What helps a 1-year-old with diarrhea?

Feeling confused when your baby has diarrhea is completely natural — let's work through what to do together and get you feeling calmer.

With a 1-year-old, the biggest risk of diarrhea is fluid loss. Here's what you should do first:

• If your baby is nursing or on formula, keep offering it frequently.
• Also get age-appropriate oral rehydration solution (ORS) from the pharmacy and give it in the amounts on the package — this replaces the salt and sugar your baby has lost. Don't try to make 'sugary water' or 'salty buttermilk' at home; ORS is safest.

For food: during diarrhea, don't stress the intestines.

• Stick with low-fat, fiber-free, bland foods: bananas, rice cereal, mashed potato, yogurt (lactose-free is better).
• Avoid fruit juice, sugary drinks, packaged crackers, and cow's milk (if under 1 year; if 1 year and up, it may need to be lactose-free temporarily).

When to see a doctor:

• Blood or mucus in the stool
• More than 8 runny stools in 24 hours
• Fever of 38°C or higher
• Vomiting
• Less urination (no wet diaper for 6+ hours) or signs of dehydration: dry mouth, sunken eyes

If diarrhea lasts more than 24 hours, check with your pediatrician — sometimes a simple stool test finds the cause.