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 or has severe abdominal pain.

1. Prevent or Treat Dehydration

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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: