What to Give a Child to Drink When He Has the Flu

The flu is characterized by a number of symptoms depending on the flu type. These symptoms include fever, a sore throat, cough, body aches, headache, diarrhea and an upset stomach. When your child has the flu, you both feel miserable. Give your child a lot of tender loving care, plenty of rest and the right fluids to keep him from becoming dehydrated from the flu symptoms.

Dehydration

• Children who are sick may not feel like eating or drinking. Fluids are especially important when a child has the flu. Vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration, especially if the fluids are not replaced. Signs of dehydration in a child include inactivity, a dry mouth, headache, excessive thirst, irritability, lack of consciousness, confusion, a fast heart rate, muscle weakness, dizziness, less urine or dark urine, and fewer tears than normal. The symptoms for a baby or toddler suffering from dehydration include dry mouth, inactivity, extreme sleepiness, a sunken soft spot on his head, fewer wet diapers than normal and fewer tears than normal. Another sign of dehydration is skin that does not bounce back when pulled away from the back of the wrist.

Beneficial Drinks

• Prevent dehydration by giving your child plenty of liquids when she is sick. Offer the fluids at every opportunity. She may take only a few sips one time and a glass or more the next time it's offered. Your doctor will want to know how much fluid your child drinks. Be prepared to answer his question by keeping a log of when it was consumed and the amount consumed.

  My Optum Health website recommends giving children drinks that are especially formulated to replenish nutrients and fluids. Drinks such as Infalyte, Pedialyte, and Rehyralyte replenish fluids as well as salt and sugar. Offer your child one of the above every half hour. You can alternate with warm broth or decaffeinated tea. If your child is hungry, soup is a good option. If you are breastfeeding, offer breast milk every half hour.
  The Medline Plus website recommends giving your child popsicles or gelatin if she is vomiting. Avoid giving fruit juice, especially apple juice. If you do give her juice, dilute it with an equal amount of water. The My Optum Health website also recommends popsicles and gelatin. Optum Health does not suggest diluting the fruit juice.
  The Mayo Clinic recommends giving your child Pedialyte to help him rehydrate. The site warns against giving him water. Water will not replace lost nutrients and electrolytes and it is not easily absorbed. The Mayo Clinic site also warns against giving apple juice because it can make diarrhea worse. Avoid giving him any sugary drinks, such as sodas.