Stomach bug: At what point do I start to worry?

[MSWR0319]

DS is almost 4. He threw up Thurs morning which I thought was just from drainage. Didn't eat much Thursday and had diarrhea that night, but was drinking ok all day. Friday he had about 3 episodes of diarrhea and was no acting like he felt well. Not eating at all. Today, he had a donut for breakfast and has had 5-6 bouts of diarrhea in the last 5 hours with the last two being nothing but pure liquid. I'm pushing pedialyte but I'm sure he's not taking in nearly as much as is coming out. How do I know if he's dehydrated or when I need to call the on-call dr?

[hillview]

Is he peeing? Try Gatorade? Or any juice he will take. Worry less about pushing food and more about any fluid. How is he seeming?

[MSWR0319]

I can't tell if he's peeing because every time we go to the bathroom nothing but liquid comes out his rear. We just went again and it was a cloudy fluid that he pooped. He's starting to act pretty lethargic and his cheeks and lips are turning red. He won't even take a popsicle. I did get some a small amount of juice in him. I'm going to start using a syringe every 15 minutes or so to see how that works.

[hillview]

I'd call the pedi if you have a line you can call on the weekends just to get some parameters. Not wanting a Popsicle seems like a challenge

[MSWR0319]

I just got off the phone with the on call dr and she said if he hasn't has a good urination in 10 hours then he needs to go in. So basically if he doesn't pee a "normal" amount when he wakes up we need to take him in. So I'm fairly confident we'll be going in tonight. Thanks for he encouragement to call. I always feel bad calling, but would rather call now then in the middle of the night.

[trcy]

Just seeing this. Lots of P & PT he is feeling better soon!


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[hillview]

I just got off the phone with the on call dr and she said if he hasn't has a good urination in 10 hours then he needs to go in. So basically if he doesn't pee a "normal" amount when he wakes up we need to take him in. So I'm fairly confident we'll be going in tonight. Thanks for he encouragement to call. I always feel bad calling, but would rather call now then in the middle of the night.
Yeah honestly your first post I thought no big deal but the second post is a likely trip in unless he starts to pee well. Hope tonight goes well and am sure he will be on the mend soon!

[georgiegirl]

Ugh, not fun. Sounds like rotavirus. Ds1 was hospitalized with it last year overnight. While being hospitalized is awful, at least he got lots of IV fluids.

[kep]

I wouldn't hesitate to go in for fluids and maybe Zofran. It would probably make him feel better, and hydration can ease naseau. True dehydration/lethargy is usually much worse than most people think though. Our hospital/Doctor defined lethargy as no longer responding to verbal cues, no interested in environment, unable to move due to weakness. My daughter was in the hospital with Rota for a week when she was 18 months. She was no longer able to hold up her head, her eyes were unfocused and rolling back in her head from time to time, dry mouth and tears, sunken eyes, gray skin. It happened over the course of several days. We went in for fluids in the ER the first night, were sent home with meds, and then back then next night and stayed for the week.

Rota sucks.

[MSWR0319]

I think he's on the mend! He woke up at 10 and peed enough to make me feel comfortable letting him sleep. He woke up much better and so far has drank, ate some crackers, and peed right before his 10 hour cutoff. Hopefully we continue to get better today.

[doberbrat]

I'm glad he's better. go easy on the food. push fluids - popscicles, jello, maybe even applesauce. broth or a lite soup would be my next steps.

we've been in your shoes and its NO fun. I'm so sorry.

[hillview]

glad he's better!