When to Call the Doctor for Infant Diarrhea
You should call your healthcare provider immediately if your infant has:
- Watery diarrhea and is vomiting repeatedly
- Stool containing blood, mucus, or pus
- A temperature at or above 100.4°F (38°C)
- Diarrhea that is severe (more than eight bowel movements in eight hours).
You should also call the doctor if your baby shows signs of dehydration, including:
- No wet diapers for more than three hours
- Lack of tears when crying
- Lack of energy
- Signs of dehydration:
- Frequent crying or irritability
- Sunken abdomen, eyes, or cheeks
- Listlessness or irritability
- Dry mouth and tongue
- Skin that does not flatten when pinched and released.
Treatment for Infant Diarrhea
Infants with diarrhea present special concerns because of their smaller body size. This small body size puts them at greater risk for dehydration from diarrhea. Therefore, treatment for infant diarrhea is focused on preventing, or if necessary, treating symptoms (such as dehydration) that occur as a result of the diarrhea.
Preventing or treating dehydration in infants focuses on replacing lost fluid and electrolytes (sodium and potassium). Administering special fluids by mouth (oral rehydration therapy) is the most effective way of doing this. Oral rehydration treatments (such as Pedialyte® or Infalyte®) prevent most dehydration. These special fluids can be found in most pharmacies or grocery stores and can be purchased without a prescription.
Rehydration fluids have a brief shelf life. Once a bottle has been opened or a mix prepared, it must be used or thrown out within 24 hours because bacteria rapidly grow in the solution. An infant could easily drink three or four bottles of the fluid during an illness.
Parents should also remember that oral rehydration therapy will not stop the diarrheal illness. In fact, the infant may have even more episodes of diarrhea until the illness runs its course.
Remember, never restrict fluids when your child has diarrhea.
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