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General health

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Original poster

how long does a tummy bug last for.

20 replies

Carameli · 18/11/2004 09:06

My dd has not been very well since Sunday night, the doctor said to give her dioralyte as she could not even keep water down on Monday. SInce then she has been drinking water and dioralyte( with me giving it to her in a syringe, little sips at first but now a few syringe fulls at a time) She is drinking well so I am not worried about her being dehydrated but she has not really eaten anything since Sunday night.

I tried a bit of mashed banana yesterday but it just came back up and gave her diarrohea.

I know there is a bug going around but I thought they only lasted about 48hrs. Should I be concerned?

OP posts:

Bozza · 18/11/2004 09:12

How old is she?

breeze · 18/11/2004 09:17

There are a lot of bugs going round here, I know of at least 3 people (DH included) where they had the bug for 7/10 days before fine again. HTH

Original poster

Carameli · 18/11/2004 09:19

she's 13mnths, she is drinking like mad so I guess that is good. Just wondered if tohers had experienced this.

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Lonelymum · 18/11/2004 13:11

Sounds like a long time for a child to have a bug. If the doctor has already seen her/talked to you on the phone, it would be easy enough to give them another quick ring and ask if they think it is going on a bit too long. They would know how long other people in your area had been affected for.

prefernot · 18/11/2004 14:12

What's she drinking? Is she managing milk? If she is then I wouldn't be too worried, her stomach's maybe a bit too irritated for 'solid' food just yet. Could you try her with very pureed food like soups or yoghurt?

Original poster

Carameli · 18/11/2004 14:47

spoke with my hv who is great and she said there is a lot of it around and that it might go on for a few days yet. But to just keep her on clear fluids and some introduce very very bland stuff like baby rice or plain potato or chicken/fish at first. She said to just go by what my daughter wants but to stay well away from fruit and veg as they are too much for her to digest right now.

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bundle · 18/11/2004 14:49

i took a sample of dd1's poo into doc's after she'd had a tummy bug for about 4 or 5 days in the summer, because i was worried. he sent it for testing but said it wasn't unusual for bugs to last up to 10 days, or at least some of the symptoms to linger

muminlondon · 18/11/2004 15:22

Well, my dd (20 months) had a tummy bug last month and it took about 5 days for her to get back to normal, i.e. 12 hours of vomiting, another 4 days of crankiness and reduced appetite. I think I live in your area as well, although there are several different bugs going round.

Original poster

Carameli · 18/11/2004 15:33

i'm in richmond where are you muminlondon. thats sounds just like dd.

OP posts:

muminlondon · 18/11/2004 15:54

Yes, I'm in Richmond too. I know a lot of babies (and a few adults) who got a tummy bug recently. It didn't seem too serious in dd and she ate lots of bread and rice that week, and lots of milk the week after, so she didn't starve.

ladygarden · 18/11/2004 16:48

HELP!! DD (15mths) has sickness bug but is recovering (I hope). She was sick a few times last night and then had episodes of retching before sleeping all night. Now has temperature but seems OK, even eating a bit.
Now DH has it but is in a terrible way. He's being sick every 15 minutes for the last 3 hours and sounds like a walrus in the bathroom. What can I do for him???

Original poster

Carameli · 18/11/2004 17:26

oh your poor dh. I have no idea what would help. How about cooled boiled water just like we give to babies or even some dioralyte might help. I am trying to keep healthy so that I don't get this. Certainly does not seem too nice.

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Piffleoffagus · 19/11/2004 16:52

MY dd got gastritis on the 24th oct, diarr lasted 48 hrs the vomiting varying in severity lasted ten days! We ended up in A+E but essentially with vomiting if they are lucid and still taking fluids then they do not panic...
DD started vomiting again on Weds night and now is lethargic sleeps 24/7 with temp, doc says she now has the flu!
I think this year anything is normal for bugs, I just want my baby
back!
Hope everyone else is recovering today...

Original poster

Carameli · 19/11/2004 17:18

piffeloffagus did she manage to eat any thing at all? My dd (13mnths) has not managed to eat anything since SUnday evening. I know the hv said she could keep drinking dioralyte as much as she want but I still wonder how long a little mite like this can go without eating. Seems such a long time to me.

OP posts:

muminlondon · 19/11/2004 21:36

did you see the Guardian today? there was a paragraph about a particular stomach bug:

'The Health Protection Agency warned yesterday of a possible increase in cases of "winter vomiting disease". Norovirus is the most common cause of infectious gastroenteritis, or stomach bugs, affecting up to a million people in Britain a year.'

More here : seems to suggest an incubation period of 2 days, illness for 12 hours (but up to 60 hours), and it's still infectious for up to 3 days after symptoms have gone. So all in all, it seems to take about a week to get through it.

Piffleoffagus · 21/11/2004 13:17

dd ate nothing solid, she existed on water and a food supplement she is on for low weight gain, w watered it down.
They really are not bothered about lack of eating, as they use very little energy when bundled up in bed.
It is impossible not to worry though.
DD is still lethargic, slept with us last night first time in living history and she's 2!!
Dh and I both had vomiting bug on Fri night but ds (10) has avoided it, and we feel fine now, but dd seems to have a flu type illness, today she has shown interest in porridge/ baby rice type things though so fingers x she is turning corner.
Do try not to worry about the eating, my dd has very low weight gain and they were not concerned about her not eating for ten days!
So long as baby is hydrated and resting and still aware of you then just ride it through, with mummy fortification xxx

NatureDoc · 21/11/2004 14:24

There are tons of bugs around - some last a couple of days - others weeks - up to 1 year old should take BIocare Bifidobacterium Infantis in water or 1/4 strength formula - older kids Banana or Strawberry Acidophilus plus by Biocare - halves the time and severity of tummy bugs. Heels Vomitusheel (find a practioner who sells this from www.biopathica.com) is excellent for sick bugs. Good luck!

Piffleoffagus · 21/11/2004 22:35

well so much for my last words...
dd has thrown up again twice tonight and is lethargic again.
This started on the 24 october, we have had 6 vomit free days since then, why am I sceptical when doc tells me it's ok for her to vomit this long?
Where do I turn to tomorrow?

CountessDracula · 21/11/2004 23:26

carameli why not come to the SW London meet up?

BTW I am in Richmond, have the bug and it seems to have all but gone in a day (famous last words, bet I barf all night )

Original poster

Carameli · 22/11/2004 07:51

Hi COuntess, would love to unfortunately its our anniversary and we are already out that evening. But maybe next time. Thanks for asking though. DD is getting better now, munching her way through loads of toast and even some salmon yesterday.

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