Barbara:
A "gastrointestinal virus" is nickname doctors frequently use for diarrhea
(even when the infant only has vomits, but hey expect diarrhea will come
soon). Really, the treatment this doctor has suggested for it (out of milk,
including breastmilk, and P-lyte for 48 hours) is completelly outdated.
Witholding food during diarrhea was advised a century ago, with the idea
"nothing in, nothing out." Now we know it is wrong, and anyway it doesn't
matter.
It is wrong because fasting actually makes diarrhea worse. Cells in the gut
mucosa live only a few days; they die still more quickly during diarrhea;
lack of a constant intake of energy and proteins means mucosa is destroyed,
nutrient absorption diminished and fluid losses increased.
It doesn't matter because the therapeuthic goal is not to diminish the
number of bowel movements (and they diminish with feeding, that's proved);
but to prevent dehydration (with adequate fluids) and malnutrition (with
enough food).
Current guidelines for diarrhea treatment are:
- breastfeeding should never be stoped, not even for a few hours. Vomiting
is not a contraindication.
- formula can also ber continued in bottlefed babies; if diarrhea is
important, some authors advise to change to a low-lactose formula (lactose
in breast milk is not a problem)
- Solid foods should be continued (after oral rehydration, in needed), any
kind of solid food the baby (or the adult) is used to. Choose any food that
the patient really likes (their appetite is diminished) and offer
frequently. There is no need for a special diet (like rice and carrots in
Spain; I am interested in usual "diarrhea" diets in other countries, please
email privately)
- If diarrhea is important, offer oral rehydration solution after breast
Suggested reading:
 Chung AW. The effect of oral feeding at different levels on the absorption
of foodstuffs in infantile diarrhea J Pediatr 1948;33:1-13 (yes, 1948!)
 Chung AW, Viscorova B. The effect of early oral feeding versus early oral
starvation on the course of infantile diarrhea. J Pediatr 1948;33:14-22
 Almroth S, Latham MC. Rational home management of diarrhoea. Lancet
1995;345:709-711
  Brown KH, Gastanaduy AS, Saavedra JM, Lembcke J, Rivas D, Robertson AD,
Yolken R, Sack RB. Effect of continued oral feeding on clinical and
nutritional outcomes of acute diarrhea in children. J Pediatr
1988;112:191-200
 Margolis PA, Litteer T, Hare N, Pichichero M. Effects of unrestricted diet
on mild infantile diarrhea. A practice-based study. Am J Dis Child
1990;144:162-164
 Bennish ML, Azad AK, Rahman O, Phillips RE. Hypoglycemia during diarrhea
in childhood. Prevalence, pathophysiology and outcome. N engl J Med
1990;322:1357-1363 (fasting and hypoglycemia as a cause of death in
diarrhea!)
 Brown KH. Dietary management of acute childhood diarrhea: Optimal timing
of feeding and appropriate use of milks and mixed diets. J Pediatr
1991;118:S92-S98
 Khin-Maung-U, Nyunt-Nyiunt-Wai, Myo-Khin, Mu-Mu-Khin, Tin-U, Thane-Toe.
Effect on clinical outcome of breast feeding during acute diarrhoea. Br Med
J 1985;290:587-589
   McDowell HP, Evans-Jones G. Is gradual reintroduction of milk feeds in
gastroenteritis necessary? Lancet 1985;i:690
 Brown KH, Peerson JM, Fontaine O. Use of nonhuman milks in the dietary
management of young children with acute diarrhea: A meta-analisis of
clinical trials. Pediatrics 1994;93:17-27
 Chew F, Penna FJ, Peret Filho LA, Quqn C, Lopes MC, Mota JAC, Fontaine O.
Is dilution of cows' milk formula necessary for dietary management of acute
diarrhoea in infants aged less than 6 months? Lancet 1993;341:194-197
  Sarker SA, Molla AM, Rahaman MM. Impact of supplementary food on intake
of breast milk in diarrhoea. Lancet 1983;ii:1349-1351
 Lanata CF, Black RE, Creed-Kanashiro H, Lazo F, Gallardo ML, Verastegui H,
Brown KH. Feeding during acute diarrhea as a risk factor for persistent
diarrhea. Acta Pediatr 1992;(suppl 381):98-103
 Brown KH. Dietary management of acute diarrheal disease: Contemporary
scientific issues. J Nut 1994;124:1455S-1460S