Advice on Treatment for the Flu That's Been Going Around.

Updated on May 02, 2008
B.B. asks from Waupaca, WI
10 answers

My son (2 1/2) started vomiting on Monday morning. He seemed to get over that within the day, but now he has the diarrhea. Has had it since Tuesday morning. Now it's Wednesday afternoon and doesn't seem to be subsiding. He is not acting ill and is taking plenty of fluids so I'm not worried about dehydration. I was just wondering if any other moms have had the flu in their families and how long it lasts. I'm going through diapers like crazy and am sick of doing laundry!!!!!!

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So What Happened?

Well - the diarrhea is subsiding. And his appetite is back. I am still keeping him on the BRAT diet for a day or two just to make sure. Things seems back to normal for now. (Probably shouldn't say that to loud! I might end up with it yet!!!) Thanks to all for their great, helpful tips!

2 DAYS LATER:
OK - I spoke too soon. I only had it for one day! Boy did it knock me out!!! My little guy still has diarrhea, but he is acting normal. Using lots of butt paste on him. Now my hubby has it (of course it's THE WORST with him sick - men can be such babies!). LOL!!!!

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J.R.

answers from Minneapolis on

Yeah, this one sucks! It blasted through my family of 6 in just a couple of days. What I do to prevent or slow down the diarrhea is quit milk and only give straight juice for a couple of days. Milk can cause looser stools with an upset stomach.
Good luck,
J.

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D.

answers from Minneapolis on

My daughter JUST got over this - it was a full 2 weeks of AWFUL diarrhea - she'd get a bit better for a couple of days and then it would start up again. I would definitely try the BRAT diet - however the A is for applesauce - not apples. There is a difference in what the 2 things do to the tummy - apples will actually loosen the stool again and applesauce doesn't. I would highly recommend COATING the butt with some sort of diaper creme - just about the time the diarrhea was over a diaper rash set in that was worse than the diarrhea and I had been using an amazing amount of Butt Paste with each diaper change - we were changing diapers at least once an hour - we've gone through an amazing amount of diapers!! The nurse line told me that after a time - no matter what we were doing the stool can be so acidic that it just breaks down the skin anyway. The nurse line also told me to stay away from fruit juices since they are so acidic - I switched over to giving her carbonated water which she drinks way better than just regular water - I use the H2O brand because it doesn't have any sweeteners or other additives to it. Good luck - it eventually goes away!!

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B.H.

answers from Minneapolis on

My neighbor had it for ONE day,he was back at work the next day. I had it very midly for sure one day and felt bad for two more days kept me on the toliet but I was still able to my normal daily activities. My brother's girlfriend didn't get out of bed for the entire weekend and was miserable. Somehow miraculously my daughter didn't catch this atleast yet. It sure is going around like crazy.

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M.S.

answers from St. Cloud on

What? The flu is already hitting us, NOOOOO I'm not ready!
I hope your child is feeling better.
I am going in for my flu shot tommrow, I am a daycare provider. I heard anyone over the age of 9 can get the shot.
That leaves me worried about my younger children, but myabe you can take them to the DR if they get really ill, last year when I had the flu they gave me tempa pills (somthing like that) and I was feeling better in a matter of hours!

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M.

answers from Duluth on

We are going through this right now and all 5 of us had it at the sametime. Talk about laundry.
Not sure if it was the flu or what but it was nasty.
Our washer and dryer was busy for 4 days straight even through the night. I didn't eat for all most 3 days. Today my stomach has come back. My older daughter is still having a hard time eating. There wasn't much we could do about it. But wait it out and make sure no one was dehydrated.
We are still not 100% but we are getting there. It seems to take a while to shake off that is for sure. We been sick for 4 1/2 days now. We missed Halloween. :( So glad the messes have stopped. Hope you and your family will mend real soon.
M. mom to
4yr, 2 1/2yr and 14month old.

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B.

answers from Minneapolis on

actually that doesnt sound like a flu but the rotovirus. My kids had it several weeks ago and my youngest 3years old had it for 10days. It can last up to 2 weeks. Make sure that you are giving ONLY clear fluids to drink and if he has had no vomitting for 24 hours then start with the solids toast, dry cherios things that are bland. Some people refer to this as the BRAT diet..B=BANANAS R=RICE A=APPLESAUCE T=TOAST. To me applesauce is kinda harsh so we usually stick to toast crackers ect. Im not sure if I spelled rotovirus right but go on babycenter.com or blueprintforhealth.com and search that name itll have signs symptoms duration ect.
On a personal note we bought a rug cleaner during all of this and it was the best 200 dollars I ever spent.
Take care
B.

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J.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

Don't know for sure, but that sounds like how my son was when he had Rotavirus. He started out vomiting at daycare, and continued that whole night at home. The Dr. said to stop giving him anything for 12 hours to let his stomach settle down (he was keeping nothing down), and then an ounce of pedialyte an hour and slowly increase. Well, the diarrhea started the next day, and then a fever started that night (only 101.5). I woke up at 5 am the next morning, and his temp was 106, so we went straight to the ER. Watch and make sure he doesn't develop a fever, or get dehydrated. As long as he doesn't have either of those, I have always been told my doctors that they don't get too worried for 2 weeks. Give him things like rice and bread that are gentle on the stomach and help bind, and there is also a formula that they gave my 2 1/2 yr old son this summer (he had dirrhea for almost a month... no cause found), called similac isomil DF, it is a soy formula made for diarrhea to help bind it up, and it worked for my son. The only place I have found that it is available is Walgreens, and it only comes in 32 oz. ready-to-use bottles. Ask your dr if you should try that, it helped him a lot. The biggest problem I ever ran into with diarrhea was a rash, but if I kept him covered with petroleum jelly after every diaper change, he usually didn't get one at all. Good luck, and I hope your son is better soon! Sick kids are not fun... especially if they get a bad rash... and scream for every diaper!

J.

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K.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

Our family all had this last year. Very tough. Unfortunately the diahhrea lasted a good 10 days to 2 weeks, but slowly did get better. The best advice from the doctor was the BRAT diet to thicken things up. Bananas, Rice, Apples, and Toast. And we fed him yogurt to help restore the natural bacteria. Before I would stop milk and go to only juice, I would contact the MD. All juice can cause diahhrea as well. If his intestinal system is inflamed from all this, the milk could be causing a problem too. But that is best for the MD to decide for you. If you do stop milk, I'd try just water personally. God luck! You'll make it through!

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R.H.

answers from Minneapolis on

This one is nasty and highly contagious! My daughter has had diarrhea for over a week. The vomiting came and went, some days she'd be fine then the next day she would puke again. Many moms I have talked to said the same. Make sure some of his fluids are pedialyte so he doesn't get dehydrated otherwise there is nothing to do but wait it out and don't have contact with other kids unless he's been symptom free for 24 hours. Good luck! I'm exhausted!

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R.M.

answers from Milwaukee on

It's probably the stomach flu that your child has. Normally, their is nothing that you can do about it but let it run it's course. Give him pedialyte and crackers and water. I did this for my daughter when she had the stomach flu and she was going through pampers.

Make sure you keep some cleaner and disposable towels on hand, and also make sure you have enough hot water pressure in your basement sink to rinse out clothing :).

Good luck.

P.S. If you haven't already, get some air freshner. I use candles and the best kind is the Gold Canyon candles, the sprigs and garden blooms scent. Smells just like lilac throughout the house. That scent overpowers any smell. I love it.

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