8 month old baby with diarrhea virus ...advice please

[AgathaPinchBottom]

Hi folks, last monday night my baby had severe attack of diarrhea and sickness. I took him to the doctor the next day and the doc said it was a bug and that it should clear up. Its now over a week later and he still has diarrhea and is still being sick (not quite so violently sick but diarrhea is still pretty bad). Am changing him around 5 times through the night and around ten/twelve times a day. He's not sleeping and is crying a lot (which is very unlike him). His nappies smell very strongly (not right at all) and they're mostly green. I called the doctor again but they can't see him until Wednesday. Anyone know if there is a long lasting bug going round at the moment? Any advice on what I should do?

I would call the GP again and request an emergency appointment. A week is a long time for a baby to have diarrhoea. Does he have any signs to dehydration? Is he getting plenty of milk?

Yes - I'm giving him three bottles of milk a day plus orange squash which he seems to ike. Thanks Mishy I will call them again.

I'd lay off the orange squash and maybe give dioralyte which will help to rehydrate him. He could have a temporary lactose intolerance due to the bug and giving a lactose free formula may help e.g. SMA LF. Alternatively you could use colief which will break down the lactose in his existing milk. Giving starchy foods would help too e.g. pasta, potato, rice, bread, etc

I'd maybe just try water for a while instead of the orange squash, but it sounds as if he's taking fluids ok.

Hope you get an appt asap. Let us know how you get on.

One of mine had a similar bug when they were just a baby, My doc advised giving nothing but flat lemonade until the stomach had settled down. It works like the dioralyte and helps rehydrate. I queried the sugar content and was told that at this point a few days of flat lemonade was worth the sugar content to calm down the tummy. Rice water is good for loose nappies too.

Thank you so much everyone! Am going to try everything that you suggest.
Saw the doctor today (managed to get emergency appointment) and she said that she thought he was ok and that it was a case of a viral infection that he was struggling to shake off. I have to go back if there's no improvement. (Thought I saw a little blood in his nappy earlier which was a bit scary, but am just going to follow all your advice and keep an eye on him). Thanks so much.