In most cases, you can treat your acute diarrhea with over-the-counter medicines such as loperamide NIH external link (Imodium) and bismuth subsalicylate NIH external link (Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate). Doctors generally do not recommend using over-the-counter medicines for people who have bloody stools or fever—signs of infection with bacteria or parasites. If your diarrhea lasts more than 2 days, see a doctor right away.
In most cases, you can treat acute diarrhea with over-the-counter medicines.
When you have acute diarrhea, you may lose your appetite for a short time. When your appetite returns, you can go back to eating your normal diet. Over-the-counter medicines to treat acute diarrhea in adults can be dangerous for infants, toddlers, and young children. Talk to a doctor before giving your child an over-the-counter medicine. If your child’s diarrhea lasts more than 24 hours, see a doctor right away.
You can give your child his or her usual age-appropriate diet. You can give your infant breast milk or formula as usual.
How doctors treat persistent and chronic diarrhea depends on the cause. Doctors may prescribe antibiotics and medicines that target parasites to treat bacterial or parasitic infections. Doctors may also prescribe medicines to treat some of the conditions that cause chronic diarrhea, such as Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or ulcerative colitis. How doctors treat chronic diarrhea in children also depends on the cause.
Doctors may recommend probiotics NIH external link. Probiotics are live microorganisms, most often bacteria, that are similar to microorganisms you normally have in your digestive tract. Researchers are still studying the use of probiotics to treat diarrhea.
For safety reasons, talk with your doctor before using probiotics or any other complementary or alternative medicines NIH external link or practices. If your doctor recommends probiotics, talk with him or her about how much probiotics you should take and for how long.
You can prevent certain types of diarrhea, such as those caused by infections—including rotavirus NIH external link and traveler’s diarrhea—and foodborne illnesses.
You can reduce your chances of getting or spreading infections that can cause diarrhea by washing your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for 15 to 30 seconds after using the bathroom,after changing diapers, before and after handling or preparing food Rotavirus, which causes viral gastroenteritis, was the most common cause of diarrhea in infants before rotavirus vaccines External link became available.
The vaccines have reduced the number of cases of rotavirus and hospitalizations due to rotavirus among children in the United States.1
Two oral vaccines are approved to protect children from rotavirus infections:
rotavirus vaccine, live, oral, pentavalent (RotaTeq). Doctors give infants this vaccine in three doses: at 2 months of age, 4 months of age, and 6 months of age.
rotavirus vaccine, live, oral (Rotarix). Doctors give infants this vaccine in two doses: at 2 months of age and at 4 months of age.
For the rotavirus vaccine to be effective, infants should receive all doses by 8 months of age. Infants 15 weeks of age or older who have never received the rotavirus vaccine should not start the series.
Parents or caregivers of infants should discuss rotavirus vaccination with a doctor.
