#BABY SORE BUM FROM DIARRHEA HOW TO#
See how to make up a formula feed and prepare baby food safely to reduce the risk of food poisoning. This usually happens within a few days of eating or drinking the contaminated food or milk, though sometimes symptoms can come on within a few hours, or not for a few weeks (NHS 2018b). If your baby has food poisoning, she may also be sick, have a fever, and seem generally poorly (NHS 2018b). If she's on solids, she can catch it from eating food that's contaminated with bacteria (Tidy 2018). If your baby's formula-fed, she can get food poisoning if her bottles and teats aren't properly sterilised, or if she has formula that wasn't prepared according to the instructions (NHS 2016). Food poisoningįood poisoning happens when your baby's milk or food contains bacteria, such as salmonella or e.coli (Tidy 2018). Her diarrhoea should get better once the virus is gone (Fleisher and Matson 2017). If your baby is generally under the weather, for example if she has a virus with flu-like symptoms, she may get diarrhoea while her immune system fights it off (Fleisher and Matson 2017). The symptoms of norovirus are the same as rotavirus, and it’s treated the same way, too (NHS 2018d). It’s also known as the "winter vomiting bug" (NHS 2018d). In winter, norovirus is another common cause of diarrhoea. But if you have any concerns about your baby's symptoms, particularly if she's showing any signs of dehydration, contact your GP (NHS 2017a). Most children will get better on their own within a few days (NHS 2017a). Instead, any treatment will help to minimise her symptoms while her immune system fights off the virus. There's no medicine to help your baby recover from rotavirus. If your baby has had these vaccinations, it's still possible for her to get rotavirus, but it's much less likely to be serious (NHS 2017a). However, the rotavirus vaccine (offered at eight weeks and 12 weeks) has dramatically reduced the incidence of rotavirus in the UK (NHS 2017a). The most common tummy bug in young children is a virus called rotavirus – most children catch it at some point before they turn five (Tidy 2018). Your baby's immune system is still developing, so she's particularly vulnerable to any viruses going around (NHS 2016).
Some of the most common causes of diarrhoea in babies are: Viral infection However, there are a few other possible culprits, and your baby's other symptoms may give you some clue as to what's causing it. What causes diarrhoea?If your baby has diarrhoea, it's most likely due to a viral infection (Tidy 2018). If your baby's constipated, liquid poo can sometimes slip past the blockage in your baby’s bowel, and end up in her nappy (Henderson 2016b). One thing to bear in mind: although runny poo is often a sign of diarrhoea, in some cases it can be a symptom of constipation (Henderson 2016b). For older babies who have started solids, pooing more than three times a day is generally a sign (Fleisher and Matson 2017). If she's pooing more often than usual, or her poos are much more watery than normal, this could be a sign of diarrhoea (Fleisher and Matson 2017). Only you know what's really normal for your baby, though. If your baby's formula-fed, or has started solids, anything from three times a day to three times a week is also no cause for concern (Henderson 2016a,b). Our baby poo photo gallery can give you some idea of what you can expect to see in your baby's nappy – but be warned, the pictures aren't pretty!īreastfed babies may poo after every feed (Sood 2018), or they may go up to a week without doing a poo (Sood 2018) – both are perfectly normal. Every baby is different, and what counts as "normal" poo can vary dramatically. How can I tell if my baby has diarrhoea?It's perfectly normal for your baby to do the occasional runny poo, particularly if she's breastfed (NHS 2018a).
How should I treat my baby's diarrhoea?.How can I tell if my baby has diarrhoea?.