GP advice "give the baby ribena " !!!

[ComeWhineWithMe]

My friends ds was born on boxing day .
She has been having a few problems with him not tolerating his milk and having very explosive nappies.
She took him to the doctors and was told by the GP that if he would not drink water to give him ribena .
She hasn't done BTW but imagine if this had been a first time Mum at her wits end and gave her LO a bottle of bloody ribena.

While I'm not entirely sure about it for a baby that young, a small child who has D&V and is refusing water needs fluid and sugar and may drink Ribena/Coke when he/she wouldn;t accept the rehydrating sachets or plain water.

I suppose I was just a bit shocked when she told me especially as it turns out he is allergic to the milk and is now on soya based milk.

She had also told the gp he was quite happy to drink water when it was offered.

I was told to give DS2 flat coke.

Ribena is very sugary so is quite useful for hydrating small children IME

I think I would probably ask that GP to substantiate his recommendation. With evidence. Because that's a very, very young baby to be giving Ribena to

ribena says on the label not to give to children under 3,

what a load of crap.

did the GP even suggest dioralite first?

The same GP put the baby on soya milk I assume? You may wish to show your friend this or this, highlighting the following:

The Department of Health warns against routine use of soy-based infant formulas because of the high content of phytoestrogens - compounds that mimic the action of the female hormone oestrogen.

It is feared this could pose a risk to the long-term reproductive health of infants, and some babies are allergic to both kinds of milk.

wow, GPs who recommend coke and ribena for tinies? seriously worrying. If they think the child needs a sugary drink, a small spoonful of sugar in water, despite being awful, would be less bad than coke! (am not suggesting it as an option, btw)

soya milk is not good for babies esp boys. Can cause them to be infertile when older...

Ds was born with hirschsprungs disease and would not tollerate milk feed's. We assumed an intollerance and our gp (locum one..) who is very old school prescribed soya milk.
It was my HV who was alarmed and said that things had changed and it was not to be given to babies.

BTW,how is he..? Just that ds's condition meant he would not feed (breast or formula), projectile vomited and had/has very explosive nappies...