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First Aid & Emergencies

Call 911 NOW if you are having:

  • Chest Pain
  • Difficulty Breathing
  • Severe Bleeding
  • Sudden Weakness or Numbness
  • A Medical Emergency
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Diarrhea Treatment

Call 911 if the person or child: 

  • Is very dehydrated
  • Has severe abdominal pain

1. Prevent or Treat Dehydration

  • Give a child or adult plenty of clear fluid, like water, Pedialyte, Ceralyte, or Infalyte (for adults and children), and clear broth.  Fruit juices and sports drinks should be watered down to 1/2 strength.
  • Avoid milk or milk-based products, alcohol, apple juice, and caffeine while you have diarrhea and for 3-5 days after you get better.  They can make diarrhea worse.
  • Give an infant frequent sips of water, 1/2 strength juice (no apple juice) or a rehydration solution such as Pedialyte, Ceralyte, or Infalyte. Do not add salt tablets to a baby’s bottle.
  • Make sure the person drinks more fluids than they are losing through diarrhea. If they are unable to keep up with their losses, call a doctor.

2. Rest

  • Have the person rest as needed and avoid strenuous exercise. Keep a sick child home from school or day care.

3. Ease Into Eating

  • For an infant or child, feed the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) as soon as they can tolerate it.
  • For an adult, add semisolid and low-fiber foods gradually as diarrhea stops. Avoid spicy, greasy, or fatty foods.

3. When to Call a Doctor

  • If you think the person needs over-the-counter diarrhea medication. Some kinds of diarrhea can get worse with anti-diarrheal medications.
  • If you think the person has traveler’s diarrhea or drank contaminated water and may need special medication
  • If the person is taking an antibiotic that may be causing the diarrhea
  • If there is blood or mucus in the stool
  • If the person is losing more fluid in their stool than they can replace by drinking fluids

Follow-Up

Seek medical attention if:

  • Diarrhea in an adult worsens or doesn’t clear up after 2 or 3 days
  • An infant or child doesn’t feel better after 24 hours

WebMD Medical Reference

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Reviewed by Maya Yiadom, MD on March 10, 2011
© 2011 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

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