Toddler diarrhoea

[elm26]

Posting for traffic as I'm so worried.

My DD will be 2 in May, for the past 2 weeks she has had diarrhoea 4-7 times a day.

My DH and I are not unwell, no bug.

She's lost 3lbs in 2 weeks, she's pale and bags under her eyes but otherwise well in herself, no temperature, playing with toys as normal etc.

I took her to doctors yesterday and they gave me a stool sample bottle and I've put some in this morning ready to drop back at the surgery. He said she's hydrated, her oxygen levels and heart rate fine. He also gave me some Timodine cream for her bottom as it's so sore that she won't sit down in the bath.

She cries and thrashes around any time we change her, which is difficult when it's now up to 10 times a day (including nappies with lots of wee in them).

She poos in her sleep which she hadn't done since she was about 10 months old.

I'm so concerned about her weight loss, I've had to pull out her 9-12 month leggings out of storage, we're also going through a few of pairs of leggings a day due to it being water consistency and soaking through.

We've cut down all fruit except a banana in the morning, no acidic foods like tomatoes. I'm at a loss what to feed her. Last night she had salmon and rice but this morning woke up covered in poo, she can't have a bolognese with us because of the tomatoes, we've got sausages, mash and veg for tonight, good idea or not? She is dairy free anyway due to allergy, she has oat milk with her cereal and has had oat milk in cooking and porridge etc since she was 7 months old.

Has anyone been through this?

I'm so sorry, you must be very worried. Hopefully it's just some bug that you and your dh have already had - bugs can hit the digestive system of little ones hard.
Do you know what the stool sample has been tested for?

If it comes back clear, or inconclusive then I recommend that you ask for a faecal calprotectin test to be done.

Likewise if she's not better /improved within a week then an urgent referral to a paediatric gastroenterologist is in order (urgent because she cant just be sat there for 6 months losing weight).

All that said, it probably is just a nasty bug.

Thanks @Porcuporpoise

It says "faeces culture" on the form, if she's no better in a week and the sample doesn't show anything untoward, I will push for an urgent referral.

You say she's dairy free due to an allergy could she have accidentally had dairy ?

Sounds like they're looking for bugs.

And ask the GP to run a faecal calprotectin test if its negative. It's the first thing the gastroenterology team will want in any case.

@TheThreeMiracles definitely not, we're so careful and she hasn't been with grandparents alone in the last month, although they are very careful too.

When she was younger, ishe accidentally had dairy 2 times, she'd have stomach ache for a day and a couple of bad nappies, her eczema would flare up on her arms and then it'd all be over within a day or 2.

I have a faecal calprotectin done about a year ago thanks to blood in my stools, I had a colonoscopy as it came back positive and I've got IBS and diverticulitis.

Would they be looking for blood in DD's stool?

Poor thing (and you). Disregard if you’re already aware but when my toddler had it for over a week and wasn’t shifting, the thing that seemed to eventually help clear it up (and he could actually eat) was probiotic yoghurts.
There is a Dairy Free brand Biomel who makes them, might have to order online if not stocked locally.
Really hope things improve soon 🩷

My son went through this at about 15 months, it went on for a few weeks, stool sample was OK, it stopped. Perhaps use sudocreme to make a barrier for her skin at night. Yes it's awful and I hope it stops for your daughter soon x

Thank you @Itsseweasy I didn't know they did dairy free so will pop to Sainsbury's today and see if they have any! I've ordered her some optibac drops which is a probiotic to put in her water which she's had before when she had antibiotics a long time ago. I'll see how we get on.

Sorry to hear you've been through the same @Katemax82 I use sudocrem every morning and night since she was born but it just hasn't helped in this case, I'm using the prescribed cream 3 times a day and already seeing an improvement after 3 applications 🤞🏻

Faecal calprotectin looks for traces of blood and is a good, non invasive way of checking for inflammation.

There are a couple of inflamatory bowel diseases in children that cause symptoms like your daughter's. Its very unlikely at her age to be those (a bug is far, far more likely) but it's not unheard of. And gps can be a bit crap at recognising them.

Ok glad the timodene is working xx

What a nightmare. Mine had a diarrhoea bug at that age, constant liquid poo nappies, sore bum, it was awful. Fingers crossed its just a one off bug and not a more long term thing. But push for every test possible due to the existing allergies.
I was also concerned about weight loss and ds looking unhealthy. He's thin enough at the best of times, he was looking so thin to me but a Dr reassured me he was ok.
Tbh at that time I just let him eat whatever he wanted. Which was mainly chocolate. Not ideal but I was desperate. Definitely agree with the yoghurt too though very gentle on the stomach.
Are you giving the diaralyte sachets too x

I was going to say probiotics as well. You may want to try a plain bone broth soup - lots of fluid, easy on the tummy. Slivers of chicken, those little star pastas. Or try rice congee. Just to help the inflamed gut lining. Try rice noodles like vermicelli.

Mash is ok, probably not the sausages unless v plain. Veg is good. Also try smoothies, should help with absorbing vitamins.

I haven't read the whole thread. But my (now 2yr old) had a bout of illness last March, and has had diarrhoea since. For a long while leaking every nappy in the morning. It's still loose now, but doesn't leak (as often). But I can count on one hand the amount of solid stool they have had.

After 6 weeks, we got referred to Paeds. It was a 40+ weeks waiting list. We have our appointment next week!

Thank you everyone for your replies/advice, it's really appreciated.

Such a long time @pinkcow123 😖 good luck for appt 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

My 15 month old had this last month- had diarrhoea/loose bowels up to ten times a day. 3 to 4 times a night and she'd never had a bowel movement at night before that. It went on for 3 weeks (and she'd had a stint of diarrhoea for a week before that). GP said it was viral and diarrhoea bugs at a young age can take up to 3 weeks to clear. I was dubious but he must have been right because it did suddenly stop. So, hopefully for your DD it is viral. I was researching and looking on here for people who had similar but couldn't find much and I was so worried in the thick of it. I appreciate how tough it is and how worrying for you but fingers crossed it stops soon

My ds is now 23 yrs old, but he had this as a toddler, turned out to be intolerance to corn and anything cooked in vegetable oil. He couldn't have tomato based sauces etc either. He was then dairy free and was prescribed antihistamines which have changed as he's got older, but sort out any 'flare up'

@elm26

Hi! Is your LO still poorly? We are currently on day 6 of diarrhoea, GP will accept a stool sample tomorrow.

It's so tough as she loves her food, but everything is going through her 😩

Interestingly, my 20 month old daughter also has a dairy allergy. What oat milk do you use?

Hi I was wondering did this get sorted? We’re on day 8 of the same thing - stool sample sent off and waiting results