What To Give A 4 Year Old For Diarrhea

How Much Fluids To Give A Vomiting Child

The biggest mistake that parents make when their kids have diarrhea and vomiting, next to giving the wrong fluids, is being too aggressive and giving their children too much to drink at one time.

If your child is vomiting frequently, limit fluids to a teaspoon at a time, using a syringe, medicine dropper, or actual teaspoon to measure the dose. Gradually increase the amount you give at each time as your child begins to keep it down.

A good starting point is a teaspoon or tablespoon of fluid every five or ten minutes for the first hour or two, increasing to a few tablespoons at a time once the vomiting decreases and your child is keeping the fluids down well.

If your child can’t or won’t drink anything else, a Pedialyte popsicle can be a good alternative to prevent dehydration.

The total amount of fluids you should aim to give depends on how dehydrated your child is.

Children with:

Should I Give My Child Medicine

As far as medicines, there are not any really good medicines for kids to get them to stop vomiting that we recommend on a regular basis. There are some cases where the kids are in the emergency room they can get some anti-nausea medicines, but a lot of those have side effects. So we usually don’t give them in an outpatient setting.

Can Imodium Make You Feel High

No, taking Imodium at the recommended dosage to treat diarrhea wont make you feel high. At this dosage, Imodium doesnt affect your brain. Instead, it only works inside your intestine.

However, Imodiums chemical structure is similar to that of opioids, such as morphine and heroin. If its misused and taken in extremely large doses, Imodium can affect your brain. And if it enters your brain, it may make you feel high.

Some people misuse Imodium in this way to make themselves feel high. But you shouldnt misuse Imodium, because doing so can have serious effects on your heart. .

If you have questions about how Imodium may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

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Should I Make My Child Eat

When your child is vomiting, you do not want to make them eat. That’s a very common misconception that I have parents make. They think, well my child’s vomiting. They don’t want to eat because they are vomiting, so I need to make sure they get food because otherwise they’re going to lose weight.

It’s okay, we expect your child to lose a little bit of weight with the stomach bug. Don’t make your child eat if they’re not hungry, because if you do make them try to eat something before they are ready, they are going to bring it right back up and you’re going to be cleaning it up. Just make sure they have small amounts of clear fluids and no solid foods for about eight hours once they start vomiting.

When To Call Your Pediatrician

If your child has abdominal pain that comes on suddenly or persists it may require prompt attention, especially if your child has additional symptoms, such as a change in his bowel pattern, vomiting, fever , sore throat, or headache. Even when no physical cause can be found, the childs distress is genuine and should receive appropriate attention.

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Giardiasis

Many people with giardiasis have no signs or symptoms of illness, even though the parasite is living in their intestines.

When the parasite does cause symptoms, the illness usually begins with severe watery diarrhea. Giardiasis affects the body’s ability to absorb fats from the diet, so the diarrhea contains unabsorbed fats. That means that the diarrhea floats, is shiny, and smells very bad.

Other symptoms include:

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Treatments For Vomiting And Diarrhea

In general, when your child is vomiting a lot or has diarrhea from something like a stomach virus , you should:

• Give them fluids to avoid dehydration or help them get rehydrated
• Once the child is able to keep fluids down, resume feeding to provide nutritional support
• Avoid routine antibiotics as a treatment, as gastroenteritis is commonly caused by viruses
• Avoid antidiarrheal medications in young children

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Stick With Bland Foods In Smaller More Frequent Portions

For older babies and toddlers, options like bananas, plain pasta, toast, rice cereal or plain crackers are both easy on the stomach and have a binding effect.

If she has a bigger appetite, try things like skinless plain baked chicken or turkey, hard-boiled eggs, baked potatoes or plain pancakes without syrup.

Dealing with diarrhea from antibiotics? Plain probiotic yogurt containing active, live cultures can ease your childs symptoms by getting more good bacteria into her gut, research shows.

When Should I Seek Medical Advice

As mentioned already, most children with diarrhoea have mild symptoms which get better in a few days. The important thing is to ensure that they have plenty to drink. In many cases, you do not need to seek medical advice. However, you should seek medical advice in the following situations :

• If your child is under the age of 6 months.
• If your child has an underlying medical condition .
• If your child has a high temperature .
• If you suspect lack of fluid in the body is developing .
• If your child appears drowsy or confused.
• If your child is being sick and unable to keep fluids down.
• If there is blood in their diarrhoea or vomit.
• If your child has severe tummy pain.
• Infections caught abroad.
• If your child has severe symptoms, or if you feel that their condition is getting worse.
• If your child’s symptoms are not settling .

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Can Giardiasis Be Prevented

Some food safety and hygiene precautions can help prevent giardiasis. To help protect your family:

• Drink only from water supplies that have been approved by local health authorities.
• Bring your own water when you go camping or hiking. Never drink from sources like mountain streams. Or boil water for at least 10 minutes.
• Wash raw fruits and vegetables well before you eat them.
• Wash your hands well before you cook food for yourself or for your family.
• Teach kids to wash their hands after every trip to the bathroom and especially before eating.
• Wash your hands often if you’re caring for someone who has giardiasis.
• Have your kids wash their hands well after handling anything in “touch tanks” in aquariums, a potential source of giardiasis.
• Always wash hands well after changing a diaper.
• Have your water checked on a regular basis if it comes from a well.

Also, it’s questionable whether infants and toddlers still in diapers should be sharing public pools. But they definitely should not if they’re having diarrhea or loose stools .

Preventing The Stomach Flu

You might not be able to stop your child from catching the stomach flu but you can try. You can at least prevent it from happening as often.

The best way to prevent the stomach flu is wash your hands and wash them again. Teach your child how to wash their hands properly and to wash them often. Use warm water and soap. Set a timer or have your child sing as song so that they scrub their hands for at least 20 seconds.

Here are more ways to help prevent your child from catching and spreading the virus:

• Keep your sick child home and away from other children.
• Teach your child to wash their hands properly several times a day, especially after using the bathroom and before eating.
• Show your child how they can cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or the inner side of their elbow when sneezing and coughing.
• Tell your child not to share drink boxes, bottles, spoons, and other eating utensils.
• Clean hard surfaces like counters and nightstands with a mixture of detergent, vinegar, and water. Some viruses can survive for up to 24 hours on hard surfaces and even on clothing.
• Wash your childs toys in warm soapy water regularly, especially if the stomach flu or other viruses are going around.
• Use separate bathroom towels for each family member.

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Tummy Troubles: When To Worry About Vomiting And Diarrhea

According to the American Academy of pediatrics, stomach aches in children happens for all sorts of reasons. Stomach or abdominal pain that continues to occur is common, but usually not serious. Some children, including babies, vomit for unknown reasons. Some common reasons for vomiting includereflux or infection of the stomach, intestines and/or urinary tract.

Diarrhea starts quickly and can lasts from 7 daysto 2 weeks.There is no safe medication treatment for diarrhea in children, but it will usually stop on its own.Your child may haveseveral loose bowel movements throughout theday. Theymay also have a fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomitingand a loss of appetite.

How Do Doctors Find The Cause Of Diarrhea

Doctors will:

• ask about what the child ate most recently, when symptoms began, and how often and how long the diarrhea is happening
• ask specific questions about the diarrhea: Is it watery? Is there blood in the poop?
• do an exam
• order a stool test, urine test, or blood test to check for dehydration and to see whats causing the diarrhea, if needed

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What Can I Do To Prevent Diarrhea

Proper handwashing can reduce the spread of bacteria that may cause diarrhea.

A rotavirus vaccine can prevent diarrhea caused by rotaviruses. Ask your child’s healthcare provider which vaccines are right for your child.

When you travel, make sure anything your child eats and drinks is safe. This is even more important if you travel to developing countries.

Travel safety tips for drinking and eating include:

• Not drinking tap water or using it to brush teeth

• Not using ice made from tap water

• Not drinking unpasteurized milk

• Not eating raw fruits and vegetables unless you wash and peel them yourself

• Not eating raw or undercooked meat or fish

• Not eating food from street vendors or food trucks

Talk with your child’s healthcare provider before traveling.

What Are Home Remedies For Diarrhea In Kids

There is no one specific food, drink or home remedy that will stop your child’s diarrhea. The best treatment for your child’s diarrhea is supportive care. To provide relief from diarrhea symptoms, focus on:

• Keeping your child hydrated
• Offering a variety of nutritious foods
• Identifying triggers or problem foods

“With diarrhea, the body loses salts and electrolytes, so it’s very important to help your child stay hydrated, says Dr. Lazar. “Avoid juice and other sugary beverages.

To keep a child with diarrhea hydrated, offer plenty of fluids, such as:

• Water
• Pediatric electrolyte solutions in liquid or freezer pop form
• Sports drinks, such as Gatorade or Powerade

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Fluids To Prevent Lack Of Fluid In The Body

You should encourage your child to take plenty of fluids. The aim is to prevent dehydration. The fluid lost if they have been sick and/or have had diarrhoea needs to be replaced. Your child should continue with their normal diet and usual drinks. In addition, they should also be encouraged to drink extra fluids. However, avoid fruit juices or fizzy drinks, as these can make diarrhoea worse.

Babies under 6 months old are at increased risk of dehydration. You should seek medical advice if they develop sudden-onset diarrhoea. Breast-feeds or bottle-feeds should be encouraged as normal. You may find that your baby’s demand for feeds increases. You may also be advised to give extra fluids in between feeds.

Rehydration drinks may be advised by a doctor for children at increased risk of dehydration . They are made from sachets available from pharmacies and on prescription. You should be given instructions about how much to give. Rehydration drinks provide a perfect balance of water, salts and sugar. The small amount of sugar and salt helps the water to be taken in better from the gut into the body. Home-made salt/sugar mixtures are used in developing countries if rehydration drinks are not available but they have to be made carefully, as too much salt can be dangerous to a child. Rehydration drinks are cheap and readily available in the UK and are the best treatment for your child.

Are There Any Complications That May Occur

Complications from infective diarrhoea in children are uncommon in the UK. They are more likely in very young children. They are also more likely if your child has an ongoing disease such as diabetes, or if their immune system is weakened in some way. For example, if they are taking long-term steroid medication or they are having chemotherapy treatment for cancer. Possible complications include the following:

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What Should I Do If Im Still Having Diarrhea After Taking Imodium

If youre still having diarrhea after your first dose of Imodium, take another dose after each loose stool that follows. But only take doses up to the maximum daily dose. For more information about this, see the Imodium dosage section above.

If you still have diarrhea after using Imodium for 2 days , see your doctor. Your doctor may order certain tests to see whats causing your diarrhea. And they may recommend a treatment other than Imodium, depending on the results of those tests.

When Your Toddler Should Be Seen By A Pediatrician For Diarrhea

If you’ve tried all the methods described above and they’re not working, if your child has any other unusual symptoms , or if their diarrhea has been going on for some time, then you should see your child’s pediatrician. They may choose to order stool cultures to check for parasites and bacterial infections. If the cause is a bacterial infection, for instance, the doctor might be able to prescribe an antibiotic drug that can help get rid of the infection .

If your child is very fussy, has greasy stools that are very foul-smelling, or if they are not gaining weight appropriately, then your pediatrician might be more aggressive in looking for a medical cause for your child’s loose stools.

It is important to work on solving this problem, not only so your child feels better , but also because loose stools are bound to make it much more difficult to get them potty trained.

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Key Points About Diarrhea

• Diarrhea is loose, watery stool. Your child may also have to go to the bathroom more often.

• It may be caused by many things, including bacterial infection or viral infection.

• Dehydration is the major concern with diarrhea.

• In most cases, treatment involves replacing lost fluids.

• The rotavirus vaccine can prevent diarrhea caused by that virus.

• Proper handwashing can help prevent diarrhea.

• When you travel, make sure anything your child eats and drinks is safe.

For The First 4 Hours Of Oral Rehydration

If your child refuses to take the ORS by the cup or bottle, give the solution using a medicine dropper, a syringe, a small teaspoon or frozen pops.

If your child vomits, stop foods and other fluids, but continue to give the ORS using a spoon.

• Give 15 mL every 10 min to 15 min until the vomiting stops.
• Increase the amounts gradually until your child is able to drink the regular amounts.
• If your child continues vomiting for longer than 4 to 6 hours, take your child to the hospital.

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What Happens In Lactose Intolerance

Normally, when we eat something with lactose, an enzyme in the small intestine called lactase breaks it down into simple sugars. The bloodstream absorbs these simple sugars, which are turned into energy.

In lactose intolerance, the body doesn’t make enough lactase to break down lactose. Instead, undigested lactose sits in the gut and gets broken down by bacteria, causing gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.

Lactose intolerance is fairly common. Kids and teens are less likely to have it, but many people become lactose intolerant in adulthood. Some health care providers view lactose intolerance as a normal human condition and not a disease or serious health problem.

Besides age, people can become lactose intolerant due to:

• Ethnic background. People of Asian, African, Native American, and Hispanic backgrounds are more likely to develop lactose intolerance at a young age.
• Other problems with the digestive tract. People who have inflammation of their upper small intestine, such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease, have less of the lactase enzyme.
• Medicines. Some antibiotics can trigger temporary lactose intolerance by affecting how the intestine makes lactase.
• Infection. After having diarrhea, some people have a temporary lactose intolerance that usually gets better after a few days or weeks.

How To Treat Diarrhea In Young Kids

Try to keep a record for a week or so to see when, exactly, diarrhea occursthe date, the time of day, the date and time of your child’s last meal, and what the last meal consisted of. It may sound like a lot of work, but you may see a pattern develop, which can provide clues to a possible cause.

For example, if you notice that your kid tends to have symptoms primarily after eating milk or dairy, then you may want to ask his pediatrician if it’s alright to eliminate those types of foods from his diet.

If you think that your child may have toddler’s diarrhea, there are some key things that you can do.

• Limit fruit juice or stop giving it to your child altogether, especially juices that are high in fructose or sorbitol, like apple juice and pear juice. White grape juice is a better option. Remember that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting daily fruit juice to just 4 to 6 ounces for children who are between the ages of 1 and 6. Even small amounts of juice may be too much for some children, and those with toddler’s diarrhea might benefit from eliminating juice from their diets altogether.
• Increase the amount of fat in your child’s diet .
• Increase the amount of fiber in your child’s diet.

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