Diarrhea - Is it (gastroentinitis) going around now?

[Tricey]

Just went to the GP for my child has diarrhea. GP said gastoentinitis is going around and didn't do much examining.

Anyone else hear of diarrhea going around now? We are in London. We may go private for this one.

Yes, it's rampant a the moment. Why would you go private? THere's not much examining they can do tbh unless they do a stool test (and they would only do that if it didn't clear up on it's own) Just give plenty of fluids. Of course, if your child is very young and seems dehydrated then that's another matter.

Thanks. We went in this morning (with a very recent diaper , by the way) and the doctor listened to the details...i.e. that our toddler had had 3 or 4 diapers with diarrhea in the past 12 hours and had vomitted. I also told the doctor that I have just started being treated with ear drops for an ear infection...first Otomize (which didn't seem to be right so we went back the next day) and now Gentisone. Gentisone's package says to consult doctor if you are breastfeeding; the doctors and the pharmacist said it's fine. Gentisone's own packaging said it can lead to diarrhea, vomitting, and weakness in infants. I mentioned the medication (which was prescribed by the other GP's there earlier in the week) and the GP didn't think twice about it although there are allergies in the family...me having sensitivities to several things.
All in all, the GP didn't take the diaper for analysis and only looked in our child's ears. Strange. We've been private once and that doctor took 45 minutes and throughly examined the baby. I thought maybe that was what private does vs. what NHS does...?
Our child is 2.
Thanks.
PS - Have you seen many children with this? You said it was rampant so just wondering where you've seen many cases.
Cheers!

Norovirus (viral gastroenteritis) is sweeping the UK at the moment (the papers have been reporting on it) There's really nothing a GP can do (unless the child is dehydrated). So they will recommend plenty of fluids, rest and calpol. I'm afraid, I don't know anything the medication your toddler has been given. Perhaps you need a second opinion on that one? You could try NHS Direct: 0845 48 49

yes my ds had diarrhea for 8 days and 4 days in got sickness too

lots of it about no examinations needed for diarrhea all yopu can do is make sure getting plenty of fluids aand they say starchy foods potatoe and stuff helps my ds had alot of mash and it did seem to help just small amounts and often

my ds2 was off nursery yesterday as he had diarrhoea the evening before. When I took him back the teacher said several other kids had had it recently. Unless it continues I wouldn't necessarily suspect the medication. We are in Surrey.

I do however know it can be annoying if the doc fails to note your concerns about medication - I was on beta blockers after giving birth to ds1 and came up with awful hives. The patient info note said to tell the doc immediately if you had these. The locum said as it was listed as a 'rare' reaction to the drugs, he didn't believe the hives were linked to the medication. My gp also said maybe I was reacting to tomatoes so to avoid those for a while. ( to this as I was brought up a vegetarian and have consumed loads of tomatoes and tomato-based foods in my life, plus it's not as if she did a proper investigation into what I was currently eating.) When I finally saw a doc at the hospital she said stop the drugs immediately - and guess what, the hives disappeared (not before I had spent a fortune on E45 cream etc. trying to deal with the interminable itching).

Thanks a lot everyone. Have heard back from friends now too re: Norovirus/Rotovirus.

Is Calpol alright to give for pain?

Mummypig (Is that from Peppa?), I hear you on the drugs and reactions thing and them being dismissed. Can never be too careful and I do question the docs if need be. A friend of mine ended up in the hospital here even though she hadn't had something that was serious originally - for a week due to a doc not taking her thoughts that the medicine she was given might be bothering her; in any case, it bothered her enough to land her in the hospital.

calpol is fine i was recommended to give calpol to help with tummy pain

I'm not a doctor, but I would have assumed the bit about breastfeeding would be if a mother was taking the medication, not the child.

comeoveneer - not sure what you're saying in the post, but i am taking the medication (eardrops)and was afraid i would bother my babe. some do, some don't. not sure still about this one.

Dur, sorry I read your post as it was your child with the ear infection, so couldn't understand your concern re the bfding.