D&V. How long until i should take dd to the docs?

[starshaker]

DD woke up at 2 this morning with D&V. She isnt eating or drinking. Should i take her to the docs or see if it clears up

If she isn't drinking/able to keep anything down then yes, take her today.

If she can keep some liquids in her then its probably nothing to worry about, try giving her dioralyte or something to replace the lost minerals but if it carries on or she seems unwell in any other way then definitely take her in.

I always remember my GP saying he didn't own a thermometer because basically as a parent you KNOW when your child is properly unwell. You're the best judge of this.

Has she been able to retain anything at all? If it is worrying you, you should let the doc see her. May be it's something that she ate, her doc will be the best person to tell.

Can you call the GP instead? They can give you good advice on the phone.

DS is forever ill with D&V but I don't take him in due to infection control unless desperate.

You can use a proprietary rehydration pack or do what the African mothers do, a tiny pinch of salt and a big pinch of sugar in cup of boiled cooled water. As a precaution, wipe everything down with Mr Muscle, especially door handles, computer keys and mouse, telephone, sink taps, toilet handles, everywhere your hands touch. This will help to stop reinfection. If you are cleaning her up, start at the top of her and work down and don't back track so that you don't reinfect. Gently scrub her nails and wash her hands. Disinfect her dummy/feeding bottles (if any) clean anything she chews on or puts in her mouth even toys. Change her bed linen and wipe down the bed.

If you think it is something you ate, put chopping boards in the dishwasher (or scrub it down) and disinfect the kitchen and the fridge, take it all out, clean it thoroughly (even the tins of food) so as to remove as much bacteria as possible. Be extra careful with any chicken you prepare as the salmonella stays in the sink and on surfaces. Cook all food thoroughly and store properly in the fridge (raw meat at the bottom and everything covered up). Hope this helps.

Sorry should have said, she is 8.

Took her to the docs and he said its gastroenteritis. He said just to let it run its course however she is dehydrated so said lucozaide sport or other isotonic drink is the best thing to give her.

Thank you for the advice. I never know whether im being paranoid or if im doing the right thing

Don't visit GP without ringing them - infection control - you could pass the d&v on to anybody else visiting gp.

Why don't you ring them if you are worried. But assuming she is not a baby and is taking sips of water, I would think it would pass - especially if you check with gp over phone too.

Good Luck and best wishes - never fun clearing up d&v!!!

Oops. I didn't see you had already taken her to GP.

Sorry. Glad she is ok.

I don't take DC to the doctor with D&V. It usually clears up by itself in a day or two.

However I ought to have sought medical help for DD3 a bit sooner than I actually did when at 2.5 yo, and after norovirus, she still wasn't keeping anything but a bit of water down/digested after 10 days and had dropped to 9.3 kg (1 kg less than when she caught the bug). She was on the verge of hospital when she turned a corner thankfully. That was cutting it a bit fine tbh.

Taking a child to the doc after only a few hours of "normal" D & V is over-reacting imo and more likely to spread the disease even further.

I agree bit of an over reaction and quite likely to spread it around.

At 8 they are far more resilient. DS is 17 months so it's a bit different when they are little. Totally normal to have D&V gor up to 10 days. It's difficult not to worry though. Hope she gets better soon.

Oh and remember to leave 48 hours from the last 'episode' before returning to school or being social.

Well turns out i didnt over react. DD1 just spent 3 days in hospital on a drip because of a very bad case of gastroenteritis. Her heart rate, blood pressure and temp were all high too. She is still being sick but the doc said it can take 10 days but at the moment she is taking in more than bringing back up so she got home today.

If it was a case that she was a wee bit sick and had a wee dose of the runs i wouldnt have been worried.

She will be off school for the next week at least until she gets some strength back.

Yeah me too. So far shes on day 5 (very nearly 6) of eating nothing and drinking very little. Thankfully the drip has rehydrated her so she well enough to try and drink on her own. Have been told if she deteriorates again to take her straight back in. They had to try about 6 times to get a drip in because she was so dehydrated

Ah poor thing. D&V can be full on, esp in the beginning. DS has been admitted for rehydration before. Sips little and often (whether they want it or not) are the key. Hope she makes a speedy recovery.

ah poor little thing, hope she's feeling better soon.

I wondered if I had over-reacted when I first posted as tbh I have never taken any of mine to the docs for d&v, but that's because they have never been unable to keep fluids down, which is the really important thing.