Lacteol is NOT Appropriate for a 2-Year-Old
Do not give this product to your 2-year-old if it contains loperamide, as antimotility drugs are contraindicated in all children under 18 years of age with acute diarrhea. 1
Critical Safety Issue
The 2017 Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines provide a strong recommendation with moderate-quality evidence that antimotility drugs like loperamide should not be given to children under 18 years of age with acute diarrhea. 1 This is a firm contraindication, not a relative precaution.
Clarification About Lacteol
There appears to be confusion about this product name:
If "Lacteol" contains loperamide (an antimotility agent): This is absolutely contraindicated in your 2-year-old 1
If "Lacteol" refers to Lactobacillus LB (a heat-killed probiotic): This may be appropriate, as probiotics can reduce symptom severity and duration in children with infectious diarrhea 1, 2
One study found Lactobacillus LB (marketed as Lacteol) was effective and safe in children 3 months to 4 years with acute watery diarrhea, particularly when diarrhea had been present for more than 24 hours. 2
What You Should Do Instead
First-Line Treatment: Oral Rehydration
- Use oral rehydration solution (ORS) as the cornerstone of treatment for mild to moderate dehydration 1, 3
- Give 50 mL/kg ORS over 2-4 hours for mild dehydration (3-5% deficit) 3
- Replace each watery stool with 10 mL/kg of ORS 3
Nutrition
- Continue normal feeding throughout the diarrheal episode 1, 3
- Resume age-appropriate diet immediately after rehydration 1, 3
- Do not withhold food for more than 4 hours 4
Safe Adjunctive Options
- Probiotics may be offered to reduce symptom severity and duration 1, 3
- Zinc supplementation (if signs of malnutrition or in high zinc-deficiency areas) 1, 3
Common Pitfall to Avoid
Neither antibiotics nor antidiarrheal agents are usually indicated for acute diarrhea in children. 1 The focus should remain on hydration and nutrition, not on stopping the diarrhea with medications that can cause harm. 1, 5