Sick 2 year old...

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Some advice please. I really don't like taking my kids to the E.R. unless I have to and my doctor is always packed to get an appointment last minute...

On Wenesday night my DD(2 almost 3) threw up...thought nothing of it, she was jumping around after dinner, figured that was the issue.

On Thursday morning as soon as she woke up, she...for lack of a better word, spit up. I was a tiny bit of what appeared to be curttled milk. All through the day, you could tell she wasn't feeling too hot, but she ate here and there. Around 5 she was perky and herself again. (she did say she has a sore throat at one point but I've had one so I figured she was playing off me). We went to DH basketball game, and she was herself.

Came home last night, and she went to bed around 8. At 12 she woke up gagging. I calmed her down and she didn't throw up. I gave her some water and she went back to sleep. Around 4 she woke up with...sorry TMI...VERY runny stool. I changed her and threw her sheets in the washer. Well she just threw up some water-like stuff(bile maybe...would that water still be in her system?)It doesn't have that foul smell that usually comes with the bile...

I know to try to keep her hydrated...and if there is any fever it is very low...

WWYD? Should I wait it out a little longer and keep her on the BRAT diet?

Like I said...I HATE E.R.s...especially since I live on post and have to take her to a very busy military hospital...

 

[disneybound2010]

At this point, I would not be giving her anything but liquids...juice and water. No milk. IF it is not a constant stream of vomit and diarrhea or, I would just keep letting her sip small amounts, but call the pedi first thing this morning.

IF it becomes continuous or,get to the ER ASAP! Little ones can take a turn in the blink of an eye. My son(2 at the time) became ill in the middle of the nite. Had been sick on and off for the next couple of hours and then seemed ok. He rested the afternoon and about 3 seemed better. Unfortunately,by 4pm he wasn't. We ended up in the ER and then spent the next 3 days in the ped wing. He had Rotavirus. He's ok now,but he was in bad shape and like so many parents we thought it was just a tummy bug to begin with. Not trying to scare you,but I want you to know how fast things can change and to definitely waste no time if things get worse.

Good luck and hope the little one feels better soon!

 

[barkley]

i agree with little ones it can turn bad fast.

when ds was little he began having realy runny stools and spitting stuff up but had no major fever or other symptoms. within a day he would'nt eat or drink much of anything b/c the runny stools were burning his bottom. i was concerned about dehydration so i took him to the pediatrician. it ended up being rsv (which i always thought came with cold like symptoms but at least w/ds it did'nt). he ended up in the hospital for the rsv, to prevent dehydration (he did NOT like that iv), and to treat what had become a very tender tushie (over the course of a few hours it had gone from pink to what looked like road rash).

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

At this point, I would not be giving her anything but liquids...juice and water. No milk. IF it is not a constant stream of vomit and diarrhea or, I would just keep letting her sip small amounts, but call the pedi first thing this morning.

IF it becomes continuous or,get to the ER ASAP! Little ones can take a turn in the blink of an eye. My son(2 at the time) became ill in the middle of the nite. Had been sick on and off for the next couple of hours and then seemed ok. He rested the afternoon and about 3 seemed better. Unfortunately,by 4pm he wasn't. We ended up in the ER and then spent the next 3 days in the ped wing. He had Rotavirus. He's ok now,but he was in bad shape and like so many parents we thought it was just a tummy bug to begin with. Not trying to scare you,but I want you to know how fast things can change and to definitely waste no time if things get worse.

Good luck and hope the little one feels better soon!

So far it hasn't been continueous...like yesterday, during the day, she seemed okay...IDK...I'm gonna call the doc and see if we can get in.

 

[mjkacmom]

It sounds like a stomach virus - we've had dozens here. No food, 1 tablespoon of liquid (pedialite is best, but all of my kids hated it), every 15 minutes. The trick is to keep them hydrated, but not too much, or else it comes back up. I had two one year olds who threw up for 7 days straight, no food or milk. I just made sure they got their 4 tablespoons every hours. I did check for wet diapers, and called my pediatrician daily.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

It sounds like a stomach virus - we've had dozens here. No food, 1 tablespoon of liquid (pedialite is best, but all of my kids hated it), every 15 minutes. The trick is to keep them hydrated, but not too much, or else it comes back up. I had two one year olds who threw up for 7 days straight, no food or milk. I just made sure they got their 4 tablespoons every hours. I did check for wet diapers, and called my pediatrician daily.

i like this, but she won't drink straight pedialite...so how about a little of the pedialite ice pops...

 

[monkeybug]

i like this, but she won't drink straight pedialite...so how about a little of the pedialite ice pops...

My kids wouldn't drink pedialite either, and I used the ice pops, they seemed to work. My current pediatrician says that pedialite really isn't necessary, that just plain water or water downed juice should be fine. I was always told that as long kids have wet diapers they were getting enough fluid. I think bananas and rice can help with diarrhea. (my mom says anyways, she's an RN) I wouldn't worry too much if she is fairly active, taking in fluids, and as long as her fever is controlled. If she is lethargic, not having wet diapers, or has an uncontrollable fever you should take her to the ER, but otherwise I would guess your fine to just call the DR. and taker her in when you can. She might be all better by the time you even get an appointment. Do you not have minute clinics or urgent cares near you? I know that at least in my area most accept Tricare insurance (which is what I assume you have if you are military?) and it's nothing like the ER.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Can you get the little one seen by a Dr today? 2 days losing fluids is too much for anyone. I wouldn't mess with it over the weekend because then the only option would probably be the ER and then you'll probably put it off because it's the ER. A whole lot can go wrong between today and Monday.

 

[abdmom]

I wouldn't be taking her in to the doctor or ER just yet. She's only had diarrhea for a few hours. The dr is not going to want her passing whatever virus she's got along to his other patients. Cut out all dairy. Just clear fluids for the next few hours. Even regular popsicles are OK. But at this point, I wouldn't be worrying about dehydration.

Unless there's pain associated with it, the ER is not the place for her. if you want her seen on the weekend, I'd go to a walk-in clinic, not ER. ER is for life threatening conditions, not diarrhea in a 2 year old.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

I agree with very little food and slow intake of liquids spread out over 5-10 minute intervals.

Plain broth or popsicles is fine. Or jell-0. I don't know anyone that likes pedialyte.

One time when dd was very sick with a stomach virus to the point of needing to go to the ER, they didn't even do anything! They said if she peed even a tiny bit for them she could go home, so she did and that was it. She was much worse off than what you are describing, she was lethargic and severely dehydrated but she had rhotavirus.

In the ER she is just going to pick up something worse. I hope she feels better!

 

[LuvOrlando]

I wouldn't be taking her in to the doctor or ER just yet. She's only had diarrhea for a few hours. The dr is not going to want her passing whatever virus she's got along to his other patients. Cut out all dairy. Just clear fluids for the next few hours. Even regular popsicles are OK. But at this point, I wouldn't be worrying about dehydration.

Unless there's pain associated with it, the ER is not the place for her. if you want her seen on the weekend, I'd go to a walk-in clinic, not ER. ER is for life threatening conditions, not diarrhea in a 2 year old.

I don't know about that, my DD10 went from fine to needing an IV for 3 days between Friday PM and Monday AM. Thats less than 72 hrs and she wasn't throwing up or suffering with the other side, she just was sick so she wouldn't eat or drink enough and she had a fever.

Never underestimate dehydration, when the blood gets too thick it will mess with your heart, lungs and just about every other organ and losing salts through vomiting ect will mess with your entire system pretty quickly.

 

[sharlon]

My DD had 4 years of an ungoing abdominal problem (finally fixed with 2 surgeries). When she was symptomatic, she had continuous vomiting for days that resulted in hospitalization. I am saying all of this to point out something that every single one of her doctors said: when someone has ongoing vomiting and/or diarreha and is dehyrated or at the point of dehydration, water can actually dehydrate them more. It actually will quicken the process of flushing the electrolytes from the body. They all said that even if it's gatorade, the person should drink something besides water.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I supposedly have walk-in clinics, but the hours are very wacky(same as sick call for soldiers). They are very rarely open the hours advertised and I'm told to go to the E.R. anyway...I hate E.R.s for the reasons mentioned above...too many sick people...lol...

She seems to be acting just fine, maybe a little whiney, but she's still playing. She wouldn't eat her oatmeal(cause it's a binder) this morning, but when my DH came home after PT she ate some of his cereal. I think she's okay...she's not my "sick" kid...that's my DS, so I do worry when she does get it. Thursday night was the first time she's ever thrown up, besides spitting up as a baby!

But we'll play it by ear...thanks all.

 

[monkeybug]

I don't know about that, my DD10 went from fine to needing an IV for 3 days between Friday PM and Monday AM. Thats less than 72 hrs and she wasn't throwing up or suffering with the other side, she just was sick so she wouldn't eat or drink enough and she had a fever.

Never underestimate dehydration, when the blood gets too thick it will mess with your heart, lungs and just about every other organ and losing salts through vomiting ect will mess with your entire system pretty quickly.

I agree that you shouldn't mess with dehydration, but also don't need to panic if your little one has diarrhea or vomiting, as long as they are still urinating and fairly active. It's certainly no cause to rush to the ER if they are fine otherwise. My daughter had something called stomatitas (I have no idea how to spell that) when she was 18 months. I causes sores inside your mouth and down your throat. She wouldn't eat or drink anything for three days! My mom and I were literally using a syringe to squirt tablespoons of water down her throat. I ended up at the ER, and then twice to an Urgent Care, each time they told me that if she was having wet diapers, and wasn't lethargic she was fine, and sent me home. I was a frantic mess, and even my mom who has been a nurse for over 30 years was worried, but she was fine.
I think in your case your child was lethargic, had a fever, and wasn't eating or drinking anything for multiple days. I agree those are reasons to get your kid seen quickly, but that didn't sound like the case here. I'm no doctor though so I could be wrong.

 

[tazdev3225]

I have been there so many times. Kids and fevers are better during the day and worse at night. Keep giving her fluids, keep her diet light and watch her. The odds are she has a stomach virus. My son had salmonella poisoning when he was an infant. He vomited constantly and we went through a big box of diapers in 2 days. I took him to CHOP and they didn't even keep him. He was not dehydrated. They explained that even when you vomit your body retains some fluid. I just kept giving him juice and prevented the dehydration issue. He lost 1/4 of his body weight in less than a week but today he is a very big 27 year old man. Keep your daughters diet light, juice, ice pops are great, gatorade is good too, toast, soup that type of thing. Toast is good as is rice, it is a binder. Keep an eye on her fever and call your dr. I'm sure she'll be better before you know it. Good luck and I hope your little one is her old self soon.

 

[mjkacmom]

I don't know about that, my DD10 went from fine to needing an IV for 3 days between Friday PM and Monday AM. Thats less than 72 hrs and she wasn't throwing up or suffering with the other side, she just was sick so she wouldn't eat or drink enough and she had a fever.

Never underestimate dehydration, when the blood gets too thick it will mess with your heart, lungs and just about every other organ and losing salts through vomiting ect will mess with your entire system pretty quickly.

Although I agree that dehydration is dangerous, not all cases of several days of vomiting will cause it. My twins went without food/milk for 10 days, but remained hydrated (I was pretty strict about making sure they got fluids). They were one years old, and couldn't even sit up, but they had wet diapers. The nurse at our doctor's office said that unless their diapers were dry, to keep them home, away from germs. There's nothing worse than a good ol' case of rotavirus!

 

[HeatherH]

I'm wondering if she might have strep? The sore throat and gagging thing (kids gag when they have sore throats during the night, it's hard to swallow) could be symptoms, plus kids with strep sometimes have stomach issues associated with them.

Can you look at her throat? If it looks inflamed at all, I would get her an appointment with the doctor even though it's a pain and crowded. I agree that the ER would be overkill, but I would want to get her checked out for possible strep.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I'm wondering if she might have strep? The sore throat and gagging thing (kids gag when they have sore throats during the night, it's hard to swallow) could be symptoms, plus kids with strep sometimes have stomach issues associated with them.

Can you look at her throat? If it looks inflamed at all, I would get her an appointment with the doctor even though it's a pain and crowded. I agree that the ER would be overkill, but I would want to get her checked out for possible strep.

She only mentioned the sore throat once or twice and she is quite a little copy cat. LOL...I had one so...

She hasn't said a word about it again since, but I will definately keep that in mind...It makes sense with the gagging.

 

[krcit]

She only mentioned the sore throat once or twice and she is quite a little copy cat. LOL...I had one so...

She hasn't said a word about it again since, but I will definately keep that in mind...It makes sense with the gagging.

My oldest dd was queen of strep(13 times in a year) and she NEVER had a sore throat. She would vomit. Hope your baby is feeling better soon.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

My oldest dd was queen of strep(13 times in a year) and she NEVER had a sore throat. She would vomit. Hope your baby is feeling better soon.

REALLY??? I'm going to have to look into it.