Possible Gastro - What to do

HI All ,

Kaitlyn has been feeling under the weather and had 3 Explosive nappies over two days ( one yesterday and two today )...now that the bad nappies have arrived her mood actually seems to have lifted. Does this sound like Gastro?,....should I take her to Dr or are they just going to advise us to ride it out anyway. Just that she has been to the Dr 3 times in 3 weeks due to cold and ear infection and the poor love is really getting over it!.

She seems to be drinking..although nappies are dryer....what do you think?

Cass

I would take her back to the Doctor just to get her checked over once more - it could be a continuation of whatever has caused her cold/ear infection working it's way through her little body.

Gastro is often accompanied by cramps so if she has it you'd probably be fairly right to assume she wouldn't be feeling all that great and might be grizzly etc, so it could well be a continuation of whatever she currently has going on IYKWIM?

How is she with her food?

In terms of fluid intake, offer her as much fluid as she will take. You can get special icy poles from the chemist (called 'hydralyte' I think) that are good for little ones when they have gastro and won't take anything else (although Jacob wouldn't touch them LOL)

So yeah, I'd get her checked out to make sure everything is fine.....and I'm sure it is!

Yeap Cass I would go to the doc just to be sure too. Lucie had diarrohea for ages when she got gastro. They might suggest diluting the formula which is what mine did, just to be a bit gentler on the tum until things settle down a bit - but see what they say. As long as she is drinking something then she'll be ok.

Hi Girls ,

just had DH take her to Dr as I am working today ..he has it ...Kaitlyn has it and I am feeling like I am getting it.

I tell you coming back to work is sooo hard ..wish I was not hear as I want to be at home looking after my babies!

we have been told no formula for two days and just lots of bland foods. I think Toast ..any other ideas?.

Ice blocks & electrolyte blocks. We used diluted fruit juice & yogurt in our ice blocks but you can buy special ones to keep them hydrated from the chemist as well. Also canned spaghetti & jelly. They both are easy to digest and get something into them, not a great diet but anything to help get food into them & not irritate their bellies. HTH!

Cass - try rice cereal mixed with water, sound gross but Lucie ate it when she had gastro, just a few tbs at a time.

Thanks Soph.

Girls do you think it is better to swap her to a lactose free formula so she is still getting something...or is it better to give her a weaker version of her current formula?. I kinda think swapping to a different formula will disturb her tummy anyway ...do you think?. Or is she ok just to have nothing ....feels weird not giving her bottles and she REALLY wanted one tonight.

Half strength of her usual formula is fine. Has she had any more diarrhoea??

When Jacob had it, we were told not to give him any milk at that point either (at that point he was on cow's milk, not formula as this was in May). So I'm not exactly sure about that, but to be honest, I'd be inclined to follow your Doctor's advice. She's almost 1 so her reliance on food as opposed to formula would be increasing a lot now.

As I mentioned in my other post, you could try the hydralyte iceblocks from the chemist, or the hydralyte drink to help replace lost fluids.....fluids after all, is the major concern. Bland things like toast, perhaps some plain pasta, a bit of spaghetti as Christy said and maybe a thin soup if she will have it are other things you could offer......

I hope she's much better soon - it's no fun for anyone! I'm glad she's not vomiting though - the gastro went through our whole family and we were all vomiting and had diarrhoea too! Yucky.......

We have just gone through a really bad lot of Gatro with Hannah (she actually eneded up in Hospital) and re-hydrating was the big thing. We have also found though that Slippery Elm powder is fantastic to help settle down their tummie and bowels. OUr Dr in NZ prescribed it for her once - you can buy it from the health food shop and he said for a littley about 1/2 teaspoon twice a day is good. There is heaps on google if you are interested. Its also great for teething bubs when their bottoms get really red and they have those awful poos!!!

jelly is great and we were also advised stewed apple? No milk at all which is soo hard when they love it so much - has to be at least 24 hours since the last runny poo/vomit as apparently the bug 'feeds' off the lactose. Toast, plain rice, very weak cordial and juice.

With Matilda we couldn't get her to sleep without a bottle so I made it up at a weak dilution to help for sleep times, so usually she got 3 scoops for 150mls and I would put in half a scoop & 100mls. HTH.... I know you are supposed to stop all dairy but the only thing she consumed beyond jelly was those bottles & ice blocks.

It is hard when they rely so much on their milk at night time? It was a nightmare to hear Matty crying his eyes out because all he wanted was milk... I just hate it when they get sick.