Home Made Rehydration Drink

I had a question from one of my readers about Pedialite. So I did a little searching to see what I could find. When I was a baby, and when I had my children, we never used Pedialite, instead we used a table spoon of Karo Corn Syrup in a bottle of water. But knowing now, what I know about corn syrup, that probably wasn't the best way to go - it works in a pinch though.

Pedialite and Gatorade are both full of chemicals, sugars and preservatives that you really don't want to give your infant. Plus, they are expensive! So home made options, where you can control the ingredients and their quality, are an obvious better option for most parents.

Here are some recipes I have found over the past few months. I will add more as I find them!

Recipe 1:
Ingredients:

• 2 quarts water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt substitute (made with potassium chloride)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 package "Invisible" Kool-Aid or other dye free flavoring (optional) 
• OR 2 teaspoons vanilla (or other) extract

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate. 

Recipe 2:
Ingredients:

•  1 liter water
• ½ cup Coconut Water
• ½ teaspoon Salt 
• 6-8 teaspoons of sugar

Mix all ingredients & cool.

Recipe 3: 
Ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• ¼ tsp real salt
• ¼ tsp no salt (potassium chloride)
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 2 ½ tsp sugar

Mix all ingredients & cool.

Recipe 4:  In case of diarrhea
Ingredients:

• ½ to 1 cup precooked baby rice cereal or 1½ tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 2 cups of water
• ½ tsp. salt

Preparation:
Mix well the rice cereal (or sugar), water, and salt together until the mixture thickens but is not too thick to drink.

Give the mixture often by spoon and offer the child as much as he or she will accept (every minute if the child will take it).

Continue giving the mixture with the goal of replacing the fluid lost: one cup lost, give a cup. Even if the child is vomiting, the mixture can be offered in small amounts (2-1 tsp.) every few minutes or so.

• Banana or other non-sweetened mashed fruit can help provide potassium.
   
• Continue feeding children when they are sick and to continue breastfeeding if the child is being breastfed.

Additional Notes:

• To much sugar can increase Diarrhea. So use the lowest amount that a child will take.
• To much salt can increase Dehydration. Always test and make sure liquid is not as salty as tears.
• You can not add to much water. If it seems to salty, add more water. 
• Use "Salt Lite" rather than Salt as it includes potassium.