How many days of vomiting and/or diarrhea are too many??

[Okapi]

DD (3 yes old) has major diarrhea that started last Thursday. The first 4 days she also vomited once a day. So we are on our 5th day of her having constant diarrhea that is basically all liquid (the first day was more normal diarrhea). She is drinking juice & water, and I am trying to keep her diet restricted to the BRAT stuff (which she doesn't want anything to do with, so of course DH came home from work today & gave her a couple of cheesy poofs *sigh*). I took her to the dr yesterday and she gave us probiotics, which I don't think DD got that many of yesterday, though I was able to get all of the recommended dose in her today. But she hasn't shown any improvement in the diarrhea. She is going generally several times an hour all day (though so far she's been getting through the night without having to go, so maybe that's a good sign?), but will occasionally have an hour or so in which she only goes once. I know they said they don't usually try to do anything to stop diarrhea in children, but for how long?? At what point should we start wondering if there's something more then just a stomach bug going on?

[sbgrace]

Some common viruses (like rotavirus--very stinky, that one!) commonly hang on up to 10 days. As long as she's staying hydrated (ice chips if she can hold nothing else down) I think most doctors would say she's ok in my experience.

I don't think they recommend BRAT anymore. I think the thought is let her eat (or not eat) what seems to agree with her. You don't really want to keep the "yuck" in anyway even if you could--so no reason to try to plug her up with constipating BRAT foods.

[Okapi]

Thanks for the reassurance. So far today DD hasn't had any diarrhea, so fingers crossed this is the beginning of the end. On the negative side, she has only peed once today, though it was a good amount, good color/smell & was within 8 hours of the last and hasn't been 8 hours yet.

I didn't realize the Brat diet was supposed to slow the diarrhea - surprised they recommended it, since the dr specifically said she didn't want to try to stop it. I assumed it was because I mentioned that some of DD's usual 'go to' foods seemed to make things worse.

[Mamabeakley]

DD (18 months) just had about 2 weeks of virus indegestion of some sort.  The rest of us had it a little but she was way worse.  12 hours of non-stop vomiting, then 9 days of diarrhea, then about 4 days of "curry poop" - i.e., almost diarrhea but not quite.  I am very relieved she is back to normal now.  Since she is nursing I wasn't too worried about dehydration, but her tummy hurt all the time and she was a very sad chicken.  Hope your DD gets well soon!