Infant with fever and diarrhea

[Dreamer_D]

My 1 year old son has a fever we have been treating with tylenol for 24 hours (successfully) and he now seems to have diarrhera. Otherwise he is active with a good apatite. What have you done when your kids were like this? I don''t like to see the doctor unneccesarily.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/2/2010 5:03:17 PM
Author:dreamer_dachsie
My 1 year old son has a fever we have been treating with tylenol for 24 hours (successfully) and he now seems to have diarrhera. Otherwise he is active with a good apatite. What have you done when your kids were like this? I don''t like to see the doctor unneccesarily.

You''ve been on PS way too long.

No advice as Amelia''s never really had a fever or a case of bad runs. But I hope he feels better soon!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I think the best thing would be to call your doctor. He or she might not even want to see you. I would follow the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast) and keep him hydrated. Do you have pedalite (sp?) in Canada? They make it in juice and frozen form. I am a big believer in following the way they are acting. If he is acting normal (playing, happy, etc), eating, sleeping I would wait for it to pass. Poor little guy.

 

[lili]

We do tylenol for the fever.
Pedialyte and BRAT (banana, rice, apple, toast) diet.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Ditto Tacori. Don''t give anything that would bind him up (like Pepto, immodium etc-not even sure if these are ok for kiddos!), if it''s a bug you want it to pass, not stay in his system.

 

[fieryred33143]

When she gets diarrhea, I usually give pedialyte.

 

[LovelyHearts]

Date: 3/2/2010 5:03:17 PM
Author:dreamer_dachsie
My 1 year old son has a fever we have been treating with tylenol for 24 hours (successfully) and he now seems to have diarrhera. Otherwise he is active with a good apatite. What have you done when your kids were like this? I don''t like to see the doctor unneccesarily.

I''m so sorry to hear that your baby is sick. My 10 month old is sick as well, but with a fever and a cough. Our medical insurance is with Kaiser and what I usually do when my kids come down with anything is call the advice nurse and the nurse goes over a list of questions to rule out anything serious. If it''s just a virus, most of the time, you have to just let it run it''s course. I use motrin for fever (it seems to be more effective than tylenol for high fevers) and pedialyte. Both my kids hate pedialyte, so I usually squeeze it into their mouths with a medicine dropper every 20 mins or so. Just keep him hydrated and plenty or rest. I usually feed them more often but smaller meals because both my kids won''t eat when they''re sick.

Good luck and I hope he feels better.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Lovely, have you tried the frozen one? They are like ice pops. Maybe your kids will think they are a treat.

 

[Pandora II]

My father's advice to me last week for the same thing (he has been a GP for over 25 years - so not just quackery

)- also backed up by my local GP here in London.

Tylenol every 6 hours (for fever), lots of fluids, no solids till the diarrhea has gone and then start slowly with things like yoghurt or fruit juice.

Since Daisy is still on breast-milk most of the time that was fine for her to have, but also some plain water to help with rehydration. If you're breastfeeding you won't need all the stuff that is in re-hydration salts.

Hope Hunter feels better soon!

 

[jas]

Poor lil guy, and poor mama. We also do Pedialyte and Tylenol.

 

[LovelyHearts]

Tacori, I did! My 2 year old is the only toddler I know that doesn''t like popsicles or ice cream. Weird, I know!

 

[Pandora II]

Lovely, this will sound really weird... and I am the most skeptical of people especially where medicine is concerned - but I was looking in the chemist for some cough mix for Daisy a few months ago (she was about 6 months) and there was nothing she could have, but the pharmacist told me that she swore by rubbing Vaporub on a baby''s feet and then put socks on overnight.

I thought what the heck, easy enough and harmless, so I gave it a go... miracle, cough gone. I''ve tried it again since and same result. So, might be worth a try.

Commiserations on getting things into kids - D HATES Tylenol and we have to hold her down to get it into her with a syringe!

 

[qtiekiki]

Since he is active and playing, I would just continue to manage the fever with tylenol and give pedialyte to replenish his fluids.

 

[IloveAsschers13]

Could he be teething? A lot of kids at my daycare go through this and them out pops another molar in their mouth.

 

[cdt1101]

Dreamer - we just went thru this...although no fever, but Lex had the diarhhea and vomiting for 5 days

He was fine for the most part, playing and all, but had no interest in food or drink. So we just offered him water and milk (but diluted) as often as possible so that he''d at least get an oz here and there. He hated pedilyte no matter what flavor i tried. So I pretty much just stuck to water. Today was his first days since last Thursday symptom free. Hope Hunter feels better soon!!

 

[packrat]

Fevers we do alternating Tylenol e/4 hours and Motrin e/6. Diarrhea I would do a bland diet. Like someone mentioned previously, both my kids got that way when they were teething, and their bm''s would smell acidic. They''d play fine, it was just they had a fever/diarrhea. If my kids have that plus are clingy and whiny b/c they don''t feel good then I figure they''ve got a touch of a bug. I would think as long as he''s hydrated and acting ok it should work out on it''s own. I hope the poor little mite gets over it soon!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Thanks everyone! I am pretty sure he is fine. I did call our provincial health help line and they suggested taking him to the doc sometime in the next day or so to check him out, so we have an appointment tomorrow but I will cancel it if he seems fine between now and then.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

DD, I never thought about teething b/c that does not happen to T. I also forgot what age I started using Mortin. Hopefully you won''t need to bring him in tomorrow. My dad ALWAYS tells me to avoid dairy so I try but my girl LOVES her milk.

 

[LovelyHearts]

Date: 3/2/2010 6:22:25 PM
Author: Pandora II
Lovely, this will sound really weird... and I am the most skeptical of people especially where medicine is concerned - but I was looking in the chemist for some cough mix for Daisy a few months ago (she was about 6 months) and there was nothing she could have, but the pharmacist told me that she swore by rubbing Vaporub on a baby''s feet and then put socks on overnight.

I thought what the heck, easy enough and harmless, so I gave it a go... miracle, cough gone. I''ve tried it again since and same result. So, might be worth a try.

Commiserations on getting things into kids - D HATES Tylenol and we have to hold her down to get it into her with a syringe!

OMG Pandora, I have to try that tonight! I have been rubbing Vaporub on her chest and back and it doesn''t seem to be helping at all. I will let you know how it goes.

My 2 year old (that hates ice cream and popsicles) love the taste of motrin/tylenol. Go figure right? So strange... But Bella, my 10 month old, hates it. I have to hold her down and hold down her arms. It''s a fight every 6 hours.

Sorry for thread jacking Dreamer. How is the diarrhea? Any better?

 

[LovelyHearts]

I think Motrin can be given at 6 months. I much prefer Motrin to Tylenol. I don''t feel like Tylenol does much for Bella at all.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Lovely, we have to spike her milk with medicine. There was a *brief* few months she likes the taste and would let us willingly drug her but that phase past quickly. I cannot believe your two year old. Hysterical. My daughter asks for ice cream daily.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 3/2/2010 5:08:33 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I think the best thing would be to call your doctor. He or she might not even want to see you. I would follow the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast) and keep him hydrated. Do you have pedalite (sp?) in Canada? They make it in juice and frozen form. I am a big believer in following the way they are acting. If he is acting normal (playing, happy, etc), eating, sleeping I would wait for it to pass. Poor little guy.

I agree.

We swear by the BRAT diet in my house for tummy troubles and it seems to work. My MIL, who is a nurse, says that fluids are optimal to avoid dehydration and as long as a person is producing urine they should be fine.

I also agree that you should keep any eye on how he's acting. If he's pretty normal then it's likely just a bug or teething. I know James loses interest in food when he has teeth coming in (especially molars).

I hope your little guy is feeling better soon!



edited for spelling.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I think that I don't really know whether he has diarrhea or not. How lame is that? Basically he pooped more than usual yesterday afternoon and this morning, a couple times in an hour on two occassions, and had some... pardon the grossness...poopy farts

. But it was not watery, just looser than usual. Usually, he has 3 poops a day, and yesterday and today there were 2 extras plus the P.F.'s today. Is this even diarrhea??

He is still an active and cheeky monkey. Slept for 2 hours this morning and 2 hours this afternoon though! He has not done that is ages.

I am using the BRAT diet, bananas usually work him up like there is no tomorrow, so we shall see what tomorrow brings. He is guzzling milk and pedialyte.

Unfortunately, we are banned from daycare for another 24 hours because he had a fever this am

 

[LovelyHearts]

Hi Dreamer,

Just checking on you to see how the baby is doing. What you described doesn''t sound like diarrhea to me. When Bella had diarrhea, it was running, and it was everywhere! It was up her back... it was gross. I thnk babies poop more than usual sometimes, especially if you''re breastfeeding. With Nevaeh, I was breastfeeding, and her poop was like diarrhea, and she pooped close to 6 or 7 times a day. It was a bit ridiculous but we just got used to it. Also, with my kids, I noticed that their bowel movement changes when I introduce new foods or they are teething. They run a fever too when they were teething. Maybe he''s teething?

 

[sbde]

sorry to hear that hunter is having such a hard time. my little one JUST got over a similar thing (low grade fever though) and i did go to the pedi just to rule out any more serious infection such as the ear.

sounds like you''re doing everything right and just keep giving him pedialyte to drink and whatever easy to digest thing he will eat. in terms of food i noticed that yogurt really helped his tummy so i gave him yobaby when he would have it and soft boiled rice with some yogurt mixed in.

 

[waterlilly]

Date: 3/2/2010 7:59:22 PM
Author: LovelyHearts

Date: 3/2/2010 6:22:25 PM

Author: Pandora II

Lovely, this will sound really weird... and I am the most skeptical of people especially where medicine is concerned - but I was looking in the chemist for some cough mix for Daisy a few months ago (she was about 6 months) and there was nothing she could have, but the pharmacist told me that she swore by rubbing Vaporub on a baby's feet and then put socks on overnight.


I thought what the heck, easy enough and harmless, so I gave it a go... miracle, cough gone. I've tried it again since and same result. So, might be worth a try.


Commiserations on getting things into kids - D HATES Tylenol and we have to hold her down to get it into her with a syringe!

OMG Pandora, I have to try that tonight! I have been rubbing Vaporub on her chest and back and it doesn't seem to be helping at all. I will let you know how it goes.


My 2 year old (that hates ice cream and popsicles) love the taste of motrin/tylenol. Go figure right? So strange... But Bella, my 10 month old, hates it. I have to hold her down and hold down her arms. It's a fight every 6 hours.


Sorry for thread jacking Dreamer. How is the diarrhea? Any better?

Side note:

I'm pretty sure Vaporub is NOT OK for rubbing on babies chests...it was shown to be a serious lung irritant and does more harm that good I think I remember hearing? Might want to check on that...

 

[lili]

DD--
Don''t know about Hunter, but J''s diarrhea are extremely liquidy and have a very distinct smell (I guess from the stomach acid and stuff).
And usually, when she got diarrhea, you can see a red ring on her anus.

Is Hunter eating alot more?
Sometimes J goes through the loose bowel movements too because of the quantity and type of food she ate the day of or before.
Hope everything is ok.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 3/4/2010 12:53:27 PM
Author: waterlilly


Side note:

I''m pretty sure Vaporub is NOT OK for rubbing on babies chests...it was shown to be a serious lung irritant and does more harm that good I think I remember hearing? Might want to check on that...

The Infant Vaporub is fine - the adult one is too strong.

 

[LovelyHearts]

Date: 3/4/2010 3:37:38 PM
Author: Pandora II

Date: 3/4/2010 12:53:27 PM
Author: waterlilly


Side note:

I''m pretty sure Vaporub is NOT OK for rubbing on babies chests...it was shown to be a serious lung irritant and does more harm that good I think I remember hearing? Might want to check on that...

The Infant Vaporub is fine - the adult one is too strong.

My pediatrician is the one that told me about the infant vaporub. It is very mild. The adult one is too strong for even me.

Pandora - I don''t know if it''s the vaporub on the feet trick or if it''s just a coincidence, but the same night I did what you suggested, she started sleeping through the night again. Last night was night #2. She still coughs now and again, but it was NO WHERE as much as it was before.

Thanks for the great advice. If I knew you in person, I''d buy you lunch.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I think my "diagnosis" of diarrhea was based on comparing his BM to his usualy pattern. Since it happened to occurr on the two days he had fever, I think they are related.

From what I have read, feven and teething is a bit if a myth

Babies are always teething so it makes sense that sometimes they will have a fever and pop a tooth at the same time.

Today he seems better. His fever broke as of yesterday am, but his poops were still not normal yesterday. Much watterier for sure, though not super frequent thank goodness. I think he is on the mend!

Thanks for all the suggestions and support!

LovelyHearts Hunter is over a year and doesn''t BF much anymore. But I do recall the days of watery poop when he was exclusively BF for his first 6 months! Lovely stuff! Funny thing, when he was EBF, he only pooped once a week and now that he eats tonnes of solids it is 3x per day. Go figure.