Stomach Bug - Diaorrhea but no Vomiting

[GenevieveHawkings]

My DS (10) had diaorrhea yesterday afternoon and stomach pains. Stomach pains continued off an on throughout the evening and night and during the night he had a slightly raised temperature and felt very hot. We had a fairly quiet night but he had a another bout of diaorrhea when he woke up this morning and has had more stomach pains since but no more raised temperature. He has no appetitie and is resting in bed but says he doesn't feel that unwell in himself.

The problem is, he's due to go off on a school camp for a week tomorrow and I don't know how this is likely to pan out.

Has anyone experienced a similar bug with their DCs (diaorrhea but no sickness)? I'm wondering if sickness will follow but my feeling is that if it hasn't by now it won't.

He's understandably desperate to go to the camp but there is no way I would be happy sending him unless I think he's perfectly OK as a week of full on activity and very little sleep is the the last thing you want if you're not 100%. Not to mention passing on bugs to other kids which of course I can't have any part in knowingly allowing to happen.

Why did this have to happen now!! - the irony is he's so rarely ill and when he is, it's only ever colds and stuff, never stomach bugs!!

I'm going to be public enemy no. 1 around here if I have to say he can't go!!

Hmmmm its difficult with stomach bugs, sometimes they go in no time at all but my DD (14) is about to go back to school after 2 weeks off with Salmonella food poisoning. We were all fine (family of 6) and im on best friend terms with dettox so its doubtful she got it at home.

She started off with a temperature then progressed to loose bowels, no vomiting whatsoever though i too thought it was a stomach bug and only took her to the doctors when there was blood in her stools a couple of days after it started.

I guess the rule is there for a good reason, wait 48 hours after the last loose stool before he can come in to contact with anyone else so i think you are doing the right thing by not letting him go, he might not get better from the Diaorreah by the time he goes on the trip and it would be bad if it did turn out to be food poisoning or something. Poor you and poor DS though :( my DD had exactly the same symptoms and although he probably does just have a D&V bug tomorrow isnt really enough time to get over it.

Would he be able to join them on Tuesday or Weds if its not too far away?

I should think school rules apply here: no return until 24 hours after last bout. So if he has anymore today then no.

How is he now? I would say that once 24 hours has passed he should be over it but if not could he catch them up on Tues as Rosie said

Good news!! He had a day of feeling pretty ropey yesterday but not much more diaorrhea thankfully - at least it wasn't coming every hour on the hour and there were long intervals between it. It seemed that the last nasty bout was at about 2pm yesterday. I contacted NHS direct and took advice from them and just let him rest and only eat a little yesterday.

I phoned the headteacher this morning and explained it all to her and she said that she was happy for me to wait 48 hours after the last bout and then send him to join the camp. I also took him to the GP this morning and got advice and she was of the opinion that as long as we wait 48 hours and he is feeling well enough in himself to go there is nothing stopping him. She also gave him some anti-acid tablets to settle his stomach which he's been taking. He's now making great progress, his stomach pains are gone and his poos are returning to more or less normal, thankfully. A full day of rest tomorrow should do him further good and all being well, I'm going to drive him to the camp tomorrow evening. He's thrilled bless him and it means he'll still have been there for the most part.

So sorry to hear about your poor DD RosiePosey, I hope she's well on the road to recovery now. I know it can take weeks to recover fully from some of these really nasty bugs and Samonella is a really horrid one. It's even more frustrating when you have no idea where they picked it up from. Like your DD, my DS didn't pick it up from home as everyone else here is fine.

Thanks for your comments/advice everyone!

Really glad your DS is on the mend and is joining everyone today :) Hope he has a wonderful week!