Getting Kids To Drink When They're Sick

[shanstress70]

OK all you seasoned parents,

My three year old had a tonsillectomy on Friday, and he is having a rough, rough day - the doctor warned me that Day 3 is the worst. He threw up this morning, which was very painful and it is SO difficult to get him to drink anything. He hasn't eaten more than a couple crackers and a little pasta in three days, but that's not a big deal. It's not imperative that he eat at this point, but I HAVE to get him to drink, or I'll have to take him to the ER for an IV. So far he isn't showing signs of dehydration, but I know it won't be long if I don't get him to drink.

So far I've tried ice cream, popsicles, yogurt, koolaid, gatorade, jello, ice chips... and he wants nothing to do with any of it. I've tried bribing, everything. I am having the best luck with ice chips, but one chip every once in a while doesn't add up to many ounces of water. He wants to sleep constantly and when I wake him up to try to get him to drink, he'll have none of it. I did get him up long enough to go visit my neighbor who is a nurse practitioner, who said he looks fine and has no visible signs of dehydration.

Anyway, I know someone has some creative ideas!

[Maureen]

I would think if he wants to sleep it's what his body needs right now. Once he's had a good sleep, try to offer cold fluids like you have been. If you can get him to take a little Pedialyte, that at least would help prevent dehydration, hopefully even in small amounts.

M.

[shanstress70]

I would think if he wants to sleep it's what his body needs right now. Once he's had a good sleep, try to offer cold fluids like you have been. If you can get him to take a little Pedialyte, that at least would help prevent dehydration, hopefully even in small amounts.

M.

Thanks Maureen. Maybe I'm trying too hard to get him to drink. It's just that they drill it into your head so much as you're going through the check-out instructions at the surgery center... they can scare the heck out of you saying that he needs to constantly be drinking. They even told me to wake him up during the night to get him to drink. I guess I can take comfort in the fact that he drank A LOT yesterday.

Having a child in this state makes you feel so helpless, although I shouldn't complain because I know it's nothing compared to what some parents must go through with health problems.

[CaptainTux]

Keep doing what you are doing. You are on the right track. An ice chip here and there may not be what the body needs, but it is showing the door is open. I would also start bugging your pediatrician a touch and ask him/her when you should consider more extreme measures.

If you DO have to do the IV route for proper hydration, do not beat yourself up with guilt over it. You have not failed...you just got a stubborn little one. At that age, they can be stubborn little dudes and dudettes.

I had to take my little on to the ER in April of '05 for two bags of fluid. It happens sometimes.

[shanstress70]

Keep doing what you are doing. You are on the right track. An ice chip here and there may not be what the body needs, but it is showing the door is open. I would also start bugging your pediatrician a touch and ask him/her when you should consider more extreme measures.

If you DO have to do the IV route for proper hydration, do not beat yourself up with guilt over it. You have not failed...you just got a stubborn little one. At that age, they can be stubborn little dudes and dudettes.

I had to take my little on to the ER in April of '05 for two bags of fluid. It happens sometimes.

Thanks! I think he's finally turned the corner. I bribed him... if you drink this 16 oz cup of kool-aid you can go crazy with shaving cream in the bathtub. He got it all down, and is actually eating some plain pasta right now! And he's switched from his hydrocodone to ibuprofen too. I feel much better about that.

[pushka]

Shanstress...well done!! I'm pleased to hear your son is recovering well now... :)

[Guest Monica]

Yes, I would have to say the same. Let him sleep if he needs to and drink as he needs to if he isnt showing symptoms of dehydration.

Also give him something salty to eat it will help in three ways:

a) The salt will help with his pain cause salt helps to take away the pain in his throat.

B) The salt will make him thirsty.

c) The salt will help him retain water.

Potato chips work great with kids. Let him have some and within a few hours he should be hungry, thirsty, and not as sore.

[CaptainTux]

Woohoo! Yay hydration! Seriously, I am glad to hear your little one has found thirst. Sounds like you have a downhill ride to recovery now!

[shanstress70]

Thanks for all your kind words and advice. I'm still struggling with this same issue two days later! Who knew that when they take a turn for the better, they usually get worse again? I didn't expect it would be a piece of cake, but I didn't think it would be this bad on him.

[Guest funkyfool]

how do you get them to drink? shove it down and choke em...put in an Iv, or...let them dehydrate or somethin

[shanstress70]

how do you get them to drink? shove it down and choke em...put in an Iv, or...let them dehydrate or somethin

Nice... thanks for your wise and thoughtful words.

What I was asking about were little tricks that experienced parents have used.

[pushka]

Hi again Shanstress, have you tried the suggestions that Monica made yet..salt, potato chips? Sounds like good advice if he can stand to eat the potato chips, if they're not too harsh on his throat.

I'm sorry I can't offer any good advice to you, I have had problems with my daughter almost being dehydrated, but fortunately it was when she was a baby and I could encourage her to take fluids in her baby bottle, so it was much easier then...

Good luck in the next few days...I'm sure everything will turn out for the best in the end!

[shanstress70]

Hi again Shanstress, have you tried the suggestions that Monica made yet..salt, potato chips? Sounds like good advice if he can stand to eat the potato chips, if they're not too harsh on his throat.

I'm sorry I can't offer any good advice to you, I have had problems with my daughter almost being dehydrated, but fortunately it was when she was a baby and I could encourage her to take fluids in her baby bottle, so it was much easier then...

Good luck in the next few days...I'm sure everything will turn out for the best in the end!

No, he won't eat anything. I did actually try that, but with no luck. I'm sorry to whine, I'm just frustrated. His little ribs are sticking out so far, he hasn't had a BM in 6 days (sorry to be so frank!), and his color just looks bad. Apparently all this is normal though, so I'm trying not to let it get to me, but that's hard when it's your little one. Every morning I get up, I know it's going to be a fight to get each and every drop of liquid in him. I have talked to both the surgeon and his ped., who say not to worry.

Anyway, I know it's only temporary. I'd say 3 or 4 more days of it before he is more like his old self.

[Guest MrsS]

No, he won't eat anything. I did actually try that, but with no luck. I'm sorry to whine, I'm just frustrated. His little ribs are sticking out so far, he hasn't had a BM in 6 days (sorry to be so frank!), and his color just looks bad. Apparently all this is normal though, so I'm trying not to let it get to me, but that's hard when it's your little one. Every morning I get up, I know it's going to be a fight to get each and every drop of liquid in him. I have talked to both the surgeon and his ped., who say not to worry.

Anyway, I know it's only temporary. I'd say 3 or 4 more days of it before he is more like his old self.

I am not a mother ~ but I don't think that this is normal for anyone, let alone a child. Has the surgeon and his Ped SEEN him? Take him to Urgent Care ~ if you have that where you live, or the ER if the Ped won't see him.

WHINE - Loud and long at the Ped. and Surgeon. Take your son to see them.

[shanstress70]

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No, he won't eat anything. I did actually try that, but with no luck. I'm sorry to whine, I'm just frustrated. His little ribs are sticking out so far, he hasn't had a BM in 6 days (sorry to be so frank!), and his color just looks bad. Apparently all this is normal though, so I'm trying not to let it get to me, but that's hard when it's your little one. Every morning I get up, I know it's going to be a fight to get each and every drop of liquid in him. I have talked to both the surgeon and his ped., who say not to worry.

Anyway, I know it's only temporary. I'd say 3 or 4 more days of it before he is more like his old self.

I am not a mother ~ but I don't think that this is normal for anyone, let alone a child. Has the surgeon and his Ped SEEN him? Take him to Urgent Care ~ if you have that where you live, or the ER if the Ped won't see him.

WHINE - Loud and long at the Ped. and Surgeon. Take your son to see them.

I just now read this, but I am doing just that! I have called every day and they keep telling me it's OK. They don't care if he doesn't eat for a week as long as he drinks. Doesn't sound right to me either. So I told them this morning after them telling me that it's OK, that I want the doctor to check him. We are going in at 4:00. They think I'm being neurotic, I'm sure, but I really don't care... that's why he's able to drive a Porsche... because neurotic moms 'bug' him!

Thanks!

[pushka]

Shanstress, good luck with your visit to the doctor...please let us know the outcome...like Mrs.S said, don't ever apologise for being worried about your child, to anybody!

I was labelled an anxious mother when my 6 wks old baby, Becki, who was 6 wks. premature to begin with, would not take her milk, from the bottle...I was advised not to breast feed when she was released from hospital, due to stress and her inability to ###### well. I was so worried that I rushed her to A&E one night, because her poo was green and she was crying so much. They admitted her only because she had an umbilical hernia...tried to force feed milk from small bottles, (by this time she was around 12 wks old, I'd been struggling for all those weeks!) and she just thrashed out so hard that the bottle went flying out from the nurse's arm onto the floor!!

Eventually they listened to my Health Visitor who told them that she hadn't been able to get Becki to accept her feeds either, so they tried other methods. After many trials and errors, she was finally placed onto a dairy free diet at 7 months old...

Keep pushing those doctors!!!

[shanstress70]

I was labelled an anxious mother when my 6 wks old baby, Becki, who was 6 wks. premature to begin with, would not take her milk, from the bottle...I was advised not to breast feed when she was released from hospital, due to stress and her inability to ###### well. I was so worried that I rushed her to A&E one night, because her poo was green and she was crying so much. They admitted her only because she had an umbilical hernia...tried to force feed milk from small bottles, (by this time she was around 12 wks old, I'd been struggling for all those weeks!) and she just thrashed out so hard that the bottle went flying out from the nurse's arm onto the floor!!

That sounds like a scary situation... I HATE when kids are sick (an understatement)!

My little one started eating and actually seemed to improve yesterday so I cancelled his appt.

Apparently it's not unusual for them to seem to be doing better, then get worse again. He actually ate a decent breakfast this morning for the first time. And the problem I mentioned earlier with the uh... movements... has improved. The only thing now is that he wakes up in the night with severe pain. I've resorted to giving him hydrocodone again (after weaning him off of it earlier) during these situations.

Thanks for hanging in there with me, and for those supportive words, guys!

Now the biggest problem is that I've been spoiling him rotten since his surgery... and he's been sleeping in my bed too. Hopefully he'll go back to his after his full recovery with no problem!

[pushka]

Hi Shanstress...yes, it was very scary indeed, we eventually found out she had Asthma too, which the doctors wouldn't at first acknowledge because she was under 2 years of age...again, lots of worry and sleepless nights, but all was well in the end!

I'm pleased to hear that your son is eating okay again now...I hope that all will return to normal soon and that he will overcome the pain. I think a few nights of extra cuddles from mum in bed is okay, and a little spoiling too...just be aware of him trying to prolong his 'agony' to keep those little treats continuing...LOL.

Good Luck!! :)

[Guest MrsS]

Shantress ~ when I had mumps ~ all I wanted to drink was warm jello. Mix it with all hot water, and keep on a real low burner so it does't gel up. I would only drink lemon and lime! I didn't want the real sweet ones. I also craved dill pickles and ate fresh lemons. Now when I am sick I prefer room temp ginger ale or Sierra Mist. I still like the "hot" jello too though.

Just a thought.

[shanstress70]

Shantress ~ when I had mumps ~ all I wanted to drink was warm jello. Mix it with all hot water, and keep on a real low burner so it does't gel up. I would only drink lemon and lime! I didn't want the real sweet ones. I also craved dill pickles and ate fresh lemons. Now when I am sick I prefer room temp ginger ale or Sierra Mist. I still like the "hot" jello too though.

Just a thought.

Thanks! I'll try it.

[CaptainTux]

I think Erma Bombeck once said that with your first child you call the ER at the smallest cough, but by the time you have your third child, you let them juggle knives.

Be the one who makes the pede earn the hot rod and the better tee times at the better golf clubs.

I sure was the first three years of my little one's life.