Fever with loose motions: possible causes and care

Loose motions means passing watery or unusually soft stools, sometimes with cramps, nausea, vomiting, or urgency. Fever can occur when a virus, bacterium, or another infection irritates the digestive tract. Food or water exposure, recent antibiotics, travel, and contact with someone who is unwell can provide useful clues. The colour and amount of stool, blood or mucus, abdominal pain, and the person's hydration are more informative than fever alone. Children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with chronic illness can become dehydrated more quickly.

Take frequent small sips of water or an oral rehydration drink. Continue breastfeeding and offer suitable food when tolerated; bland meals are not required if normal food is comfortable. Avoid alcohol and very sugary drinks, which may worsen diarrhoea. Wash hands with soap and water, clean toilet surfaces, and avoid preparing food for others while ill. Do not take antibiotics or diarrhoea-stopping medicine without medical advice, especially when there is fever, blood in stool, or significant abdominal pain.

Seek urgent help for fainting, confusion, severe weakness, very little urine, inability to keep fluids down, severe or localised abdominal pain, blood or black stool, breathing difficulty, or a swollen abdomen. Get prompt medical advice for a young child, an older adult, pregnancy, weakened immunity, recent antibiotics, ongoing fever, or diarrhoea that is worsening or not settling. A clinician may assess hydration and decide whether stool testing or other treatment is appropriate.

Ask which rehydration drink is suitable, whether medicines should be stopped or changed, whether testing is needed, and which foods are safe for the person affected. Tell the clinician when symptoms began, stool frequency and appearance, vomiting, urine output, travel, food exposures, sick contacts, and recent antibiotics.