1. My baby daughter (17 months old) has had a gastric upset this week, which has so far lasted 5 days. She's had spells of vomiting quite badly, and the runs. She seemed to recover but the problem resurfaced. We took her along to outpatients and they don't seem that concerned. I'm confused about what food we should be giving her. My wife insists she was advised to only keep feeding her milk on demand. That seems crazy to me. I'd have thought the bug will just have time to build back up again. Does anyone have advice?

2. Last night I had a heavy dose of the same, with nasty bouts of vomiting leading to bile, and the full works the other end. It was not nice. Oddly, I feel fine today. Things like this really don't phase me now as I've been here a dozen years or more. But I'd say it was pretty bad, beyond normal. I plan to lay off food until tonight, and pop to the pharmacy and angle for some norfloxacin if they will serve me. I know I should eat bland food. Again, does anyone have advice?

I advise that you not self-treat with norfloxacin, it will just mess up your gut flora and may cause more problems in the long run and it sounds like your bug has already run its course. Also sounds like a probable GI virus for which antibiotics are of no use. Just take plenty of fluids (rehydration solution if feeling run down, otherwise any fluid) and if the diarrhea persists some activated charcoal.

For the baby, giving milk will not "cause the bug to build back up again", but of course is not sufficient food intake for a 17 month old child. I would give her rice soup and pureed foods as well, basically normal diet as long as it seems to be tolerated, as well as rehydration solution if the diarrhea continues. Basically it will stop when she has built up sufficient antibodies. If she is unable to keep food and fluids down then go back to the hospital.

I advise that you not self-treat with norfloxacin, it will just mess up your gut flora and may cause more problems in the long run and it sounds like your bug has already run its course. Also sounds like a probable GI virus for which antibiotics are of no use. Just take plenty of fluids (rehydration solution if feeling run down, otherwise any fluid) and if the diarrhea persists some activated charcoal.

For the baby, giving milk will not "cause the bug to build back up again", but of course is not sufficient food intake for a 17 month old child. I would give her rice soup and pureed foods as well, basically normal diet as long as it seems to be tolerated, as well as rehydration solution if the diarrhea continues. Basically it will stop when she has built up sufficient antibodies. If she is unable to keep food and fluids down then go back to the hospital.

Thanks she's in hospital for the night: purely precautionary really. She lost a lot of fluids. They are feeding her small amounts normally. I think it's the repeated puking that knocks the stuffing out of us.

Khao Tom for the baby and you might help

Be carefull of milk, don't trust the best before date, if the refrigiration in the truck broke down it could have warmed up for a few days and then cooled down when put in the

shop cooler. I got sick once from milk with five days left to go. On the same note I have used milk ten days past the date with no problem

It's always frustratingly difficult to get clear info. from doctors out here either in English or Thai. But from what I can glean baby had a bacterial gut infection, whether it started out that way I don't know. She's out of hospital now and seems ok.

Sheryl you are of course right. The pharmacist did actually fetch norflox without me even asking, honestly. But I kind of new she would. I seem to be able to tolerate antibiotics very well but will steer clear of norflox in the future. I have recovered completely and guess there won't be a repeat performance.

We were advised to change our baby milk! Quite worrying that. Glad I took out health insurance for her. Thanks to all members for support and advice. I still wonder whether hospital was necessary. I went through all the usual illnesses when younger but never saw a hospital ward. But better safe than sorry for sure.