By Bjarne Lühr Hansen PhD, MD and Philipp Skafte-Holm MD, Mentor Institute
Fever, diarrhoea and vomiting indicate a gastrointestinal infection. Give the child plenty of fluid with salt, sugar and lactic acid bacteria. If the child is drowsy and do not want to drink you must call the doctor immediately.
Diarrhoea means much and thin faeces. Vomiting and diarrhoea are often due to a gastrointestinal infection with a virus or bacteria. In connection with vomiting and diarrhoea, there is also a recurrence of pain in the stomach and fever around 38 – 39oC.
In most cases, you will get better in a couple of days and it disappears after 5 – 6 days. Severe gastrointestinal infections with e.g. the bacteria salmonella appears with frequent, bloody thin faeces, high temperature and the child is affected (lies quietly in bed and will not hear story or play).