What should you know about cholera in infants?

Infants have limited fluid reserves, and watery diarrhoea or vomiting can reduce them rapidly. Warning signs include fewer wet nappies, a dry mouth, no tears when crying, unusual sleepiness, irritability, sunken eyes or a change in feeding. A healthcare professional checks hydration, circulation, breathing and alertness.

An approved oral rehydration solution may be advised when the infant is awake and able to drink. Breast milk should generally continue unless a clinician gives different instructions. Severe dehydration, repeated vomiting or reduced alertness may require IV Fluid Therapy in a hospital or clinic.

Contact a healthcare service urgently if cholera is suspected. Continue breastfeeding frequently if the infant can feed, and use only an approved oral rehydration solution according to professional instructions. Give small amounts often if vomiting is present, and ask a clinician how to use a spoon, cup or syringe safely.

Do not dilute formula differently, give plain water as the only treatment, or use anti-diarrhoeal medicine or antibiotics without a prescription. Wash hands after nappies and before preparing feeds. [Oral Rehydration Therapy](/treatments/acute-and-urgent-care/oral-rehydration-therapy/) describes the purpose of supervised fluid replacement.

Take the infant to emergency care for difficulty waking, inability to drink or breastfeed, repeated vomiting, very few or no wet nappies, cold hands or feet, fast breathing, weak crying, a seizure, blood in stool or collapse.

Do not wait for dehydration to become obvious. [Diarrhoea](/symptoms/diarrhoea/) in a young baby deserves medical advice, particularly when stools are frequent, vomiting accompanies it, or feeding changes. Keep the infant warm during transport and bring details of feeds, wet nappies and stool changes.

Ask which solution to use, how to continue feeds, how to count wet nappies, whether IV Fluid Therapy is needed, which symptoms mean emergency care, and how to protect other household members.