13 month ds with diarrhoea bug

[mokola]

I'm a bit confused as to what I should be doing. Yesterday I was advised by a health visitor to stop all food for 24 hours and give diorylyte. Ds only drank some of this then refused to have anything to do with it, he also had a small amount of clear broth and some juice. Overnight he didnt have any more diarrhoea and he had a small amount dry toast and some banana porridge at breakfast. He has had 2 episodes of very watery stools over today,- I gave some half water/half cows milk earlier on, some water and a litle food at teatime and a carton of formula at bedtime (thought the whey based stuff would be easier to digest then straight cows milk).
Anyway I now read that rehydration and continuing feeding is the current advice and still feel conflicted about whether he should be drinking milk. Is it better he has it as his fluid intake would be much poorer without it or will it mean he takes longer to recover? He is quite lethargic (although brightens up for short time) and doesnt have any signs of dehydration - eyes, mouth, tongue all moist and peeing plenty). Poor man also has a cold, is teething and has sticky eyes.
Any answers re the milk thing?

I think the milk sounds good. It is very important to keep up the fluids whilst ill - and milk is a tummy filling fluid. A couple of days with little food will cause no problem - the fluid is very important. Sounds like hes on the mend.

if he's not throwing up the milk it should be oK. Milk isn't the best thing for a tummy upset but as simply red says getting any fluid into him at the moment is the most important thing.

Milk will prolong any tummy upset. Can you not find something else he will drink? Give anything, even if it is something you might not normally want him drinking, eg squash. If you absolutely must give milk, water it right down, eg one part milk to three parts water.