🚨 Advance warning 🚨 This forum will be closing on 1st May – please see our pinned thread for more information.
Worried about dehydration
Hi,
My LO is 11 months old and has had a nasty virus for a week or so. Today he had a good drink of wte at breakfast, a bottle of milk but has hardly had anything since lunchtime - just a little drink of water at tea time. he refused his bedtime bottle and a bottle of water. I've just tried to dreamfeed him now, and he has refused water and milk.
He had a slightly wet nappy at bathtime - I just don't know if / when i should be worried about dehydration. Also, what should i do if he continues not to drink? Should I go to the dr or to the hospital?
I'd be grateful if anyone else has been in a similar situation and could advise me, if he doesn't want to drink at all tomorrow. he ate a little bit at teatime.
thanks v much,
K xxx
My LO is 11 months old and has had a nasty virus for a week or so. Today he had a good drink of wte at breakfast, a bottle of milk but has hardly had anything since lunchtime - just a little drink of water at tea time. he refused his bedtime bottle and a bottle of water. I've just tried to dreamfeed him now, and he has refused water and milk.
He had a slightly wet nappy at bathtime - I just don't know if / when i should be worried about dehydration. Also, what should i do if he continues not to drink? Should I go to the dr or to the hospital?
I'd be grateful if anyone else has been in a similar situation and could advise me, if he doesn't want to drink at all tomorrow. he ate a little bit at teatime.
thanks v much,
K xxx
0
Replies
If he is drinking a little, and having some wet nappies then I think he'll probably be fine (if he was thirsty - he'd drink) unless he is vomiting a lot, or has bad diarrhoea. Babies can easily go a few days without much to drink, especially when they are poorly.
If you are worried, then it's well worth taking him to see your GP and they can give you some disgusting powder to mix with his drinking water - to rehydrate him (good luck getting him to drink it, it's awful stuff!) or in the mean time you could try mixing some juice with the water (he might be a bit keener to drink it, and the extra sugar will help).
Unless you think he is seriously ill (like if he goes very floppy or very rigid, or if he stops responding to you - etc) then I think you'd just have a very long wait in A&E, and he's probably better off getting a good nights sleep instead, maybe give NHS direct a ring and see what they suggest? (0845 46 47)
I would just offer him drinks little and often, and see if you can get him to eat things like fruit and veg (which have loads of water in), keep an eye on his temperature, and give him lots of cuddles. I would only worry if he stops producing wet nappies altogether.
Hope he feels better soon.
nx
You could also syringe Diarolyte into him (you can get sachets at the chemist which you add to water - think this is the stuff Nikki's talking about).
Hope he's better soon.
thanks for the advice, i feel more reassured now.
K xxx