Diarrhea

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Call your Health Care Provider if

Call your doctor if:

• You have blood or pus in your stools or if your stool is black.
• You have abdominal pain that is not relieved by a bowel movement.
• You have symptoms of dehydration -- dry skin, dry mouth, thirst, decreased urination (in an infant, fewer wet diapers), lightheadedness, or rapid heart rate. An infant who is dehydrated may also have no appetite, no tears when crying, low activity level, and a sunken fontanelle (soft spot on the top of the head).
• You have a fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit or your child has a fever above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit along with diarrhea.
• You have foul smelling or oily-looking stools.
• You have recently traveled to a foreign country.
• Other people that you have eaten with also have diarrhea.
• You have started on a new medication.
• Your diarrhea does not get better in 5 days (2 days for an infant or child) or worsens before that.
• Your child has been vomiting for more than 12 hours. In a newborn (under 3 months), you should call as soon as vomiting or diarrhea begins.