Please help me get her to drink something.....poorly baby.

[ElleOhElle]

Sorry if this isn't the right place to post but I think it's one of the busiest and I need some advice.
DD is 14mths and has tonsillitis, she's on erythromycin. She's had her milk this morning about 6oz, and she's had weetabix but I can't get her to drink any water. She just pushes the cup away and cries. She has been drinking on and off but today she is just refusing. I tried the other day when she wasn't drinking to put a bit of flavour in the water but she still refused, she normally loves water. Last night after a long nap she was gasping and downed half a cup but hasn't had much since then. I'm really worried that she's dehydrated as her nappy wasn't very wet this moring after 12hrs of wearing it although I've just changed her again and it was quite wet this time.
I've got some dioralyte but if I can't get her to drink how do I give it to her.
She hasn't had a fever for a couple of days now.

tea spoon it in? syringe? would she suck on an iced lolly?

I've found the most effective is to use a medicine syringe to get water in 5mm at a time at 5minute intervals.

Also ice lollies, drinking with a straw, a treat drink (cola is actually quite good, as long as you brush teeth afterwards), playing dolly tea parties can work as young as that if they're interested.

Was going to suggest an ice lolly too. How about playing tea party if she's up to it?

x-posted with DeWe .

I would syringe it in a few ml at a time.

I agree with a treat drink - tonsilitis is agony (used to get it all the time). I would melt some icecream - it's really soothing and it will be food and liquid at the same time. Make sure it's good quality stuff though - based on proper cream not just skimmed milk powder and vegetable fat.

Would she drink water from a bottle? Mine used to revert back to having all drinks from
A baby bottle when they were poorly

I tried a teaspoon, but she just cried when she realised it wasn't calpol.
I have a syringe, I'll try that. I made her some banana ice lollies the other day, I'll give her one of those when she wakes up. Not sure she'll understand the tea party but I'll try that too.
Thank you

Another one recommending the syringe! One of the best tips i have been given on mumsnet, 5ml every few minutes.

Hope she feels better soon.

She takes a bit from her bottle but then cries when she realises it's not milk.

If she wants milk I'd give her milk - she's probably hungry as well as thirsty and needs the extra calories. Is there a reason she can't have it?

Agree with Octavia, I keep giving her milk unless there is a reason not too.

Or even watered down milk??

Ice lillies. Hope she's better soon

No, no reason why she can't have milk. I just didn't want to fill her up on milk but if that'll rehydrate her then she can have all the milk she wants.

My LO was hospitalised at 7ish months with dehydration caused by tonsilitus so I truly empathise with you. Is she having calpol? Did you know that you can alternate calpol and ibuprofen? The doses paeds told me for a 7month old were 5ml calpol 2 hour gap and then 2ml ibuprofen, 2 hour gap, 5ml calpol etc. also try and get the anti-biotics inbetween one of those so that you aren't giving 2 doses of anything at the same time.

Keep getting milk down her if you can, use syringe for water. Also straight after medicine you should be able to get a fair bit down her as it coats the throat.

Basically according to what paeds told me, once the meds (all of the above) kick in then she should start to drink normally. I would strongly advise you take her to GP or walk in at hospital if you have one if you think she is dehydrating. Better to do that than leave it like I did as she was admitted and had a tube put in which wasn't very nice for her.

Hope she's feeling better soon

Poor little thing. I would definitely try the syringe but if you are really desperate, try a clean wet flannel to suck. Know it sounds a tad strange, but it gradually gets a little bit of fluid in without shocking them too much. I would say milk fine too, I'm sure it doesn't much matter what it is as long as it is fluid.

Thanks Willow, I've been alternating the calpol and nurofen. Will try giving the water straight after like you've suggested.
Mumlar, I'll try that flannel idea as well thanks, she might like that as she tries to suck on wet wipes(yuk)

Jelly is good too, they think they are eating something yummy, you know that really its just a 'solid' drink :)

just to say, don't exceed 4 doses Calpol in 24 hrs (so every 6 hours) and 3 doses ibuprofen in 24 hours (so every 8 hours). Ds has been hospitalised with chest infections and they advised not do the calpol/ibuprofen thing.

The flannel idea worked for DS. Would she eat some cucumber or melon?

If she will eat perhaps try her with a tin of mandarin segments in juice, they are about 99 percent water and taste tummy too

While she is taking some milk and wetting nappies a little you don't need to be too concerned.
My 9 mo baby became dehydrated recently and in the hospital we had to do what they called a 'fluid challenge'. This involves making up dioralyte and giving it to baby in a syringe 3ml at a time every 5 mins. You do this with nappy off until you see baby pass urine. Once urine passed the hospital knew kidneys were working and we were discharged. It took about 3.5 hours for us, which included about 40 mins of baby asleep.
Hope that helps good luck xx

Thanks everyone, she's enjoying the ice lolly at the moment.

Poor little love! Is she on antibiotics? Coming from someone who's recently had it, it's like swallowing shattered glass. Swallowing anything (even saliva) is the last thing you want to do. But glad she's enjoying the ice lolly! No advice really just sympathy. xx