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Home > Handouts Index > Diarrhea

DIARRHEA

Understanding Diarrhea

Diarrhea is often manageable with self-care, but it's crucial to contact your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following complications:

If you can't tolerate any food or drink.
If you show signs of dehydration.
If you have a high fever, significant abdominal pain, frequent loose bowel movements, or bloody diarrhea.
If you're elderly or have underlying medical issues like diabetes, heart, kidney, or liver disease, or HIV or AIDS (Contact your healthcare provider when diarrhea first starts, as you may have a higher risk of complications).
If you need guidance on preventing dehydration in newborns and infants.
If your symptoms don't improve in 2-3 days or seem to worsen.
If you develop diarrhea after foreign travel (including within the US).

Visit the hospital's emergency department in these situations involving diarrhea:

If you experience severe diarrhea with a high fever, moderate-to-severe abdominal pain, or dehydration that can't be managed with fluids.
If your diarrhea contains blood (which may be bright red or appear like black, thick tar).
If you feel excessively drowsy or act unusually (others may notice this and seek emergency treatment for you).

Self-Care at Home

For Adults: Avoid becoming dehydrated. Stay well-hydrated:

The type of drink is less important than replenishing lost fluids, but avoid milk as it can worsen diarrhea. Opt for regular soda or soft drinks to replace lost fluids, as diet soft drinks may not provide sufficient calories for dehydrated individuals.

Try to eat. The food doesn't need to be bland, but steer clear of greasy or fatty foods. Infants and children should consume bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast—the BRAT Diet—a combination used for years to treat diarrhea. If nausea accompanies diarrhea, suck on ice chips until nausea subsides. After diarrhea stops, avoid alcoholic beverages and spicy foods for an additional 2 days.

Continue your regular activities if you're mildly ill with diarrhea, but avoid strenuous exercise until you feel better, as it raises the risk of dehydration.

For Children: Be vigilant about dehydration:

Very young infants require special attention due to their increased risk of dehydration. Offer them a bottle frequently, and solutions like Pedialyte may be more appealing than water. These fluids also contain essential salts lost due to diarrhea. Avoid salt tablets as they can worsen diarrhea and should never be used.

Children with frequent stools, fever, or vomiting should stay home from school and daycare until these symptoms resolve. This not only allows the child to rest and recover but also prevents other children from getting sick.