Exploding botty - advice needed please! Don't read if eating!

[marthamoo]

Ds2 has had diarrhoea for about 3 days now - not constant or uncontrollable, but he is going a lot and it's very liquid and explodey (sorreeeee...) He isn't ill, hasn't got tummy ache, and is still eating and drinking (he has a cough and cold so I assume it's part of the same virus).

I know it used to be said that you shouldn't eat when you have diarrhoea - is that old hat now? Or should I be giving him bland stuff? Don't really know what to do as he doesn't seem ill or in any discomfort.

Ideas?

If he's had the runs (easier to spell for 3 days I'd consider taking him to the doctor to make sure there's nothing else the matter.

How old is he?

Dioralyte often sorts out this sort of thing, and as it's not medicine (just sugar/salt/water combination in right ratio), I'm pretty liberal with my use of it.

Sometimes the gut just gets stuck in a loop, if you see what I mean ... And I'd say, if he feels like eating, he'd should.

My dd has had it for 4 days (with a headache and tummy cramps) it is just a virus.

I had starved her for 3 days til I found out it was a virus. She is eating fine now....but still sore and a bit runny

Good Luck

btw flat lemonade does as well as dioralite

same here, we had it, followed on by pharangitis...booo....we starved dd for a day and dirolyted, then started food again, to get it on its way......

If he were mine, I would probably stay clear of the foods that might make diarrhoea worse.

Thanks all - he exploded again twice after I posted that (once in his pants and - oh, the satisfaction - Daddy copped for that one ) I think I'll try him on some bland food tomorrow (he's been eating the same as us) - but he definitely isn't dehydrated, he's drinking plenty. Will get dh to test a sample (one of the perks of being married to a microbiologist) but I'm sure it's viral. Though I will also take him to the GP on Monday if he's still doing it. At least we can stay in tomorrow - no more "I need a poo, Mummy!" on the way to school to get ds1. He's three, NQC, btw.

My dd1 had a similar thing, a tummy bug with a cold virus. Our g.p. recommended rice as apparently it helps heal the gut. BTW, the tummy upset is usually caused by them swallowing snot as they don't know how to spit it out.

Is he breast or bottlefed? When our baby had rotavirus, the paed said to keep her off formula till she went 24 hours with no diarrhoea. She was about 9 months old and bottlefed, however. We gave her Diorlyte liberally.

He won't eat rice - do you think rice pudding would have the same effect? Yep, swallowing snot sounds about right (that which he doesn't smear on the settee) Oh the joys!

He's 3, expatinscotland - I tend to keep him away from my boobs these days

Avoid the diary in rice pud. Have you tried the other parts of the BRAT diet - bananas, diluted apple juice and toast?

Bananas are excellent for a runny gut. And cheese and eggs also slow the gut, although they're not so easy to digest. A low-fibre diet slows the gut, too.

It seems to be getting better - still explodey this morning but not as much. He had dry cereal for breakfast (won't have milk on it anyway!) and a poached egg on toast for lunch. Thanks for all the advice.