Does this not sound right to anyone else?

[2Bboys]

DS2 (age 6.5mths) has had a few days of diarrhea sometimes upto 8 times a day. This has given him a pretty sore looking nappy rash.

As our usual GP is on holiday I booked in with another on a friends recommendation (womens health & pediatric interest GP).

After explaining what was going on she casually suggested taking him off milk for a couple of days!

What tha? What do you mean take him off milk? It's his main source of nutrients. I'm confused. Her reasoning was to let his gut heal. She told me to keep him hydrated with water, hydralite & juice.

Am I insane or is the doctor? This just sounds so wrong to me.

[Minchi]

maybe she's wanting to see if the diarrhea stops when there is no milk... she might think he may have become lactose intolerant.. perhaps?

[lil miss]

I've always been told to avoid milk and dairy and pretty much everythin except water and maybe hydrolite stuff when the kids have the runs.

[HugsBunny]

Yes I've heard of this before. Doctors and pharmacists are incredibly reluctant to suggest meds for young children with diarrhea as they usually have the diarrhea for a reason and it will settle itself.

Not giving him milk is a great way to starve the bug that's taken up residence in his gut. Maybe get some daktozin for the red bum

[Nemmi]

If a baby is formula fed and suffering from bad gastro it is advisable to remove formula for a few days and use hydrolite etc instead as formula can upset the stomach worse

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[WorkingClassMum]

Yes, it's both wrong and right.

*If* he's experiencing an intolerance or has had a gut viral/bacterial infection, then he does need to be taken off all forms of cows milk for awhile. However at 6.5 months I agree that's easier said than done.

That being said, it needs to be done under medical guidance and food alternatives discussed

Id see you MHN or go back and see a GP and discuss food alternatives.

If the intolerance or reaction was long term, then an elemental or script formula needs to be considered.

Good luck

[wigglemum]

Yep I was going to say the same. After a bout of gastro it is quite common to become lactose or fructose intolerant. You could try the lactose free milk at Coles/ Woolies?

[2Bboys]

Wow, you really do learn something new every day.

Thanks ladies. You have really eased my panic. He seems a bit better today so will see how he goes tomorrow.

He is on goats formula & has reflux (think Mumma covered in baby vomit all day long). He refuses to drink any other formula - I've tried!

Thanks again everyone x

[katezane]

When you have diarrhea the lining of the bowel can be stripped and seeing as milk has lactic acid in it it will turn his stools loose and acidic. So for the mean time consider him lactose intolerant.

[Hunkamunka]

i am interested to know what you are ment to feed him instead of his formula then??? maybe if he is having diareah, he's not got much of an apetite anyways?
cornflour is great on nappy rash then spread a think layer of destin/sudoream over it ;)

[Guest1234]

i am interested to know what you are ment to feed him instead of his formula then??? maybe if he is having diareah, he's not got much of an apetite anyways?
cornflour is great on nappy rash then spread a think layer of destin/sudoream over it ;)

Usually bland things like bread, crackers, oats (made with water, not milk), mashed potato (minus anything dairy). May be a bit hard with a 6 month old though.

[Boost]

i am interested to know what you are ment to feed him instead of his formula then??? maybe if he is having diareah, he's not got much of an apetite anyways?
cornflour is great on nappy rash then spread a think layer of destin/sudoream over it ;)

It's only formulas that are cows milk based that should be avoided. Lactose free, soy or goat formulas are all ok. If bubs will drink them that is.

[veggiemama]

I got told the same when my ds had gastro and I thought he was just old and out of date as it sounded so crazy. I called the maternal and child health line and they told me the same thing. So, he hardly had an appetite anyway and we got by on gastrolyte and sugary drinks that they had given us measurements for (like 50mls fresh fruit juice in 200mls cooled boiled water and several other variations).

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