How to Stop Diarrhea in Kids
To stop diarrhea in kids, encourage your child to drink a lot of water since diarrhea can easily lead to dehydration. If you notice any dizziness, vomiting, or high fever in your child, call their doctor right away, since these are signs of severe dehydration. If the only symptom your child is showing is diarrhea, feed them small meals of foods on the BRAT diet, which includes bland, easy-to-digest foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, or toast. However, call your child's doctor right away if the diarrhea lasts longer than 5 days.
Pay attention to foods that seem to increase your child’s diarrhea. Your child's appetite should not change as a result of diarrhea, so you should be able to offer the same foods as usual. However, if your child seems to have increased diarrhea after eating something, then you may not want to offer that food to your child until he is better. Try to stick to foods that you know your child can tolerate without an issue and avoid introducing new foods while your child has diarrhea. Children with diarrhea may temporarily have difficulty digesting dairy products, so you may want to hold off on dairy until he is well. Offer small meals throughout the day. Large meals may make diarrhea more severe, so you may want to encourage your child to eat smaller meals spaced evenly throughout the day. Try to encourage your child to eat six small meals throughout the day to see if that helps to stop or at least reduce diarrhea symptoms. Try the BRAT diet. Increasing your child's fiber intake may help to reduce symptoms of diarrhea, so the BRAT diet may be a good option. When using the BRAT diet, you will only feed your child bland foods such as bananas, rice (brown rice), applesauce, and toast(whole wheat). These foods are thought to be easier for your child to digest. Some studies have even shown that diarrhea goes away faster when kids eat foods that are easy to digest. Some other easy to digest foods that you may consider offering your child include: Pasta Cooked beans Mashed potatoes Mashed carrots Pretzels Salty crackers Add a cup of yogurt to your child’s daily diet. Yogurt can rebalance the bacteria in your child's gut, which may help to stop diarrhea. If your child has a favorite kind of yogurt, try offering some as a snack. Look for yogurt that has live or active cultures, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum. Your child may be more interested in eating the yogurt if you allow her to pick it out in the store. Try asking your child to select a couple of flavors in the market. Consider offering your child one high-fat food option each day. Offering your child an occasional high-fat food may help put a stop to your child's diarrhea as well. This is especially helpful for children with "toddler's diarrhea," which is a chronic mild diarrhea in toddlers. Some good options include: Whole fat milk Olive oil Cheese Ice cream Encourage your child to drink plenty of water. Diarrhea can cause severe dehydration for kids, so it is important to encourage your child to drink plenty of water while he is dealing with diarrhea. Try filling up a water bottle and encouraging your child to carry it around and drink from it throughout the day. Refill the water bottle for your child (or ask your child's teacher to refill it) if it becomes empty. Do not give your child electrolyte solutions unless your child's pediatrician advises you to. These are often only necessary if your child is becoming dehydrated. Do not give your child sports drinks, sodas or juice. The high sugar content in these beverages can make diarrhea worse. Offer flavored ice. You can also offer your child a frozen ice pop or two throughout the day to provide more fluids. Try choosing popsicles that are low sugar or make some of your own using popsicle molds. You can fill them with water and add slices of fresh fruit to make them more appealing to your child. Start your child’s day with a bowl of cereal and milk. Offering a bowl of cereal with milk is another good way to provide your child with some extra fluid to replenish lost fluids and help prevent dehydration. Ask your child to choose her favorite cereal and top it with a half cup of milk. Encourage your child to drink the milk as well. However, if your child seems to have more diarrhea after consuming dairy products, then you may want to hold off on milk for a few days. Give your child a cup of broth or soup. Another way to give your child more fluid is to offer some broth or soup as a snack or as a meal. You can offer your child some chicken broth or even a clear broth-based soup, such as chicken noodle or vegetable soup. The salt in the soup may also help your child's body to hold on to more of the fluids. Call your child’s pediatrician. If your child has had a sudden change in the frequency or consistency of his or her bowel movements, then diarrhea is probably to blame. You can treat your child's diarrhea at home, but you should still talk to your child's pediatrician about the best course of action. Diarrhea can be the result of food sensitivities, infections, or something else that may need medical treatment. Consider possible causes of diarrhea. When diarrhea lasts for less than two weeks, it is called acute diarrhea. This form of diarrhea is common, but it can be severe. Acute diarrhea may be due to: Inflammation Bacterial or viral infections Antibiotic use Food sensitivities, food allergies, or food “poisoning” Check for possible causes of chronic diarrhea. Chronic diarrhea is less common, but it can also be severe. Chronic diarrhea is when diarrhea lasts for more than two weeks. Chronic diarrhea may be due to: Dietary factors Infections Inflammatory Bowel Disease Celiac disease Seek immediate treatment if your child shows signs of dehydration. Your child's diarrhea should improve within three to four days. If your child does not improve and/or your child shows signs of dehydration, then call your physician right away. Take your child to the emergency room if you cannot reach your physician. Signs of dehydration in children include: Crying without any tears Dry or sticky mouth or tongue Sunken-looking eyes Infrequent urination or dry diapers Lethargy or excessive sleepiness Increased irritability Dizziness Vomiting Fever over 101°F (38.3°C) Watch for serious symptoms. Some serious symptoms may accompany diarrhea that can indicate an emergency situation. Take your child to an emergency room or call 911 if you notice any of these serious symptoms, which include: Bloody stools Lots of vomiting or vomiting blood or green bile Abdomen that is distended, tender, or enlarged Pale skin with or without tiny red, round spots on the skin Difficultly arousing Fainting Seizures 
Pay attention to foods that seem to increase your child’s diarrhea. Offer small meals throughout the day. Try the BRAT diet. Add a cup of yogurt to your child’s daily diet. Consider offering your child one high-fat food option each day. Encourage your child to drink plenty of water. Offer flavored ice. Start your child’s day with a bowl of cereal and milk. Give your child a cup of broth or soup. Call your child’s pediatrician. Consider possible causes of diarrhea. Check for possible causes of chronic diarrhea. Seek immediate treatment if your child shows signs of dehydration. Watch for serious symptoms. 