Alternatives to pedialyte?

Does he not want to nurse b/c it hurts? (ie an ear infection?). Could you express your milk and let him have it in a cup or bottle? Breastmilk is really the best b/c he can absorb it so much faster than other fluids.

After he throws up, wait about an hour. Give him tummy a rest. Then give him a teaspoon of breastmilk (or water). If he keeps that down, give him another teaspoon. Keep working with him that way until he is gradually taking small doses of liquid throughout the day.

pedialyte comes in popcicles, have you tried that?

Or even some type of frozen juice to suck on or lick. (even breastmilk or water).

If he isn't getting fluids down, he probably should be seen. When my son did this, they put him on IV fluids and you wouldn't believe how quickly that kid perked up!

I don't blame him! Pedialyte leaves a lot to be desired as far as tastes go!

First, if he will drink water, try giving it to him in tiny amounts ( 1 tsp every 30 minutes while he's awake). He should be able to keep that down and even if he doesn't continue to give it if he will take it.

You can also dilute down the pedialtye ( about 50%) with water and see if he will take it that way. They also have Pedialyte popsicles, which some babies will take.

As a very last resort, meaning if you cannot get him to drink anything else and have tried everything else and suspect dehydration, you can dilute gatorade down by 75% and give him small teaspoonfuls of that every 30 minutes. While it's sugary, if he won't take anything else, sugary is better than getting nothing at all. Only give him tiny amount of it because sugar can make diarrhea worse. I hate to even suggest it but many pediatricians do suggest it as a last resort.

After a few hours of keeping liquids down, you can try broth from soup or a very bland cracker...only giving a tiny amount at a time.

If you notice he isn't crying tears, hasn't peed in over 4 hours, has more than 8 loose diapers in an our hour period or the inside of his mouth or lips are dry, I would take him in for IV hydration.

Good luck!

My daughter around the same age as your son became ill with the flu and was vomiting and had diahrea. Her doctor told me to stop giving her formula and give her pedialite to keep her hydrated. If she was to vomit her pedialite I was to take her to the hospital. If I was you I would most definately try to find a 24/7 pharmacy for pedialyte. Infants can easily get dehydrated. If your son can not hold formula/breastmilk I would try water but first speak to a nurse/doctor. Do not give your 5 and a half month old gatorade or anything similar ! I can't believe anyone would suggest something like that. As for apple juice, it can cause diahrea and so I wouldn't give him that either. He is also a little young for juices.

Our pediatrician wonders how that Pedialyte company stays in business. He says most kids hate that stuff.

He tells us that just getting clear fluids in is what's most important, so try water again with just a bit of juice for flavour, or even water with a bit of flat ginger ale in it to help calm his tummy.

If he can't really keep it down, just give a few sips at a time - that'll have more chance of staying down than a bunch at once.

Water mixed with orange juice and a teaspoon of salt. This will give him the same electrolytes that pedialyte would.

Oooh this might be a little dangerous, if he wont have Pedialyte or water and wont nurse...

Consult a doctor or nurse, maybe he DOES need intravenous fluids until he is interested in drinking again.

If he can't keep down water, why would he keep down Pedialyte? He can easily get dehydrated so keep a sharp eye on him. He may have to be hospitalized until he nurses or can keep down fluids.

I'm so sorry!

my baby was sick once w/vomiting and i couldn't afford pedialyte so i looked up a homemade recipe on the net and it consisted of

water

sugar

salt

and juice or koolaid to add flavor or to taste.

my daughter drunk it with no problem (i added more sugar than was needed, cause the salt makes it taste just as nasty as pedilyte)

-hbb

rehydralyte is something like pedialyte. i was told by the pediatricians office you can find it at drugstores, but i couldnt so i just used pedialyte this is a site that has it.

All those answers are good. i just want to say to keep an eye on him because my daughter was hospitolized for a week when she was 1 because she was dehydrated.i took her to the er the day before and they said she was fine and the next day she was in the hospitol. so take good care because it is heartwrenching to see your baby in that condition.