Children & Infants
Cholera Infantum (Gastro-intestinal Catarrh in Children)
Severe vomiting and diarrhea in infants and young children that can lead to dangerous dehydration and needs prompt medical care.
Also known as: Infant gastroenteritis, Summer diarrhea (historical term)
📝 At a glance
Likely root causes: Acute gastrointestinal infection or inflammation; Bacterial or viral gastroenteritis.
First thing to try: See a doctor promptly — this condition can progress quickly to dangerous dehydration in infants.
See a doctor if: Any infant with persistent vomiting and diarrhea should be seen by a doctor promptly
🔎 Start with the cause
Lasting relief rarely comes from covering a symptom. First find what is feeding the problem, change what you can, and then help the body do what it was designed to do — heal.
Likely root causes
- Acute gastrointestinal infection or inflammationThe body's natural response to injury — like redness, swelling, or heat around a sore spot. More →
- Bacterial or viral gastroenteritis
Change what you can
- See a doctor promptly — this condition can progress quickly to dangerous dehydration in infants.
- Offer small, frequent sips of an oral rehydration solution as directed by a doctor.
- Watch closely for signs of dehydration and seek emergency care if they appear.
- Keep the infant warm and as comfortable as possible while arranging care.
- Avoid solid foods until vomiting has settled and a doctor advises resuming feeds.
- Follow medical guidance on resuming breast milk, formula, or food.
🩺 When to see a doctor
- Any infant with persistent vomiting and diarrhea should be seen by a doctor promptly
- Signs of dehydration: dry mouth, no wet diapers for several hours, sunken eyes or soft spot, lethargy
- High fever, blood in stool or vomit, or a child who seems very ill
- Any infant who is difficult to wake or unusually limp
🌿 The seven pathways to health
Seven pathways for your cholera infantum (gastro-intestinal catarrh in children) — tap the circle to check one off (saved on your device), or ask Remy for help.
“Disease is an effort of nature to free the system from conditions that result from a violation of the laws of health... In case of sickness 1cause should be ascertained, 2go to work intelligently to remove the disease. 3Unhealthful conditions should be changed, 4wrong habits corrected. 5Then nature is to be assisted in her effort 6to expel impurities and 7to re-establish right conditions in the system.”
🌿 Overview
This older term describes severe vomiting and diarrhea in infants that can progress quickly to serious dehydration — a genuine medical emergency in a small child. Prompt medical evaluation and fluid replacement are essential; simple comfort measures like warmth and rest support the child but do not replace medical care and rehydration.
Common signs
- Persistent vomiting
- Frequent, watery bowel movements
- Abdominal pain
- Lethargy or signs of collapse
- Reduced wet diapers (dehydration)
⭐ Community-ranked natural supports
Vote ▲ on everything that helped you, and ▼ on anything you tried that didn't — the ranking updates live. Tap 💬 to share what worked, so others can find it faster.
Small, frequent sips of an oral rehydration solution (as directed by a doctor) are the most important supportive measure.1000
Keep the infant calm and resting while arranging prompt medical evaluation.970
A warm compress to the abdomen, used gently, may offer comfort alongside medical treatment.900
How the numbers work: this is a weighted voting system — every published book or article recommending a remedy counts as an endorsement vote, and your ▲/▼ counts too. Not medical advice. *Ties are broken by our editor score (sources, safety, simplicity, cost, lifestyle fit, eight-laws alignment).
🍽️ Eating to help
Food is one of the gentlest medicines — small, steady changes help most.
Oral rehydration under medical guidance is the priority; do not delay care to try home remedies.
⚖️ Good to know
- Infants and young children can become dangerously dehydrated within hours of persistent vomiting and diarrhea — this needs prompt medical attention, not just home care.
- Do not give home enemas or withhold all fluids without medical guidance; oral rehydration is the priority.
- Watch closely for signs of dehydration: dry mouth, no tears, sunken soft spot, reduced urination, lethargy.
⚕️ What a doctor may offerConventional treatments for this condition — for your information.Show ▾
RemedyRank's heart is natural healing — and honest information. Here is what conventional medical care commonly involves for this condition, listed to inform, never to promote. Decisions about treatment belong with you and your own physician.
Conventional pediatric care treats this as a dehydration emergency, with fluid replacement as the top priority.
Commonly offered
- Oral rehydration solution, or IV fluids for significant dehydration–
- Evaluation for the underlying cause of vomiting and diarrhea–
- Hospital admission for severe cases–
Worth knowing
- Dehydration in infants can become life-threatening quickly
- Seek medical care promptly rather than waiting to see if symptoms resolve on their own
👍/👎 shares whether a treatment helped you — community experience, not medical advice. For full professional details, see the sources under “Learn more” below.
📜 A note from history
Recognizing severe infant vomiting and diarrhea as an urgent condition requiring fluid replacement has long been a central concern of infant care, historically treated at home with warmth and fluids before modern oral rehydration therapy.
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