Diarrhoea often goes away without treatment after a few days, because your immune system will automatically fight the infection. In the meantime, you can ease your symptoms by following the steps below.

Drink fluids

You can avoid becoming dehydrated by drinking lots of fluids. You are more likely to be dehydrated if you are also vomiting. Take small, frequent sips of water or diluted fruit juice. It is especially important that babies and small children do not become dehydrated. Even if your child vomits, still give them frequent sips of water. A small amount of fluid is better than none.

If your child shows signs of dehydration (drowsiness, passing little urine, few or no wet nappies, a dry mouth and tongue, unresponsiveness or glazed eyes) you should contact your doctor immediately.

Rehydration drinks

If you are worried that you are becoming dehydrated, your doctor or pharmacist may advise you to take rehydration drinks. You can buy sachets of rehydration salts from your pharmacy and add them to water. They provide the correct balance of water, salt and sugar.

Rehydration drinks do not help to cure diarrhoea, but can prevent or treat dehydration. Your doctor or pharmacist may also recommend rehydration drinks for your child, if you are worried they may become dehydrated. Do not use homemade salt or sugar drinks. Always consult your pharmacist.

Eat as soon as you can

The old advice was to not eat anything for a day or two, but now it is recommended that you eat foods high in carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice or potatoes) and other foods as soon as you feel like it. Salty foods such as soup can help replace salt lost from your system. If you feel you cannot eat, it shouldn’t do you any harm, but make sure you continue drinking fluids and eat as soon as you are able. If your child wants to eat, offer soups and foods high in carbohydrates at first. Your child can eat normally as soon as possible. If your child refuses to eat, continue to offer drinks and wait until their appetite returns.

Anti-diarrhoea medicines

Anti-diarrhoea drugs such as loperamide can relieve symptoms by slowing down the movement of bowel contents, and sometimes by increasing water absorption from the gut. Loperamide can be taken once or twice a day, over a long period. However, do not take anti-diarrhoea drugs if there is blood in your stools or if you have a high temperature (check with your pharmacist).  Do not give anti-diarrhoea drugs to your child.

Continue breastfeeding or bottle-feeding

If you are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding your child and they have diarrhoea, continue if they will still feed (use their normal-strength feed if they are bottle-fed). Rehydration drinks should also be given if necessary.

Painkillers

You can take recommended doses of paracetamol or ibuprofen if you have a fever or headache. Do not take ibuprofen if you are asthmatic, or if you have stomach, liver or kidney problems.

Liquid paracetamol or ibuprofen can also be given to your child if necessary. Children aged under 16 should not take aspirin.

Complications of diarrhoea

Complications are uncommon, but see your doctor if you or your child have the following symptoms:

• dehydration (signs in children include passing little urine, a dry mouth and tongue, unresponsiveness, glazed eyes, drowsiness and confusion),
• blood in your stools,
• vomiting that continues for more than a day,
• diarrhoea that does not clear up after five days, or
• an infection that was caught while travelling abroad.

You or your child may be admitted to hospital if symptoms are severe, or if complications develop. Sometimes an intravenous fluid drip might be needed if dehydration occurs.

Preventing diarrhoea

Washing hands regularly, using soap and hot water, will help to prevent you and your family from catching infectious diarrhoea. Always wash your hands after using the toilet or potty, after playing with pets, after gardening, and before touching food.

Teach your child to wash their hands regularly and properly, as soon as they are old enough to understand you.

You can also prevent germs from spreading by cleaning the toilet with disinfectant after using it, and not sharing towels.

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