Treating Diarrhea in Children Parents often ask how best to treat diarrhea in children. If diarrhea persists, call the family physician. The child should be given oral rehydration fluids in the physician's office, with food and rehydration fluids continued at home. She recommends a balanced diet, but encourages parents to hold off on foods that are high in sugar or salt. Unless they are having a problem digesting milk, bottle fed infants should continue to drink formula and breast-fed infants should continue nursing, she said.
Children can become ill suddenly.
Parents or other care givers need to be observant and not hesitate to seek medical treatment, the nutritionist said. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.