Diarrhoea and vomiting

Should I continue feeding?

Babies – yes. If you’re breastfeeding you should definitely continue. Breast milk is easy to digest and also helps the healing. Bottle milk is also fine.

Toddlers – if your child is on solid foods you can still continue feeding, but it may make the vomiting worse. If feeding is making the situation worse, then just give Dioralyte and sips of water until they settle a bit. Steer clear of apple or prune juice, as these have a laxative effect and may make the diarrhoea worse.

Re-introducing food as early as possible is the key to quick recovery. Start with simple foods such as rice or eggs. It is a myth to avoid milk and dairy foods. Yoghurt is very good for diarrhoea. Yoghurts with live cultures are the ones that contain enzymes which break down sugars in the gut, thus enabling the body to absorb them, so these are the ones to give, when your child is ill.

Home made re-hydrating solutions…

It’s possible to make up your own re-hydration solution but be very careful to get the concentrations right. It’s important to follow the measurements accurately. Only use this if you can’t get to the shops to buy the ready prepared solutions.

1 litre of clean water (you can boil some water and then let it cool)
2.5grams (1/2 teaspoon) of salt
20-40g (4-8 teaspoons) of sugar