Is it alright for a 13mo to not really eat with diarrhea, as long as they're drinking?

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13mo seems to have some form of rotavirus or gastroenteritis - a few days of mild fever up until today, when her temperature has dropped back to pretty much normal but she's developed diarrhea (almost purely liquid but only a few times today, so not excessive). She's gradually been eating less and less over the past few days. Today she's barely touched anything bar one of those Goodies oat bar thingies, some yoghurt (before I realised it was bad for her at the moment), odd biscuits and a mouthful of bread, basically she's rejected almost everything offered unless it's something dry she can chew on slowly.

She's drunk 12-16oz of cow's milk every day for the past few days, though, and today she is drinking water like it is going out of fashion, about 8oz so far.

DH is worrying and thinks it's bad that she's not eating solids. I think it's ok and she is drinking a very decent amount of fluids. Can someone tell my DH that it's ok if she doesn't eat much for a few days as long as she is drinking? Unless he is right in which case break it to me gently

I'd agree with you, and maybe even cut back the milk, and let her have more clear fluids and dry carbs.

DS1 had a horrible cough (this is going somewhere, honest), and ended up at the Doc's twice over a month. I told them he was eating very little, and had lost about a kilo in weight. They weren't too concerned, as long as he was hydrated, and being offered food.

Hope she's better soon

She probably feels sick. She'll be fine with just fluids for days, she's only little and when she feels better she will eat you out of house and home. Don't force solids on her, if she is sick because she ate something, it will be so hard to get her to eat again when she's better!

Ps, now would be a good time to offer some watered down apple juice, as something slightly sweet might settle her stomach

i'd be incli ed to give her formula r BM rather than cow's milk.

but yes, all humans are designed to flush out toxins, so they don't eat for a day or two after these bygs.
even plain water is fone.
then work up to solid food by offering dry toast etc and add stuff as you go along.
poor thing, hope she feels better soon

I've not done dinner time, just had some lightly buttered bread in the room as she's played this evening and she's eaten most of the slice over an hour, which is about three times what she's eaten so far today! I don't have any fruit juice but will get some tomorrow if she is still like this. If it is a viral infection I imagine we're in for a few days on this

Hope your DS is better now, next, that must have been horrible to see him losing weight. But it is reassuring to hear GPs aren't too bothered about solid food if plenty of fluid is going in.

BM yes but I'd treat formula like cows milk, and avoid.

x-posts.
Yep, hes fine, thank-you.
Wasn't a great few weeks (and all over Christmas too), but hes back up and running around again - he was a little older than your girl tho.

Aargh, we've only just gone from formula to cow's milk! I might see if we have any cartons left. I suppose it's got more vitamins in it than cow's milk. She still loves her milk (and normally her food, which is why DH is worried) and I think we'd have hysterics if I tried to not give it to her when she wants it.

milk is fine and I'd avoid fruit juice if she has diarrhoea.

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

you're not going backwards. don't worry.
it's all to do with comfort for now.
:)

Because DH is getting me worried now... Not much food, not much milk either today, so about 10oz milk and 8oz water - that's alright, isn't it?

ignore dh.
if you are worried, then ring nhs24 or your hv or your doctor.

that page that powerhoop linked said to keep giving sips frequently

DS had awful gastroenteritis (I think rotavirus) at 13mo, vomitted for 5 days and didn't want to eat for another week or so. GP prescribed Dioralyte and it made a huge difference to his hydration and energy levels. It stayed down better than water or BM too. We seemed to get a second phase of couple of days of diarrhoea after it looked like he was on the mend and I've since read that they can develop temporary lactose intolerance after rotavirus. Hope your DC is better v soon.

Thanks I'm kind of not worried because she is very happy, playing and laughing as usual, and isn't sleep much more than usual. She's also not being sick, just diarrhea. She HATES Dioralyte and the one time we've used it before we had to syringe it in, to much hysterics, so I don't want to do that unnecessarily. Though now she's a bit older maybe we'll have a bit more luck.

The thing with diarrhea is you just can't tell if they are peeing at all!

Luckily DH is off work for the next few days anyway so we do at least have flexibility to go to the GPs (they're very good at letting little one's get late afternoon emergency appts). I'm guessing that even if she is happy and not lethargic, we should maybe take her down Weds afternoon if there are still half a dozen diarrhea episodes a day.

Sorry to hear your DC was so poorly, Lake - can I ask what you have him instead of milk?

I think I will be very happy when DD can talk and tell me how she feels!

So long as she's peeing she's fine.

It does sound like she's on the mend

GP said to us that as long as they are happy in themselves and well hydrated, not eating isn't too much of a worry for up to a fortnight.

Sorry, didn't make it very clear, DS's lactose intolerance only manifested as diarrhoea for a couple of days after he'd stopped puking.
He was able to tolerate BM again after a few days and his appetite was back to normal within a couple of weeks.
He wolfed down the Dioralyte initially when he was dehydrated but took water / BM in preference when he had perked up a bit.
I read at the time advice to make Dioralyte into ice lollies if they won't drink it.

They are so miserable and it's grimly stressful for us whilst they're ill but they do bounce back so quickly.

Thanks Lake. I'm just finding it difficult to tell if she is well hydrated. I can't tell if she is peeing because every nappy has diarrhea, and she has quite bruised/baggy eyes anyway because of sinus issues. Nothing online seems to say how much fluid in general a 1yo should have, it just talks about milk.

I might get DH to see if she'll take some Dioralyte tomorrow...

I came on here to suggest diarolyte too. My DTs (15 mo) have just had 3-4 days of D&V (well, 7 days overall for the two of them and then me too ) and I didn't give any milk at all from day 1 until solid poo returned. Diarolyte in bottles/beakers morning and evening, and all through the day. Very small snacks with water all day too - dry toast, oatcakes, rice cakes, Cheerios etc. and yoghurts. Took a few days but they're clear now. Discussed all of this with GP and he said to avoid all diary except yoghurt.

Oh, ceevee, that sucks, I hope you're all feeling better now?

Yes thanks, we're all back to normal! Hope your dd gets better soon