Dealing with Diarrhea

By Stephanie Wood, Babytalk
 
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How to know how long your baby could infect (or be infected by) other babies - Parenting.com
What to pack, how to prepare, and what to do for an easy trip to the pediatrician - Parenting.com
Top 10 Poop Scoops - Parenting.com
Too much poop can be tough to spot in tiny tots. What to watch for? Stools so loose they sink into the diaper, says Jolanda White, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist at Columbus Children's Hospital in Ohio. Here's the lowdown on what's up with all that doo-doo:

When to call the doc: Anytime a baby younger than 2 months has diarrhea, when you see blood in the stools, or when the diarrhea lasts more than eight hours. Be on the lookout for dehydration; the first clue is fewer wet diapers. If you see a sunken soft spot, head for the E.R.

How to treat it: Continue to nurse or give your baby an over-the-counter electrolyte solution (hold off on cow's-milk formula). For ongoing diarrhea from antibiotics, some doctors recommend a probiotic supplement.

What to feed: When appetite returns, offer babies eating solids a binding BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast), yogurt that contains live cultures (such as Stonyfield Farms), and low-fat protein, like baked chicken.



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