Hi mamas.
My little love has had a raging ear infection for almost 2 weeks. He's been to the doctor multiple times and tried 2 antibiotics to clear it up. He started having diarrhea almost 24 hours after starting the second (stronger - "Cefdinir") medicine although he was totally fine with his stomach on the 1st (Amoxycillan). I know the diarrhea is from the 2nd medication. We've had him on the BRAT diet and it hasn't really helped too much. Yesterday at the doc's - since the infection was still there, so he got a shot in his butt of some strong meds - but I was told that it wouldn't really affect his belly since it was going straight into his bloodstream, not his stomach. ANYWAY - he was better as of 4pm last night (meaning, last loose movement was at 4pm yesterday)...we even managed to give him some grilled chicken and plain pasta for dinner last night.
However, around 11:30am this morning, I got a call from daycare who said he'd had 4 loose bowel movements since he'd come in and that he'd have to go home.
Now - maybe i was crazy to go back to it so fast, but I made his bottles for today all milk instead of a mixture of milk and water like we have been doing since he started with the tummy problems. He WILL NOT drink pedialyte or any other type of rehydration drink. He does not drink water by itself and he doesn't drink anything else (but I've been told not to give him juice anyway bc that's for making constipated kids go - opposite of what we want). He still plays with cups, doesn't like drinking out of them. I've tried putting different liquids (pedialyte, water) in his bottle, but he has no interest. So, we're going back to the mixture until he's been clear of the diarrhea for more than 24-48 hours, I guess.
Need help with the BRAT diet more than anything....it's SOO boring. I'm so sick of bananas, and I know he is too. We've done toast, banana puree on toast, a little jam on the toast, bananas coated with white rice (he won't eat rice by itself), bananas by themselves (thank GOD he likes bananas), a little banana YoBaby yogurt, rice krispies, applesauce. And of course, last night - hooray, we did a little grilled chicken and some plain pasta shells. Oh - and he had strawberry apple Puffs for late afternoon snack.
Does anyone have any other suggestions for good BRAT "meals"?????
Thanks in advance for all your help. I can't imagine that this diarrhea will last too much longer, esp since we stopped the antibiotic that really upset him on Sunday morning. I hope so, anyway. Diarrhea sucks (esp when your babe doesn't drink anything except milk).
:-) love and hugs in motherhood.
Will he drink gatorade? My son won't drink pedialyte so my doctor has suggested that and its worked before. I usually get a couple of different flavors to see which he likes best. There's also Smart Water that has electrolytes to help keep him hydrated. I've mixed a little juice with the Smart Water and it's worked. My son also likes mashed banana and wafers. I mix in a tiny amount of juice to make it more smooth. Hope this helps!
Hi M., for the diarrhea and to nurture his tummy back to good health, you should give him a probiotic. Jarrows makes an excellent probiotic for babies and toddlers. Go to your local health food store, like Whole Foods, to find it. Secondly, garlic ear drops clear up ear infections immediately with absolutely no side effects. You can also get it at the health food store. My 2 year old had to get a shot and start antibiotics when he was 1. The infections came back, just like with your son, and they prescribed another antibiotic. I opted for the garlic ear oil instead and have never looked back. We have not had any ear infections in over a year now. Here are some links for your review-this really does work.
http://www.examiner.com/x-17146-Dallas-Womens-Health-Exam...
http://www.examiner.com/x-17146-Dallas-Womens-Health-Exam...
You might want to try a probiotic powder in his drink such a Florastar. Also, although rare, antiobitcs can cause a very serious bacterial infection in his colon (which could occur weeks or months later) so be sure to make sure the pediatrician is vigilant and that you let the doctor know about any stomach upset even a few weeks or months from now. Good luck!
Hi M.-
You should ask your pediatrician about Flor-restor. It's a powder that you sprinkle into your son's drink to help get rid of loose bowel movements. You take it a few hours after his medication. It contains good bacteria like yogurt, and it doesn't have milk in it.
Hope this helps
K.
not unusual with antibiotics.
we went to a chiropractor that we trusted when there was an ear infection. then we went back to the dr for a recheck. no antibiotics, just trips to the dc
btw, it might be viral.
Try some rice milk. Maybe some rice pudding. Mush the bananas and apple sauce together with just a hint of cinnamon. Try him on that. You can take that and blend it with enough rice milk to make a smoothie out of it (add a little crushed ice if you want). The diarrhea is from antibiotics because they killed off the good bacteria in his gut. Give him small amounts of yogurt to get some good bacteria back into him. And go very gently and slowly with introducing his usual food back into his diet.
Hi M.,
I swear by probiotics for this. My son has one ear infection after the other and frequently has diarrhea. They are over the counter (Florastor). They are normally behind the pharmacy counter, so you have to ask the pharmacist for it. It will help replenish the flora lost with the antibiotic.
My son also did not drink pedialyte... so my dr suggested even giving him a few drops with a dispenser every 30 min to an hour (not pleasant, but got the job done).
Good luck with everything and Happy New Year!
I give my daughter foods with cheese to help with diarrhea since it can naturally be constipating. I wish you the best for your family in the coming year!
My suggestion to you is to talk to your pediatrician about giving your sweet pea infant probiotics. Sold in health food stores and online, it comes in a powder form formulated especially for them that you put in their formula, milk, water, etc. (about 1/2 teaspoon or so) once a day. They are known to do wonders for the digestive system, especially in cases like what your little one is going through, as well as helping to strengthen the immune system. It can be taken strictly while he is on the antibiotics, but even more effective is when it becomes a daily regimen. Jarrow makes a good one, as well as Florababy.
Best of luck to you!
Dear M.:
I feel concern for your son. He's being given back to back antibiotics, his diet is filled with sugar and complex carbohydrates (which suppresses the immune system), he's not drinking water. His body is letting you all know that it is out of balance and needs the appropriate help immediately!
I strongly encourage you to consider gentle, alternative options to address his overall health. Anything that goes into the body, is processed by the stomach and every organ, so yes, his stomach is affected by the medications.
Please take the time to visit my website, learn about our wellness approach and decide if it is a healthy option for your son. I would be happy to assist.
All the best,
N.
Holistic Healthcare Provider
www.wholecreations.com/wombfull.html
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