Dehydrated? NHS Direct say yes, GP say no!

[MandyD]

I'm not sure if I should have put this in the When to go to the Dr's thread, but I'd like some advice on my son who, I feel, is at risk of becoming dehydrated.

He has a temperature of 38 degrees due to a chest infection (saw GP last night and started antibiotics this morning). He's 3 in March and has drunk less than half a pint of liquid today.

I rang NHS Direct and they said he must see a doctor within 4 hours. Rang the GP out of hours service who put me onto my own GP who was covering tonight. She said I shouldn't worry and he'd be fine even if he didn't drink till tomorrow! She said if he was smaller or younger then she'd advise differently but as he's a big lad he should be ok. He's since had a few sips of juice and is a bit less lethargic but I'm still worried.

The worse bit is that it's Sat tomorrow.

He hasn't drunk much but although he has had a temperature it's not that high. I, personally, have always found that NHS direct give advice along the lines of'take 2 aspirin and go to bed' or 'go and see your doctor'. Not a great insight while covering themselves.

He prob is getting benefit from resting and being at home. He's not a wee thing but you must still be anxious. If you can keep up gentle encouragement and frequent offers erring this side of nagging you will be doing very well. To be honest, the only way that I can think that they can rehydrate him, if he's not drinking, is by hooking him to a drip in hospital. Home is a nicer place to be if things are not too extreme.

My mum, an ex-casualty nurse, swears by tepid sponging to reduce fever. He might well wake you in the night wanting water. Hope it's not too agonising for you.

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Hi RobinW, thanks for asking - he's a bit better! The antibiotics must have started working now I think. He didn't want to drink again this morning but I said he couldn't watch his Barney video till he'd finished a cup of juice! Still hasn't hardly eaten today, just a few crisps and a rasher of bacon. Have swapped his sugar-free squash for sweetened version to get a few calories into him.

After his nap this afternoon I came in to find his dad had given him over a cup of Coke (normally an absolute no-no!) but at least it's fluid, hey? But he's a lot brighter in himself today, mostly, and I've just got him into bed after 'Malcolm in the Middle' - one of his favourite programmes! Here's hoping he sleeps well tonight!

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Agree with Robinw about the flat coke - or flat lemonade if they prefer that - my niece ended up in hospital on a drip when she became very dehydrated after a stomach upset and was told if she had been given flat coke or lemonade (instead of just water, which is what the gp advised) she would have been fine. It's the salts in these drinks which the body retains if you are being sick.

Agree about the fizzy dinks - my kids love being ill as it is the only time we have coke in the house (i love the stuff) I dont always wait until its flat. It keeps them hydrated, reduces stomach aches and the sugars keep their energy levels up until they fancy eating again.
NB v good cure for hangover too!

Hi Batters - thanks for asking! He got a new antibiotic (Erythromicin) on Friday (the fourth in the course of this illness since December) and on Sunday morning he came out in a rash. It was red on his stomach and legs and purple on his face so I rushed him to the emergency GP who diagnosed that he was allergic to the antibiotic!

So 2 days would be right...meanwhile he's still swigging the full-sugar Coke! Will have to go back to GP for another antibiotic to clear up the chest infection.

Lill, you reminded me of my own childhood, when if one of us was ill we would sometimes be given Lucozade - a real treat!
Remamber the yellow cellophane on the bottle and the way itw would get really sticky...
Makes me feel better just to think about it!