Hello,
Thank you for placing your query on Health Care Magic
Firstly, if everyone at your place is contracting diarrhea of similar nature, then there must be a source of infection around. It is firstly most important to get rid of that source. It can be drinking water. Or something in the cooking medium. So take extra care of hygiene at this time. Boiled or treated drinking water. Ensure clean hands while cooking, serving and eating.
Next for the small kids having diarrhea. Mostly diarrhea is due to virus in children. But the description in your case seems to be some bacterial infection (fever, stomaches etc). So they definitely need antibiotics (only viral diarrhea don't require antibiotics).
1. Your daughter has received appropriate antibiotics and as you say she has improved. Stool color may need some time to recover because the antibiotics kill not only the harmful bacteria but also the helpful bacteria. Preparations with Lactobacillus (helpful bacteria) spores help in establishing the good bacteria again the stomach and gut. Don't worry too much about the color if the frequency is not much. Just ensure good hydration, hygiene and a healthy diet.

2.Your nephew also needs antibiotics.
a) If infection is severe and he is not taking anything orally then he requires injectable antibiotics, else oral medicines work fine. I recommend getting a stool examination and culture. It will tell you about the exact organism which is growing and what antibiotics will work on them.So you can start with one of the antibiotics (oral/injectable) and then modify according to the reports (in case he is not improving with that antibiotic). Follow just one pediatrician's advice. I would also recommend addition of Metronidazole to his prescription which takes care of specific diarrhea causing organism. For proper doses and prescription consult your pediatrician.

b) Maintain his hydration. Be careful about his urine output. If his quantity of urine goes down or he is not tolerating or taking anything orally, then he may requires fluids to be injected.

c)If fever persists then he may require more blood tests to rule out typhoid also. But if he improves then it is not essential.

Hope that helps you
God bless you
Dr Anand Sinha
MCh Pediatric Surgery

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Hello
Thank you for being in touch through Health Care Magic
The stool report is almost normal. That is good.
1.You should continue with the antibiotics. He should respond to that.
2. Watch for dehydration. Give him lots of ORS if he is not vomiting. Or fluids in any form. Keep a check on the frequency and quantity of urine. Immediately call your doctor if he develops sunken eyeballs, decreased urine output or decreased activity. Also report if he develops vomiting and does not tolerate oral feeds.
3. A zinc based syrup can be added. It is said to reduce frequency of diarrhea. Consult your pediatrician for the same.
4. Fever should subside in 1 or 2 days. If it persists beyond that, some blood tests would be required.
I am sure your nephew will recover soon.
Hope this helps
God bless you
Dr Anand Sinha

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