Diarrhoea
Introduction
Diarrhoea is caused by various viral infections (gastro-enteritis) or by eating food that has gone off (food poisoning).
Symptoms
Three or more liquid/semi-liquid bowel movements in a day may mean you have diarrhoea. You may also have vomiting and a high temperature. Diarrhoea will make you feel weak because important body fluids and salts are lost.
Treatment: What you can do for yourself
In babies under one year it is important to replace lost salts by taking an Oral rehydration Solution (ORS is a mixture of salt and glucose which is added to water). These are available from your chemist. You can buy these with a flavour added which makes it easier for children to drink.
Bottle Feeding
Don’t stop bottle-feeding your baby only if advised, contact your Health Visitor for more advice. Continue to bottle feed your baby and give extra cooled, boiled water or hydration drinks if advised.
Breast Feeding
Increase the number of feeds and give your baby water-based fluids to drink. If your baby won’t drink from a bottle, use a teaspoon.
Children over 1 year
Give lots to drink. Continue to offer a normal diet. Don’t worry if a child won’t eat.
Contact your doctor if:
- Symptoms go on longer than 2 days
Babies
Contact your doctor immediately if:
- There is blood in the diarrhoea or the diarrhoea is red in colour
- Your baby is drowsy or confused
- Your baby does not want to drink for a few hours
- Your baby is also being sick all the time
- Your baby has a high temperature
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