What actions should be taken immediately after experiencing diarrhea?

Diarrhea can make you lose a lot of water and important salts from your body. The first thing to do is to drink plenty of fluids to replace what you lost. Oral rehydration solutions are very helpful because they have the right balance of water, sugar, and salts.

For infants and young children, oral rehydration is especially important. If a baby is being breastfed, continue breastfeeding as it can help with recovery.

Eating the right foods is also important. Choose foods that are gentle on your stomach, like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These foods can help make your stool more solid. Avoid foods that are greasy, sugary, or high in fiber as they might make diarrhea worse.

If diarrhea continues or if there are signs of dehydration like dry mouth, no tears when crying, or feeling very tired, it's important to seek medical help. You can start by using a free symptom checker to better understand your symptoms and determine the best next steps for care.