Little boy is poorly with gastroenteritis - any advice please?!!

[TeriS]

Please can anybody give some advice.

My DS (23 months), had severe diarrhoea yesterday morning when I got him out of bed. Was worried, but left it to see how he went during the day. He had no milk yesterday, plenty of water, and didn't eat much (just some toast and a couple of crackers). He was a bit quieter than normal, but still playing, running around, etc.

In the evening, he again had a little bit of diarrhoeah, and then started vomiting severely around 9.30pm (mainly bile, as he hadn't eaten much). Phoned the emergency doctor, who has said it is gastroenteritis, to give him plenty of water, no milk, and see how it goes (BTW, didn't come out to see him). He was up vomiting all night, and is still poorly this morning.

Does anybody have any info as to what best to feed/ not to feed/ how long this is likely to last/ or anything else I can do to help him. I have been waiting all morning for my own doctor to call back.

Also, he had his MMR jab 3 weeks ago, could this be connected? The doctor last night said it wasn't.

Sorry, I am normally rational mum, who doesn't over-react when he is poorly, but I am just really worried about him, and whether I am doing everything I should to help him through this.

no dairy and nothing strong tasting or acidic ( not even apples or juice).Just water, toast, bioled veg with rice and try to get some dioralyte down him.I have to say there may well be aconnection between the MMR and this ' bug' as the same thing happened to my dd after an inoculation.Your doctor would say that TBH.Hope he gets better soon.

You poor thing - it's heart breaking when they're poorly and you can't do anything to help them.

Best thing I would do is get to the chemist and get the rehydration powders - they come in blackcurrant flavour so don't taste too bad. If you can - restrict all food (especially dairy) for 24 hours and just give water and the rehydration stuff. Odds are if he's feeling unwell he won't be too hungry anyway.

When dd has had this - the starvation approach is the only thing that has worked for us. Doctor's opinion was that by giving her food, etc, we were merely 'feeding' the bug, starving her for 24 hours - except non-dairy liquids would effectively kill it off.

Poor you and ds. My 8-month ds has just recovered having had this for over a week. I took him to the doctor a couple of times, more for reassurance than anything else. I was told to let him have whatever he would eat.

The advice used to be to not give dairy products for 24 hours, but they've changed this and I was told to keep giving milk if that's what he wanted.

try www.netdoctor.co.uk or www.nhsdirect.co.uk

Hope your ds starts getting better soon.

Poor you and ds. My 8-month ds has just recovered having had this for over a week. I took him to the doctor a couple of times, more for reassurance than anything else. I was told to let him have whatever he would eat.

The advice used to be to not give dairy products for 24 hours, but they've changed this and I was told to keep giving milk if that's what he wanted.

try www.netdoctor.co.uk or www.nhsdirect.co.uk

Hope your ds starts getting better soon.

There seems to be lots of conflicting advice here re dairy products, but I think the important thing is to make sure your ds gets plenty of fluids so he does not dehydrate.

Hi TeriS, sorry DS isn't well I remember when my Dbro had it, it was very scary.

I'd avoid milk etc for at least 24 hrs and when you try and reintroduce food try really bland stuff first. My GP said mashed bananas were really good to start with when DS2 had chronic sickness/diarrhoeah as a baby. You can get dirolyte (sp is awful sorry!) sachets from the chemist, but mine would never take them tbh - I've heard that flat coke is a reasonable alternative?

Hugs to all of you, and I hope J feels better soon! Have a cup of tea and a virtual piece of DDs birthday cake

Thanks so much for response. I have decided I am going to try 'starving' him for 24 hours (definitely no milk, the doctor did mention this), and use the powders, if he will take them. I think I will ring doctors again - still haven't heard back!

I hope it doesn't last for a week! Otto, your poor DS. Hope she is better now!

I really do think this is connected to his MMR. He has been poorly ever since he had it! I know what you mean donnie, doctor will always say it isn't!

LL, thanks for tea and cake, and virtual birthday hugs and kissed to DD! I will try to go and calm down now...

last time dd1 had vomiting bug the dr said you could give milk but that it would just take longer to work its way out. hth.

TeriS, how's DS today?