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Illnesses and Eating

by T. Berry Brazelton, M.D., author of Feeding: The Brazelton Way

Signs of Dehydration

Fewer wet diapers or, in an older child, less frequent urination
Dry skin, sunken eyes
Dry mouth and tongue
Lethargy and irritability
Rapid pulse

If your child shows any of these signs or you have any reason to suspect that she is dehydrated, call your doctor right away.

When a child feels lousy, she won't want to eat. If she's vomiting, she'll refuse food and fluids. Dehydration is an immediate concern and can often be prevented. If she also has an upset stomach, temporarily stop her milk and solids. Resort to clear liquids with sugar and salts that she may need to replace. When she vomits repeatedly, try flat ginger ale, or fall back on a hydration solution: 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt to 8 ounces of water. Give her 1 teaspoonful every 5-10 minutes at first. As she retains that, go to 1 tablespoon every 5 minutes the second hour. If she begins to vomit again, start over, and let your doctor know.

For an upper respiratory infection, such as a runny nose, cough, or flu, be sure she gets plenty of liquids. If her throat is sore, she may need more encouragement to drink. For an older child, either warm or cold drinks (even Popsicles) may be soothing. Offer her clear liquids every hour or so. Milk and solids may well seem too heavy, and she may refuse them.

When your child has diarrhea and vomiting, your main job is to keep her from becoming dehydrated by giving her plenty of fluids containing salts and sugars. If she has a fever too, fluids may also help bring her temperature down and give her enough energy to start eating again. You may have to use your ingenuity to get her to drink when she feels lousy. Even lollipops or salted crackers may help to make her thirsty.

If you need to clear a baby's nose so that she can suck and drink, you can either use nose drops diluted half and half with water before you try to feed her, or you can make up your own nose drops (½ teaspoon salt to 4 ounces of water). Use a few drops 10-15 minutes before you feed her.

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Excerpted from Feeding: The Brazelton Way © 2004 by T. Berry Brazelton, M.D., and Joshua D. Sparrow, M.D. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Perseus.

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