ask: what can i give my 2yr.old and my 6yr.old for diahirrea

Hi Anon,

Thank you for your post, I am sorry to hear that your children have diarrhea. Can you give us more information? Is the diarrhea accompanied by fever, vomiting, or any other symptom? How long have they had diarrhea for?

Many times diarrhea in children can be attributed to a stomach virus, food poisoning, or if they are on any type of antibiotic this may also be the cause.

Diarrhea caused by any of these reasons will usually clear up on it's own with no need for medication, especially in children. The main concern in a child with diarrhea is dehydration. Make sure that you keep them hydrated with either Pedialyte or Gatorade-- many Pediatricians will recommend Pedialyte over Gatorade due to the high sugar content in Gatorade BUT I say that if your child won't drink Pedialyte and will drink Gatorade, water it down a little and give them what they will take-- after all, something is better than nothing.

IF the diarrhea persists for over 2 weeks, this is considered chronic diarrhea. At this point, your child should be seen by a specialist to determine the cause. A stomach bug or food poisoning should not last any more than 10 days (at most!) anyway.

Keep them comfortable, hydrated, and for your two year old in particular: if he/she is still in a diaper, check for diaper rash and make sure you use PLENTY of diaper ointment when changing him/her. Good luck! I know it can be very stressful on a parent to have a sick child(ren) at home.

Thank you so much this gave me direction on what to do.......