How old are the children? Have you given oral rehydration therapy?

They are 12 and 9 months, both with severe oral thrush hence RUTF is almost not an option. And they have been given ORS

Steve I am assuming that they are being treated for oral thrush and it is possible that the treatment will contribute to the diarrhea. You did not mention the cause of the diarrhea. But if you have access to ripe bananas and can mix them with rice cereal or a bland gruel, you can replace the potassium lost through loose stools and this will provide some bulk.

Dear Geraldine, Please don't forget that these children have severe acute malnutrition according to Steve's post, so they are unlikely to be able to tolerate bananas and cereal. I have escalated the question to our technical moderators for input. Best wishes, Tamsin

As Steve says the children have SAM with oral thrush. \you should understand Oral thrush also causes diarrhea as it could be oesophageal candidiasis. \so treatment of oral thrush with oral nystatin or Miconazole oral gel would help unless if its severe. And these children actually need Resomal( rehydaration solution for malnutrition). the transition from F75 to F100 causes diarrhoea but this always resolves unless the child has other underlying condition that needs treatment or was not treated adequately.

We have been faced with the same problem at our hospital but we switched to cereal based and child is doing well, on RUTF now as outpatient.