Suggest Remedy For Diarrhoea And Vomiting In An Infant

Posted on Thu, 5 Nov 2015

Question: hi doc,
my son is 20 months old. since morning he is having vomiting and since evening he started having watery stools. I went to the paediatrician in the evening. and she prescribed zinc dry suspension /Bacillus clasii spores suspension. And since evening he had around 6 motions. I am trying to keep him hydrated by ORS and butter milk. and for solids I am giving him rice porridge.

I am a little tensed and is not able to decide if I should get him admitted. please help.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Pradeep Kumar Jain (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Get him admitted if there are danger signs

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Thanks for asking on this platform

I have gone through the details and can understand your concerns.
Most common cause of loose motion and vomiting(if not mixed with blood and mucus ) in this age is viral infection.
The main aim of management is to prevent dehydration by giving plenty of fluids ( ORS ).
Giving zinc and probiotic helps in early recovery.
It may take 4-6 days for the stool to get back to its normal pattern.You can also give some antiemetic like ondensetron for vomiting as frequent vomiting itself can lead to dehydration.
I won't get worried if baby is active/playful,frequency of vomiting has decreased,oral acceptance is fair and passing urine at least 3-4 times a day.
I suggest you to give him frequent sips of ORS.If he is not tolerating the ORS fluid,you can also give plain water sips butter milk or coconut water in between.
Avoid giving milk as it contains lactose and may precipitate the loose stools due to poor absorption of lactose.
Watch for danger signs like excessive irritability or lethargy,persistent vomiting,stool mixed with blood or infrequent passage of urine.If you find any, please consult your pediatrician immediately as he may need to be admitted for intravenous fluids or medications.

I hope this helps.
Please let me know if you have any more query.
Wishing for your baby's speedy recovery.
Regards

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar