Been told not to give water for the winter vomiting bug? Correct?

[Moln]

One of the DCs has this - vomiting and diarrhoea all night. Obviously I'm worried about dehydration, though he's been taking sips of water throughout.

I've just been told that water is the worst thing to give them, and that they were told this my medical staff.

I'm at a loss as to how this could possibly be the case!!!! Anyone actually know??

[ProbablyMe]

NHS advice is to drink water to avoid dehydration. Think whoever told you that wasn't listening properly! Hope your dc feels better soon.

[Ememem84]

I don't actually know but I would have thought that water is the best thing. I was told clear liquids. And warm water if possible - it might be easier on the throat.

Also was told to try ice lollies.

[Wishtoremainunknown]

I was told this once. I think imay have said something along the lines of.."what bollocks"

[Moln]

Apparently it (the water) dilutes 'something' in the blood. Had to bite my tongue not to response 'that sounds like a lot of quakery'

I mean surely fluid is a fluid - if water dilutes then so will other liquids.

I've asked DH to get ice lollies, I've some diorolyte but it's so horrible tasting!!!

[TheFairyCaravan]

DS2 (17) has just had Norovirus. I didn't seek medical advice, but on the NHS website here it says give water, so we did. For the first 24 hours, it mainly came back up. I gave him weak Ribena too.

I always give straws with drinks when they have been vomiting, to encourage them to sip it rather than drink it too fast.

DS2 came down with it last Monday morning, he is only now just about back to normal, so your little one has my sympathies.

[Catsmamma]

who told you this?? What precisely are their qualifications?

[Coffeeinapapercup]

I've always found with the vomiting bug that putting anything in your stomach that the bug can still reside in is a disaster and prolongs vomiting, including water.

I'm amazed at any medical professionals advising this though. Dehydration can be pretty horrendous and can result in hospitalisation. By sipping water you just end up vomiting a bit longer, unpleasant but not as disastrous as dehydration can be.

It's a balance

In my case I will avoid putting anything in because I figure I can recognise the signs of dehydration quickly enough to avoid it. I stop vomiting way before I suffer from dehydration.

Ds (special needs) I wouldn't even vaguely try this approach. He doesn't have the muscles to get rid of the contents of his stomach quick enough. The gap for him between ill and majorly ill is too small.

[Abra1d]

They may have meant Dioralyte was better for restoring electrolyte balance.

[Moln]

Catsmamma - they aren't medically qualified). Apparently they were told it years ago by staff in a hospital. I don't believe it but I has a moment of doubt though so made this post

He's drinking though a straw now, and hasn't been sick for a while now thankfully

[Catsmamma]

there's your answer then....

NHS advice wins over some random advice from years back

small sips of water, or ice cubes/lollies. Dioralyte or similar if you can get them to take it. We'd sometimes put it in a shot glass....just for novelty value when the children were small or straws are good

also I used to try to get them to swoosh it about their mouths, to slow down any gulping.

[TheFairyCaravan]

Moln I thought DS2 had stopped being sick, then he threw up 12 hours later.

It's a horrible bug. Fortunately DH and I haven't caught it yet, I bleached everything from DS2's bed frame, iPad, phone, door handles to the toilet! The house still stinks!

[Wishtoremainunknown]

I can hand on heart swear I was told this by a nurse back when nurses spoke to you on NHS direct. It was bullshit then too.

[Wishtoremainunknown]

Well actually they told my mum and she believed it. I was only about 13.

[girliefriend]

Have just had this very grim, was vomiting for on and off for 24 hours with the added joy of diarrhoea thrown onto the mix!

I found water stayed down o.kay in very small quantities I tried some lemonade and that was a disaster!

Praying dd will escape it now!!

[Moln]

There's just no logic to it - especially when as I said if water is going to dilute whatever it is then how come squash doesn't!!!

Oh no TheFairyCaravan as if 8 hours of constant vomiting and diarrhoea aren't enough!! I going to continue in the hope it's passed!!!

It is a self diagnosis mind - though all the symptoms match, regardless I've disinfected everything

[3littlefrogs]

That is terrible advice and very dangerous.
Possibly what they meant was that dioralyte or similar is safer for dehydration because maintaining the correct electrolyte balance is essential.
Also perhaps it was given in the context of water being difficult to keep down and ice cubes and ice lollies being much more effective?

People often misunderstand or misinterpret advice that, taken in context, may actually be correct.

[Badvocinapeartree]

If you child was taken to hospital with this they would give blackcurrant squash!
Dioralyte is the best thing but most young ones won't take it.
Someone once told me cold liquids are better - no idea why.

[TheApprentice]

5 ml dioralyte/diluted squash every 5 minutes if possible. I have been told this many times - ds2 vomits alot when he has flu bugs and has been dehydrated on 3 occasions. The hospital staff always said to give squash if dioralyte not available and this is because one of the dangers of dehydration is lack of sugar. But you have to give a little and often in the hope that a little bit will stay down. If child vomits leave it about half and hour before you try again. I even had to put it into ds while he was asleep!

[MissMarplesBloomers]

I always reckon if you sip slowly then some of it will be absorbed before you throw up again. Little & often which is why ice cubes made out of full sugar squash work well, put in a freezer bag & bash into chips with a rolling pin for little ones.

WHO guidelines to quote back at your numpty friend.

"WHO/UNICEF guidelines suggest ORT should begin at the first sign of diarrhea in order to prevent dehydration.

Babies are given ORT fluid from a dropper or a syringe. Infants under two are given a teaspoon of ORT fluid every one to two minutes. Older children and adults take sips from a cup. If the patient vomits, the carer waits a short time then persists with the ORT

A key element of ORT is that water is still absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the body, even with loss of fluid through diarrhea or vomiting. In the case of vomiting, WHO recommends a pause of 5–10 minutes, then continuing to slowly administer the fluid. In the case of diarrhea, WHO recommends giving children under two a quarter- to a half-cup of fluid following each loose bowel movement and older children a half- to a full cup. ORT is often given by parents or other family members in a home setting. ORT is also given by aid workers and health care workers in refugee camps, health clinics and hospital settings.

Mothers should remain with their children if at all possible. WHO recommends continuing breastfeeding and perhaps even re-lactating if circumstances realistically allow."

As a rough guide, one pint of warm water with a level teaspoon of salt & sugar diluted is more palatable than commercial ORT's and you can flavour with squash. If in doubt better to have a more dilute solution than none.

Hope all the little ones pick up soon x

[Bugsylugs]

I think this has been taken out of context. With vomiting and diarrhoea you leach sodium and potassium if you replace with just water you can end with hyponatraemia. However anyone vomiting / diarrhoea need fluids . Dioralyte is excellent

[Moln]

Maybe that's what she meant Busylugs, that it dilutes the sodium and potassium!

He won't drink the dioralyte, well only a small bit. It isn't nice tasting though!! Had an ice lolly though.

[Karasea]

Crisps and coke- the reflect first nibbles!

[Theboulderhascaughtupwithme]

When absolutely all else has failed my two will always take coca cola, not ideal but a blessed relief when your child hadn't taken fluids for 10 hours and has a fever of 41 degrees (seen twice in walk in centre and medically fit to return home I should add!!)

[Moln]

I'm not going to go down the doctor route - it being the weekend and me in Ireland it'd cost a bomb to see a out of hours GP.

[andsmileitschristmas]

My DS had a vomitted three times in about 4/5 hours last week - no Diarrhoea. We werent sure if it was from dodgys fish and chips or his sensitive tummy. But apparently a few of the children in his class have had it either or both V&D

I did not give my DS water in-between vomiting initally as with him it seems to make him vomit so much more violently and for longer. (past experience)

After he had vomitted a couple of times he had more of a drink rather than sips and I was carefule about what he ate for a few days.

Can the winter bug be this breif - he really was only ill for one day. We have all had our first seasonal cold/bad throats - all four of us spread over four weeks!