loose stool due to antibiotics

[Tanker Chic]

My son was given antibiotics due to an ear infection and he has chronic loose stool which is burning his little behind and other parts (poor little baby).  I'm supposed to give him the antibiotics for 10 days but the diarrhea is so bad, I'm stopping at 7.  

I know yogurt is good for replacing the bacterial balance in their intestines, but is there anything else I'm supposed to do?  Will it correct itself, or do I need to take him back to the dr?  

[wannabenana]

Antibiotics should always be taken until completely finished.

Under the circumstances, I would also discontinue it , but you should put a call into the pedi to let him know wha'ts going on.

Meanwhile you can put him on the BRAT diet until things get back to normal.

[lhughes]

Don't stop at 7 days.  That could make his infection return worse and then he'd have to get another stronger antibiotic and that could lead to the awful shot of Roceferin (which we just had to do because my dd's ear infections are not responding to Amoxicillan anymore).  

Yogurt, milk with probiotics, there's now a brand of pudding with active cultures which is totally awesome.  We got the pudding for my dd on this last round of antibiotics.

Coat his bottom with as much zinc oxide as you and he can stand to help with the acidic stools.  I like the butt paste for this, but there are many others that are equally effective.

The stools will return to normal once the antibiotics are over and his digestion gets back on track (usually for my dds it takes about 3 days after unless I've got them to eat some active cultures all along).

Yes, it's awful to see them go through painful diapers, but the alternatives are worse.

[Tanker Chic]

Typically I would not stop the antibiotics but under these conditions I think it is the best thing.  He doesn't have chronic ear infections, so I'm really hoping it is good after the 7 days.  His diarrhea is getting worse and worse, and his poor little bottom is flaming red.  This evening his stool was almost completely without color.  Just slightly off white curds.  I went to the pharmacy and they gave me some live culture stuff to put on his food.  I hope that works.  I'm getting pretty concerned about the white curdy stool.  He is acting okay, so I'm gonna see how he is tomorrow.  If his stool doesn't get at least a little better tomorrow, I'm taking him to the weekend walk in clinic.  

thanks for your help.

[Renogirl]

YOGURT and lots of it and if they have him on amoxicillin - that is notorious for causing diarrhea and don't know why - but if he'll eat some smooshed up bananas - there is something in the bananas that will really help the diarrhea - warm baths will help the butt - I think I bathed Abby everytime she pooped last time she was on an antibiotic - we used lots of Desitin - and I know this will sound really silly - but its an old old preschool trick - if you think he has a yeast infection from the antibiotic (yes, boys get yeast infections) you can get Vagisil cream to put on him and it will clear him right up - we used the Desitin and bag balm - you can get it at Walmart in the first aid section - it comes in a small square green tin with strawberries on it - it's really good stuff - I just loved doing the yogurt and bananas because I wasn't putting more medicine into Abby's system - Hope he's feeling better soon!

[mum2beagain]

I agree with Reno, youghurt (probiotic) and banana's. My second son is the same when he has to take medicine. We left him without a diaper as much as possible and put lots of old sheets and towel down to protect the carpet. We bought a baby suitable bath emolient and every time he needed cleaning up sat him a a bowl of warm water with the emolient in it. When he did wear a diaper I put one on that was a couple of sizes too big so it wasn't touching his skin and used lots of zinc oxide based diaper cream and also smear of vagisil 2 or 3 times a day. Stay clear of baby wipes and scented diapers (such as pampers) they just make things even worse warm water and cotton wool to wipe him. If you can also get hold of an acidopholus supplement suitable for his age from the health food shop you can grind that up and add it to yoghurt too to help restore the natural balance of the good bacteria in his system.
The diarrhea isn't going to go away until he finishes the antibiotics but it would be better if he finishes the course. The last thing you want is to have to go through this all again a couple of weeks down the line.

[suela82]

I am a grown up and had the same problem from the antibiotics. I was suffering 3 weeks of severe diarrhea, but i did finished the antibiotics. The only way that i stoped the diarrhea is drinkign one liter per day for 3 weeks of fruit juice with active bacteria, eating bananas, boild eggs and rice. Give to your son plenty of fruit juice with active bacteria. and it will take time for him to stabilise, it took me 3 months.
good luck

[Tanker Chic]

Thanks for the good advice all.  I did get some probiotic supplements and have been letting him run around without a diaper.  I think he is really enjoying that part.  He has still had loose stool today, but it seems to be getting better.  The color is coming back and not as frequent.  He did puke up his morning bottle.. The whole thing and it was all curdy...  I'm not really sure what that is about... or if it is related.  But he seems to be feeling fine.  

[CYW]

my ds had the SAME problem on the antibiotic when he had his ear infection. he had a ruptured membrane in there.. it was green and with some blood too pussing out of his little ear.. never ever stop  an antibiotic without speaking to a dr...

when ds had his bum rash from diarrhea i used zincofax...it worked really good compared to everything else i had at home but it did take about 3 days to clear...

on a side note maybe he has some kind of virus going on too...its really hard to say sometimes...