibbling dried toast thins out of a packet and has just eaten some rice pudding. But I'm worried about how long this has gone on for - he's showing no signs of improving, and is not drinking the dioralyte. He's very lethargic (although is currently racing up and down now he's had the rice pudding). Its explosive diarrhea and very mucousy. He is teething right now - his cheeks keep coming up and red and swollen and he has two molars on the upper jaw coming through. I've had to take today off, was also off on Monday afternoon and my husband had to work from hhome yesterday. Any ideas? Could it just be teething? The nursery will not have him back until he's been free of symptoms for 48 hrs.... HELP! My boss is getting a bit fed up of all the time off I keep having to have....

[Flojo1979]

Could be teething, its quite common but hard to tell. Take docs advice, keep trying the dioralyte, if no improvement go back to docs tomorrow or day after. Main thing is to keep hydrated.

[Marne]

Diarrhea can last for a couple weeks with little ones (i remember those days well), it does sound like a tummy bug, dd1 had a similar bug when she was a year old and i can remember the diarrhea lasting for 10+ days, i wouldn't send him back to nursery until he is eating and keeping it in. If he wont drink the dioralyte then stick to water, fluids are important and will keep him going if he's not eating.