To be feeling a bit stupid after taking DD to the doc

[HollyFP]

Took DD (almost a year old) to the doc this morning as she's had diarrhoea for a few days, I thought due to teething.
Doc asked if I'd cut out all solids - I haven't and didn't realise this was standard procedure for diarrhoea. I had just offered food that I thought wouldn't cause more upset, eg toast. The Doc looked aghast even at that!

I had done some research as to what would help but nowhere I saw the suggestion to cut out all solids until the problem clears.

Does everyone else know this and am I being stupid?

I was told the latest advice isn't to restrict food, but not to offer it unless they ask, just stick to clear fluids, if they ask for a specific food then it's worth trying that. (I know when I am ill this is what I do - normally if a food is the only thing you feel like eating it's probably okay) If too young to communicate this then just quite plain foods, things they usually eat.

If you are breastfeeding that is classed as a clear fluid, BTW. I find DS often just wants the breast when he's ill anyway, which makes things easier.

Well I hope you aren't feeling stupid any more. I hate the way doctors can make you feel stupid, uncomfortable or just seem quite judgemental. If you are or your children are ill then that is what they are there for - to tell you what to do. Thats why they are the medical professional not you!

I hope the little one is better soon

The no-solids thing is just for 24 hours not 5 days
After 24 hours provided diarrhoea has improved, introduce bland foods like toast. Bland foods...reminds me of that brilliant scene from Goodness Gracious Me

DS had D&V a few weeks ago and we were told water only. However, if he was accepting milk we should give it to him but only if it didn't make the D&V worse!
How we were supposed to tell that I have no clue!

Doc didn't suggest starving a child for 5 days. You withdraw solids, keep up with plain fluids and then judge by toilet/nappy contents what happens next. Quite quickly (because it's about a 4 hour trip down the alimentary canal), nothing going in = nothing coming out. The gut is rested and then you reintroduce food and see if the problem has cleared up.

DD would eat the entire contents of the kitchen if she could get her little hands high up enough
Thanks for the reassurances everyone

Porridge, made with water, with a little white sugar and some cinnamon. Mostly stays down/in and is not too awful if it doesn't.

On a tangent, anyone know how to get Dioralyte down a 1yo if they hate the taste (blackcurrant) ?!

NICE guidelines actually say feed the child if they want it- obviously a bit of common sense goes a long way, i.e not a vindaloo or McDonalds milkshake

give flat lemonade instead of dioralyte

I think she's a bit to it as she's only had water to drink (and bf). Not sure she'd be happy with flat lemonade either! Maybe use a syringe?!

I havent heard of it and nor would I do it.

I used a syringe, with tiny amounts in it (not all at once) and gave about 5mls every 15 mins until the whole lot was gone.

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Diarrhoea/Pages/Treatment.aspx

My M-in-law and DM both told me 'starve a fever, feed a cold' and said with D&V to starve for 24-48 hrs. I think this is now old fashioned and if they want to eat, let them-as long as they are also taking fluids.

I do this with DS if he ever gets d&v or has had diahorrea for a couple of days. 24 hours of just clear fluids (if struggling fruit ice lollies are also ok) Then slowly re-introduce solid foods over the next 24 hours or so usually the BRAT diet (Banana, Rice, Apple, Toast) and it has always worked. Ialso usually leave out dairy completely for 48 hours.

Current guidelines say to offer normal food and drink if that's what your child wants, but the nurse in my local doctors surgery is old-school and advised me the above and I'm very grateful. This is also what my Mum said she was advised when I was a child.

You've nothing to feel stupid about, as with most things there's lots of conflicting advice. I recommend trying it though, your DD will not starve for one day and you will know after this time whether to get her checked out again.

Oh yeah, my doc also said lemonade(not diet) instead of water for dehydration. Something to do with 'just' water diluting something in the blood too much-electrolytes maybe? Sorry, not too helpful!

Old fashioned advice I think - was the GP quite old school?

You haven't done anything wrong.

I wouldn't starve a one year old. Toast is the ideal thing IMO because it's very bland and might absorb some extra stomach acid and relieve nausea... personally I think GPs' advice varies from GP to GP. If they feel like eating, then let them eat but don't give milk or acidic things, stick to bland. If they don't feel like eating that's OK but offer lots of fluid.

HollyFP - you're normal!

actually its not advised to starve babies anymore and you were doing the right theng, your dr needs to get his advice updated!

My Dd has had 2 bad bouts of diarrhoea and doc never suggested clear liquids only. On both occasions (once being under a year old) she went off everything including milk.

So all I could do was give her water off a spoon (she had very little energy so wasnt sucking a bottle/beaker) and try and feed her high calorie food (plain yog/fromage frais etc) and wait until it passed.

outdated advice I am sure. you are not stupid!

DS had diarrhoea a few years ago when he was under one year and he was on a vaccination program that meant I could ring a doctor 24/7 for any concerns - I did about this, purely to say 'should I do anything in particular?' and got a resounding 'No' in response. The only concern seemed to be about making sure he was getting enough fluids, no issues about solids.

Hmmm interesting...

I think it's one of those balancing acts where you (and the doc) only know the right answer in retrospect:
Baby has diarrhoea - give clear fluids.
After a while, try bland food (BRAT). If diarrhoea persists, that was the wrong choice and go back to the fluids.
Alternatively, after a while keep giving fluids until child howls with hunger. If giving food is then OK, that was the wrong option and you should have fed them earlier.
If the child's still alive and getting better I figure you're doing OK!

I'm sorry you were made to feel stupid - I think that your GP is possibly using old-fashioned advice. Generally the idea is to maintain a good fluid intake (enough so that they are passing good urine which I appreciate is difficult to assess!), don't force any solids, but if they want it they should be allowed to eat it. There is truth that if you starve the gut, the diarrhoea will settle, but only because there is nothing there to come out - when you re-start feeds the diarrhoea may 'come back'. When you have diarrhoea, the gut lining sloughs off and absorption is affected. Your gut needs time to re-grow- and it needs feeding too. It can take up to 3 weeks for poo to return to normal afterwards. Dioralyte - 5mls every 10minutes - via a syringe or spoon, or as much as they want to drink if there is no vomiting. Avoid plain water as it puts the 'salts' out of sync in the blood. If there is any blood in the poo, seek medical attention.
I hope she's better soon.
BTW - blackcurrant dioralyte tastes disgusting! get plain and mix with a bit of something she does like - maybe make up with a quarter apple juice?