Q+A: How Can I Treat My Kid's Diarrhea?

A. Giving your child her normal diet is one of the best things you can do. "Keeping up regular feeding will help bulk up the stool and stop the diarrhea," says Reina Patel, DO, assistant professor of pediatrics at University of Texas Southwestern Children's Medical Center, in Dallas. But avoid drinks with added sugars, because they'll make the runs worse. Probiotics can also help -- studies show that taking daily supplements for an episode's entirety (typically five to seven days) can cut diarrhea by a day.

Originally published in the July 2008 issue of American Baby magazine.

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