Maya has caught a tummy bug and has had the runs for about 48 hrs and had 1 little sick up. Do you think she needs that special electolyte (spelling??) stuff? I've just been giving her loads of water and sometimes a little juice...

Hi Sara.
I hope Maya is ok now but I give BJ electrolytes if he has diarrheoa for more than about 12 hours, isn't drinking anything and doesn't have enough wet nappies. When he was about 12 months old, he had diarrheoa and 1 wet nappy in 12 hours and not drinking. I ended up taking him to the doctor at about 2pm and she said he wasn't dehydrated, but suggested I take him to the hospital if he had not had 3 wet nappies by 6pm. I ended up taking him to the hospital at 5pm and argued with them saying he was dehydrated when they were saying he wasn't. They ended up putting him on an electrolyte drink which I had to force down his throat every half hour. He didn't wee until 2am. The doctor then told me that if I hadn't kept waking him and forcing it down his throat he would have ended up on a drip.
Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's best give it if you're worried. You can only do good
I have a pamphlet called 'GASTROENTERITIS IN CHILDREN' which I got from my doctor, which has the causes, the fluids allowed and not allowed, the foods allowed and not allowed, when to return to a normal diet etc.
Gastro is so common in young chn so if you can't get anything similar or want a copy of mine let me know and I'll scan it and email it to you or fax it .