[sak9645]

For nausea and vomiting, especially if a child is refusing Pedialyte or water, our pediatrician recommends either Coca-Cola syrup (available at occasional pharmacies) or flat regular Coca-Cola, which is much easier to obtain. You can "flatten" Coke by stirring out the bubbles or just leaving it out, open, for a while.

He says that Coke syrup has mild anti-nausea properties, and I believe him, as this was prescribed for me when I suffered from car sickness as a child. It worked great. And he says that most kids like the taste of Coke and will drink enough to avoid dehydration.

I used this with my daughter when she was TWO, on the pediatrician's advice -- and this is a young Board-certified guy with impeccable credentials. She had been vomiting frequently, and I worried about dehydration as she wouldn't drink water or Pedialyte.

A little of the Coke came back up -- and vomited Coke is extremely nasty-looking. However, the vomiting soon stopped, and Becca fell asleep. She awoke the next morning feeling great.

Unfortunately, the following night, I came down with the same problem, and I got it much worse than my daughter did. I was so weak that I could barely get to the kitchen to feed my daughter, and I wound up lying on the sofa in the living room and putting her high chair next to it while she ate.

Besides the fact that I got sick, the main downside of Becca's illness was the fact that she developed a taste for Coke, which I never give her! I let her have Sprite or ginger ale or a "Shirley Temple" on special occasions, especially now that she is 10, but I tend to avoid giving caffeinated beverages to kids. Of course, she has had Coke at parties and such.

So if the heavy syrup doesn't work, by all means try flat Coke. It can't hurt, and will at least keep your son hydrated. But don't be surprised if he pesters you for a six-pack of Coke, the next time you are at the supermarket!

Sharon

Sharon