Question
Since last Friday, the baby has been experiencing nausea and vomiting. She doesn’t eat much and is always listless. I took her for a thorough check-up today, and everything was normal. How should we treat pediatric diarrhea when regular stool tests are normal after one week?
Answer
When the patient first experiences nausea and vomiting, timely stool examination is necessary. The regular stool test shows normal results, but this does not prove the absence of enteritis. Further stool culture should be conducted to check for bacterial growth. If conditions allow, the hospital can also perform detailed viral pathogen tests to determine if it is viral enteritis. Medication should then be prescribed based on the detailed examination results. If it is a bacterial infection, antibiotics will be used. If it is a viral infection, antiviral medications may be considered.