Diarrhoea- will it never end?

[Echocave]

13 month old has had diarrhoea for the last 11 days (although she had slightly upset stomach even before that). She's also had a viral rash and before that the worst case of nappy rash she's ever had (for which we've now got a steroid cream) although the GP did not think the two were linked. They did a stool sample for a bacterial infection which was negative.

We have been told to cut out all dairy to see if it helps and to give Dioralyte. Thank God dd will drink it.
How much longer is this going to last? I'm uncomfortable limiting milk for so long and so far (admittedly only 2 days) it had made no difference.
Now the 3 year old has got the runs too. Merry Xmas...

Diarrhoea caused by a tummy bug can hang around for a couple of weeks provided morning else is going on. If the second child has now started with it it's probably a virus.

Don't worry about food too much and going a week or more without milk won't be a big deal. Try the BRAT diet, banana rice, applesauce and toast. No butter. It's very gentle on the tummy. Don't push her to eat if she doesn't want to. She will soon regain any lost weight. Ds2 has gone very waif like following a virus and still is refusing food but will drink. I'm not panicking yet but he looks so tired and sad I know how you feel.

Oh Jingle 'tired and sad' -aww, poor little sausage. Hope he gets better soon. Dd2 can't stop eating and wails when she realises its water not milk (!) but we have had to cut some stuff out.