Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Toddler has been ill. Won't eat. How long do we allow this to continue?

15 replies

Winetime1981 · 17/05/2013 11:07

He's two and had gastroenteritis type bug. We're onto day three. Spewed once, lots of diarrhoea. Temp now gone. He's hardly eaten a thing but he seems quite weak today. Not sure what to do as we've been enduring we get fluids into him with a syringe but obv can't force feed food. I know it's normal for them to liar thier appetite... But for how long?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Winetime1981 · 17/05/2013 11:08
  • ensuring

  • lose their

Damn iPhone.

OP posts:
SolomanDaisy · 17/05/2013 11:09

My DS once ate very little for two weeks when he wasn't well! He is still bfeeding though, so although he lost a fair bit of weight I wasn't too worried. What liquids are you giving him? I think if you are giving him a liquid which has calories then I wouldn't worry yet.

JoyceDivision · 17/05/2013 11:10

Lack of appetite wouldn't concern me, but if your dc isn't willingly taking ample fluids and you are having to force with a syringe to get small amounts in, then that would worry me (we had this years ago with dd, she had a bacterial infection and was in hospital for a week to be monitored)

Is your dc weeing same or less?If less / nappies are quite dry I would adviseyou to get urgent app with gp or go to a walkincentre

Hopefully nothing but these are symptons I wouldn't wait too long with

Get well soon miniwinetime!

amazingmumof6 · 17/05/2013 11:17

totally normal.

digestion uses up loads of enegry so when you're ill you stop eating as your body needs all the energy to combat illness.

as long as he gets lots of fluids he'll be okay, but you should ask gp or pharmacist for something similar to Diarolyte - something that contains minerals and sugars to replace what's lost through vomitting (sorry can't check right now)

you should take him to A&E if he can't keep any liquids down - risk of dehydration is a serious problem!

hope he gets better soon. Smile

amazingmumof6 · 17/05/2013 11:24

I meant not eating is normal when ill- and until the bugs cleated out eating food would prolong the problem, so best not to.

just re-read and I've realized he's been having a runny bottom and only sips of liquid - so I would definitely take him to A & E.
my Ds4 had similar once, he was very close to being put on a drip!

Sirzy · 17/05/2013 12:57

As long as he isn't dehydrated and you are getting fluids into him I wouldn't worryy - do keep a close eye on his fluid intake though.

DS has gone a week with not eating anything and the hospital weren't worried (he was an inpatient at the time) as he was drinking.

BabyRuSh · 17/05/2013 12:59

He needs lots of fluids. I have to actively encourage ds to drink and typically aim to get him to drink around 3x9oz of fluid at least. I reverted to bottles when he was last ill as that was the only way oli could get him to drink milk.

CarpeVinum · 17/05/2013 13:02

not very.

My former toddler did the same thing, went into a state of keytosis had a "going blue" style convultion and ended up in hospital for a week.

Personally, having had my psyche scarred by that, I'd seek medical advice (and the sticks you get them to pee on to check their levels) sooner rather than later.

Try some flat coke if they'll take it. Worst case scenario (not sure if you can get these where you are) there are suppositories that will sort of keytosis from t'other end.

Bit I'd still see if the quack has any other ideas first.

amazingmumof6 · 17/05/2013 13:12

problem is that even if he had lots of fluids but had diarrhoea and/or vomiting he could still be in danger of getting dehydrated and would need to be seen by a pediatrician to determine further action/treatment.

but OP says he only has sips of fluids so what comes out is a much greater volume than what goes in - it worries me tbh and I would take him asap, at his age his condition/dehydration can worsen rapidly. I wouldn't wait anymore, it's day 3.

Winetime1981 · 17/05/2013 13:56

Seeing the doctor in a bit. I've managed (after a massive tantrum) to get him to have the diarolyte with 200ml of water. Nappy before last was massive diahorrea poo but with wee too. Last or dry but hadn't been that long after first. We're giving him 40ml water every hour via syringe. I hate this as he has been in hospital before with dehydration following stomach bug. Was horrendous...

OP posts:
Winetime1981 · 17/05/2013 13:56
  • last one

Anyone know how much the should be drinking throughout the day?

OP posts:
amazingmumof6 · 17/05/2013 14:11

I found this for now :

"According to the Institute of Medicine?s Dietary Reference Intakes for Electrolytes and Water, the Adequate Intake (AI) for water for children aged 1 to 3 is 1.3 liters per day; that?s about 44 fluid ounces, or the equivalent of 5-1/2 8 ounce cups of water. Children can certainly drink plain water throughout the day to meet their daily fluid needs, but they?ll also get water by consuming other healthful beverages including milk and 100 percent fruit juice. About 20 percent of childrens? daily water intake typically comes from foods that have a lot of moisture/water content including juicy fruits (such as watermelon), vegetables, cooked grains, and soups.

Just as for all of us, your child?s daily water needs will increase when the weather is warm or hot, and/or when your child is more physically active than usual. If your child?s urine is close to clear in color, that means he or she is likely adequately hydrated; if the urine appears concentrated or yellow in color, that may mean he or she needs to drink a bit more to meet his or her daily needs."

Winetime1981 · 17/05/2013 19:16

Okay. So nurse practitioner sent us home saying he's not dehydrated (yet) and not to worry about the loss of appetite. Joy of joys my five week old has it now. I'm actually beside myself. I've been to A & E with her and just been given vague advice about wet nappies. I could curl up and cry.

OP posts:
SolomanDaisy · 17/05/2013 19:39

Oh, that is grim. Coincidentally, since I posted this morning my nearly 2 year-old has developed d and v and it's grim with one, let alone two to deal with. Is the little one still feeding?

Winetime1981 · 17/05/2013 20:37

Yes she is but then throwing some of them up. Honestly I'm so stressed. She's still having wet nappies - he isn't. Jesus I hate them being ill.

Is your toddler poohing for England Solomon?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread