Conference moira::parenting_v3

    When my daughter was sick, my nanny made a homemade brew for her that
    she both liked and benefitted from.  When I called my pedi to ask if it
    sounded OK to him, he replied that it was very similar to the new
    Ricelyte that was just introduced onto the market.  And it was
    perfectly fine to use.
    
    I don't know exactly how she made it, but she cooked some rice in a lot
    of water, much more water than is normally used, and included a few
    sticks of cinnamon.  After it had boiled for some time, she skimmed off
    the broth and poured it into a bottle for the baby.  That's about it.
    
    If you want me to check quantities I can, but I suspect it's just a
    guess anyway.
    
    good luck,
    Mary
    

    I have also heard that Gatorade (or some generic equivalent) cut
    50/50 with water is also very effective (and less costly)

    			Wendy

    Depending on the age of your child, Gatorade (or 10K which is the same
    thing) is good.  I would not give this to a young infant, but my
    brother was told by his pedi it was alright to give to his son who was
    9 months at the time.  I do not know if was cut with water.
    
    Mary
    

    The nurse told me the same thing-- Gatorade, straight.  It's a lot
    cheaper, and there are more flavors from which to choose.  My sons
    always hated Pedialyte...

    
    .0 How long did your daughter have this?  My daughter (1) has had it
    now for 4 days and I am starting to get worried.  The only good factor
    is that she is not vomiting.  I had called the doctor and they said
    not to worry until it is over a week.  She will not take the Pedialyte.
    Is there something else to give?
    
    Any ideas???
    
    
    Thanks
    Kim
    
    

    	When my husband and I recently had a very severe flu (it mimics
    food poisoning and you get violently ill for about 48 hours - everyone
    in the office has had it) that included vomiting and diarrhea, we were
    told to  drink "de-fizzed" classic Coke and to eat clear fluids and
    jellos (not diet) as tolerated.

    	Both of use were very sick and it took us many hours to drink one
    glass of anything.

    	The Doctor said that as long as we could keep down one tablespoon
    of fluids an hour that it was enough to keep us from getting dehydrated
    (by the time we saw the Doctor we were not vomiting or having diarrhea
    any more). He did tell us that if we did get sick again that we'd have
    to go into the hospital for IVs.

    	The Doctor then told us to start the BRAT (Banana - rice -
    applesauce - toast) diet so that our guts could be re-introduced to
    easy to digest foods. (have to admit, it never got this far with us, we
    went from Coke to soups and crackers).

    	I don't know how you feel about giving your one year old soda but
    the other foods may be helpful.

    				Wendy

    Our Peditrician  also suggested Jello water.  He said to mix a flavored
    non-diet Jello with some water.  We never tried it.  I mixed the
    un-flavored Pedialyte with a little bit of pear juice and got my son
    to drink some that way.  After about 3 days, he wouldn't even touch
    that.
    
    				Mary

Depending on the age of your child (I think mine was about 6 months at the time),
by Pedi recommended popsicles.  He said to pick out the ones with the most
sugar in them, nothing diet.   I suppose you could melt them down and have the
child drink the liquid, by the cold seemed to help sooth Nicole when she
was not feeling well.

    re: .7
    
    Not to be nit picky but, you should never dilute pedialyte with
    anything.  Doing so breaks down the electrolytes in the solution (this
    was told to me by my pediatrician).
    
    Lori B.

    I flavor Pedialyte with a teaspoon or so of the favorite juice
    of the moment (usually apple).  Neither of my kids minded it,
    luckily.
    
    I've also boiled barley in a lot of water, then strained and
    discarded the barley.  You give the baby the water that the
    barley was boiled in.  Haven't done this in many years, however.
    
    Flat ginger ale is a good substitute for Coke.  Besides, it has
    no caffeine.
    
    I've noticed that pediatricians are rather particular about
    their definition of "diarrahea".  The nurses in our practice
    told me that unless the baby is having a liquid movement every
    hour or oftener, it isn't really considered diarrahea.  A day
    of soft, pasty BMs, even soft BMs that occur every couple of
    hours, is something to keep an eye on, but technically it isn't
    diarrahea.  (This is in reference to the noter whose daughter
    had had diarrahea for four days and the pedi said don't worry.
    Sorry, four days is four days too long for a baby to be 
    uncomfortable.)  

    When my son had this kind of stomach virus his pedi told me to mix the
    pedialyte with ginger ale (50/50) and give it to him every half hour to
    replenish the fluids he lost.  His pedi did not say anything about the
    pedialyte loosing any of the electrolites or anything else.  He just
    said that the ginger ale makes it taste better and kids will drink it
    more.
    
    He also put him on a low fat diet for a couple of weeks until his
    stomach setteld down. He also percribed a medication for Alexander's
    vomiting, becasue it was so sever (he is a projectile vomiter).  This
    medication worked well and since it had a small doase of Alcohol in it
    we had to give him a glass of water after giving him the medecin.
    
    My pedi also said that gatorade is good for replenishing also.
    
    Liz

One quick comment -- when advising giving ginger ale to a sick child, I 
believe most pedis specify _flat_ ginger ale, that is ginger ale that has been 
allowed to lose its carbonation.  Carbonated beverages can be bad news for 
someone with an upset stomach.

Clay

    You can flatten ginger ale in a hurry by putting it in the blender.
    
    We got a lot of experience with this when my daughter and I had the
    flu a few weeks ago.
    
    judy

    I use to use the Jello water... mix regular jello with extra water. 
    Both of my kids loved it, even when they were so sick tht nothing
    seemed to stay in!  When they were babies, I would put it in their
    bottles, and they would drink it right down!
    
    Only once was one of mine hospitalized, it was most unpleasant!!!

    Getting back to the original question...you certainly don't have to
    spend $4.00 to make it.
    
    The recipe for 1 liter of rehydration salts is:
    
    	3.5 grams salt	---  required
    	40  grams sugar ---  required
        2.5 grams baking soda or 2.9 grams trisodium citrate ---- desirable
    	1.5 grams potassium chloride --- desirable
    
    Mix with a liter of sterile water.
    
    
    My pedi suggested using pedialyte (we did not discuss the home brew) to
    brew herbal tea. My daughter liked it well enough. I understand jello
    is another way to flavor it.
    
   
    

    re: .15, please clarify for me.  I was of the imression that postassium
    cloride was available by prescription only.  Just FYI, too much or too
    little potasium can cause fatal cardiac irregularities.
    
    I'd rather get the over the counter stuff, and be safe.  I think it
    comes in a fruit punch flavor too, which might be more tolerable.  I
    used to mix it with 1/4 apple juice, and just give 1/4 more of the
    total liquid to make up the difference.
    
    Lyn

    I don't understand why some pediatricians give the okay to dilute
    pedialyte when it clearly states on the side of the bottle not to
    dilute it (I checked when I got home last night).
    
    Lori B.

    I haven't tied to get potassium chloride or to make the home brew.
    
    The recipe is from the World Health Organization. It is clear from the
    text that sugar and salt would be enough if that were all that were
    available.