How to Stop Diarrhea in Kids Three Years of Age

Diarrhea in children three years of age can be worrisome for a parent and a little scary for a preschooler, but it's usually not serious. The most important thing to watch for is signs of dehydration. Through diet and home remedies, you can stop the effects of diarrhea and help your three-year-old feel better soon.

Instructions

Ways to Ease Diarrhea

• 1

  Stop milk and other dairy products for up to two weeks to see if this ends the diarrhea. Kids who are lactose intolerant can get diarrhea from drinking milk or consuming other dairy products like cheese, ice cream or yogurt. Since it can be difficult to determine what caused your child to get sick, it is important to eliminate foods that are common irritants. Instead of cow's milk, you can try goat's or soy milk.

• 2

  Limit sugar intake. Sweet snacks, fruit and fruit juice can all intensify symptoms of diarrhea. The acid in fruit may also irritate the intestines. Keep children from eating too much sugar for up to three days after their first loose bowel movement.

• 3

  Stick to the BRAT diet. Also called the bland diet, bananas, rice, applesauce and toast are the staples. These low-fiber, easy-to-digest foods should help put calories into your child's body so they can get stronger. Toddlers generally like these high-carbohydrate foods.

• 4

  Watch for signs of dehydration. If your child is not urinating frequently or has very dark urine; if he is very sleepy; if he is losing weight; if he seems very thirsty; or his skin seems less elastic than normal, these are all signs your child may be dehydrated. Give him an oral rehydration solution (ORS) such as Pedialyte.

• 5

  Avoid over-the-counter medications. Medicines to stop diarrhea such as Pepto-Bismol and Kaopectate should not be taken by children, per Drugs.com, as they may cause strong side effects. In addition, diarrhea is a way for your child's body to rid itself of an infection and it should be allowed it to run its course.