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How Can Severe Vomiting And Loose Stools In A Child Be Treated?
Question: XXXX has not recovered till now. It looked like she was getting a little before day before (she vomited only once and had one loose motion) till yesterday evening. But she vomited again yesterday evening and around mid night. At night, she was very irritable and cried a lot with even colic aid not helping and infact, she vomited after that. Since today morning, she has not vomited but she has not passed urine also till now despite having decent water/liquid intake. The diet continues to very low and if one factors in vomit, we are really worried. Please suggest line of action and also if possible, some food items she can have and are liked by toddlers.
Brief Answer:
Child seems dehydrated. Requires admission
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM. Can understand your concerns.
Loose stools in child in a child occurs due to infection and it takes 4 to 5 days for the loose motions to settle. The main thing that we have to take care is dehydration so give ORS solution frequently. Give more fluids in diet like milk, water, juice, ORS.
Banana and curd helps in preventing loose stools. Give soft diet to child.
If vomiting persists, decreased activity or decreased urine output then child may require admission to hospital. Since, according to you, child has not passed urine since morning, there are chances of dehydration. It would be better if you get the child admitted in hospital, if she doesn't pass urine in next 1 hour.
I hope this will help you.
Wishing your child good health.
Take care.
Child seems dehydrated. Requires admission
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM. Can understand your concerns.
Loose stools in child in a child occurs due to infection and it takes 4 to 5 days for the loose motions to settle. The main thing that we have to take care is dehydration so give ORS solution frequently. Give more fluids in diet like milk, water, juice, ORS.
Banana and curd helps in preventing loose stools. Give soft diet to child.
If vomiting persists, decreased activity or decreased urine output then child may require admission to hospital. Since, according to you, child has not passed urine since morning, there are chances of dehydration. It would be better if you get the child admitted in hospital, if she doesn't pass urine in next 1 hour.
I hope this will help you.
Wishing your child good health.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
She passed urine along with some stool one hour back. Loose motions have actually settled. It is the vomiting that is actually troubling. also, have seen if we increase the liquid intake, it causes flatulence. The activity from morning till now is fine. the problem generally starts in evening and aggravates during sleep.
We went to the doctor yesterday. As per her advice, we gave zenteel 5 ml, rantac 2.5 ml, Enterogermina one vial and ondem 2.5 ml before meal. She has also prescribed colimex 1 ml on SOS basis if she again is in pain at night. her last meal was around 9.30 and she slept around 10.30. Around 12 midnight she again woke up crying, we gave her colimex 1 ml and within a minute she vomited the entire food. She cried a lot and we gave her another colimex 1 ml as we thought it would have come out. However, she slept only after an hour of crying. We had told the doctor also and yourself also earlier but just reiterating that whenever we give her higher liquid like coconut water etc we notice bloating in stomach which persists till she either urinates or vomits. Spoke to her paed again, she has now suggested Grandem 1.5 ml instead of Ondem as second line of treatment and wait till evening. Please advise we are really worried.
We went to the doctor yesterday. As per her advice, we gave zenteel 5 ml, rantac 2.5 ml, Enterogermina one vial and ondem 2.5 ml before meal. She has also prescribed colimex 1 ml on SOS basis if she again is in pain at night. her last meal was around 9.30 and she slept around 10.30. Around 12 midnight she again woke up crying, we gave her colimex 1 ml and within a minute she vomited the entire food. She cried a lot and we gave her another colimex 1 ml as we thought it would have come out. However, she slept only after an hour of crying. We had told the doctor also and yourself also earlier but just reiterating that whenever we give her higher liquid like coconut water etc we notice bloating in stomach which persists till she either urinates or vomits. Spoke to her paed again, she has now suggested Grandem 1.5 ml instead of Ondem as second line of treatment and wait till evening. Please advise we are really worried.
Brief Answer:
Ultrasound abdomen should be done
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
If pain is still persisting then an ultrasound abdomen should be done to rule out acute intestinal obstruction. Serum electrolytes level and CRP levels should be done because low potassium levels can also lead to bloating abdomen.
Ondem syrup is good enough for vomiting, there is no need to replace it with granisetron syrup.
If pain abdomen and bloating persist then child should be admitted because there can be chances of acute intestinal obstruction or electrolyte imbalance.
Take care.
Brief Answer:
It takes 4 to 5 days to settle
Detailed Answer:
Hi welcome once again.
If she has passed stools and loose stools are settled then she is getting recovered. Actually, it takes time for the infection to settle and so you have to keep some patience.
ORS solution should be given around 100 ml each stool according to weight of child which is around 11 kg. Give ORS and other fluids slowly. All features are due to stomach infection, and it takes 4 to 5 days to settle.
Continue enterogermina ampule. Give ondem syrup if vomiting occurs.
A re-examination by doctor should be done so that we may not miss any important finding.
Take care.
Ultrasound abdomen should be done
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
If pain is still persisting then an ultrasound abdomen should be done to rule out acute intestinal obstruction. Serum electrolytes level and CRP levels should be done because low potassium levels can also lead to bloating abdomen.
Ondem syrup is good enough for vomiting, there is no need to replace it with granisetron syrup.
If pain abdomen and bloating persist then child should be admitted because there can be chances of acute intestinal obstruction or electrolyte imbalance.
Take care.
Brief Answer:
It takes 4 to 5 days to settle
Detailed Answer:
Hi welcome once again.
If she has passed stools and loose stools are settled then she is getting recovered. Actually, it takes time for the infection to settle and so you have to keep some patience.
ORS solution should be given around 100 ml each stool according to weight of child which is around 11 kg. Give ORS and other fluids slowly. All features are due to stomach infection, and it takes 4 to 5 days to settle.
Continue enterogermina ampule. Give ondem syrup if vomiting occurs.
A re-examination by doctor should be done so that we may not miss any important finding.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
What about gut infection and therefore use of antibiotics?
Brief Answer:
These complications can occur in gut infection
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Acute intestinal obstruction and electrolyte imbalance is a complication of gut infection. Antibiotics are given to cure gut infection but if during any time if these complications occur then admission is required.
The medicine that you are giving is correct and if child is not responding to oral antibiotics then intravenous antibiotic needs to be given and electrolyte correction should be done.
Continue these medicines. If pain abdomen or bloated abdomen occurs then admission to hospital should be done.
Take care.
These complications can occur in gut infection
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Acute intestinal obstruction and electrolyte imbalance is a complication of gut infection. Antibiotics are given to cure gut infection but if during any time if these complications occur then admission is required.
The medicine that you are giving is correct and if child is not responding to oral antibiotics then intravenous antibiotic needs to be given and electrolyte correction should be done.
Continue these medicines. If pain abdomen or bloated abdomen occurs then admission to hospital should be done.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
But in the medicines I told there was no antibiotic, right?
Brief Answer:
Need to manage complications
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Yes, there is no antibiotic in medicines that you are giving.
Loose motions at this age can be viral like due to rotavirus or bacterial due to shigella, e coli etc. Viral diarrhea settles on it's own without need of any antibiotics. Bacterial diarrhea responds only to antibiotic and it will worsen if antibiotic is not given.
But electrolyte imbalance and acute intestinal obstruction can occur in both. Symptoms are pain abdomen, vomiting and bloated abdomen. If these symptoms are present then electrolyte levels should be corrected and based on CRP and blood culture antibiotic needs to be given.
If no antibiotic has been given then it should be started. Antibiotic like cefixime needs to be started.
However, our main concern is the complications because once complications occur, the oral intake decreases and dehydration can occur.
If complications are present then admission is the only option.
Take care.
Need to manage complications
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Yes, there is no antibiotic in medicines that you are giving.
Loose motions at this age can be viral like due to rotavirus or bacterial due to shigella, e coli etc. Viral diarrhea settles on it's own without need of any antibiotics. Bacterial diarrhea responds only to antibiotic and it will worsen if antibiotic is not given.
But electrolyte imbalance and acute intestinal obstruction can occur in both. Symptoms are pain abdomen, vomiting and bloated abdomen. If these symptoms are present then electrolyte levels should be corrected and based on CRP and blood culture antibiotic needs to be given.
If no antibiotic has been given then it should be started. Antibiotic like cefixime needs to be started.
However, our main concern is the complications because once complications occur, the oral intake decreases and dehydration can occur.
If complications are present then admission is the only option.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
I stay in Indirapuram, XXXXXXX Can you suggest a good doc around or in east XXXXXXX
Brief Answer: XXXXXXX hospital
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You can go to Dr XXXXXXX Bhatia XXXXXXX hospital, Dr Chandrakant XXXXXXX Colony.
Actually, it's not a very big disease, you can go to any good hospital with good facilities.
Take care.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You can go to Dr XXXXXXX Bhatia XXXXXXX hospital, Dr Chandrakant XXXXXXX Colony.
Actually, it's not a very big disease, you can go to any good hospital with good facilities.
Take care.
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
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