Frequently asked questions about your child's health

Pediatric Consultants of Wisconsin has put together some guidelines to help you with your sick child after office hours or when the illness is not an emergency. If you have any questions at any time, please contact our office at (414) 258-0606. If you are having a life-threatening emergency, please dial 911.

• Dehydration
• Diarrhea
• Medications and dosages
• Vomiting

Dehydration

Dehydration can occur when your child has diarrhea and/or vomiting. You can avoid serious complications of dehydration by recognizing the early signs or symptoms. They include:

• Dry mouth.
• Absent tears.
• Depression of the "soft spot" on a baby's head.
• Lethargy.
• Decreased urination.

When monitoring your child for dehydration, ask yourself the following questions:

• How many times has my child vomited? Vomiting more than three times in 12 hours can indicate dehydration.
• How many loose stools has your child had, and what size? Another indicator of dehydration can be a large stool once every hour, or more than four in a six hour period.
• Have I followed the diarrhea and vomiting directions?
• How much fluid can I get my child to tolerate? Infants need a minimum of one ounce per hour, toddlers at least two ounces per hour.

Severe dehydration is a medical emergency and you should seek immediate medical attention. If you suspect your child is dehydrated, go to the emergency room where they will most likely administer IV fluids.

Diarrhea

Parents must carefully choose a child's diet to control nausea and diarrhea. Use the following guidelines when your child is suffering from diarrhea.

• If you are feeding your baby formula, stop giving formula or milk products until your child has normal stool for two days.
• Give your baby Pedialyte for the next 24 hours. If vomiting, use small amounts frequently.
• If your baby already is eating solids, start the B.R.A.T. diet, which consists of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.
• For the next 24 hours, mix half of the Pedialyte with half of a soy formula, such as Isomil DF, or lactofree formula.
• After 48 hours, give your child the full amount of the soy or lactofree formula.
• Continue the soy or lactofree formula until the stools have normalized for a minimum of two days.
• For parents who are breastfeeding, give your baby Pedialyte for 24 hours, and then resume breastfeeding.

• Stop milk products and start clear fluids, such as Pedialyte, white soda, Gatorade or chicken soup broth. Jello and popsicles also are very good. Yogurt is fine, as long as it has active cultures.
• If there is no vomiting, start the B.R.A.T. diet, which consists of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.

Avoid all other foods, especially dairy products, until all of the symptoms are gone. Keep portions small and avoid heavy or fatty foods. Now is not the time to introduce new foods. Stick to nutritious favorites. A fruit or juice smoothie may be more appealing than solids.

Vomiting

Many common childhood illnesses can cause vomiting, so you should expect your child to throw up several times. Usually, vomiting ends quickly without treatment, but knowing this doesn't make it any more comfortable for your or your child. Pediatrics Consultants of Wisconsin uses these guidelines for helping a child who is vomiting:

• Give your child one ounce of a clear fluid, such as Pedialyte, white soda or water, two hours after their last episode.
• If your child keeps the liquid down for one hour, increase the amount of liquid by one more ounce each hour.
• If your child cannot keep one ounce of the liquid down, wait one more hour and try again. If your child continues to vomit after this, a medical professional should see the child.
• After six hours of no vomiting, introduce a bland diet, such as crackers or dry cereal.
• Diarrhea can typically follow in a child that has been vomiting. If this happens, begin the B.R.A.T. diet, which consists of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.

Some conditions that cause vomiting require immediate medical treatment, so be alert for the following symptoms, whatever your child's age:

• Blood or bile (a green-colored material) in the vomit.
• Severe abdominal pain.
• Strenuous, repeated vomiting.
• Swollen abdomen.
• Lethargy or severe irritability.
• Convulsions.
• Signs or symptoms of dehydration, including dry mouth, absent tears, depression of the "soft spot" on a baby's head, lethargy and decreased urination.
• Inability to drink adequate amounts of fluid.
• Vomiting continuing longer than 24 hours.

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