Slog slog slog.

[rivka]

Michael called me at work today to report that Alex was refusing liquids and barely needing to pee. Around lunchtime, she threw up the meager helping of dry Cheerios she'd ingested that morning, refused all liquids - including what ought to have been the irresistible siren call of the popsicle - and fell asleep.

I called our pediatrician's office and waited on hold for half an hour to talk to the advice nurse. That was my first clue that we might not be the only ones in town having this problem. She told me, firmly, that we had to get fluids into Alex whether she wanted them or not. She suggested a medicine dropper, a different brand of electrolyte solution, an every-three-minutes schedule, and TV for distraction. And she explained when we'd need to head to the ER: if Alex didn't pee for twelve hours, or if she cried and didn't make any tears.

I came home from work an hour early, bearing the new brand of electrolytes. Michael had recently started the every-three-minutes routine with the disfavored brand, and Alex was submitting to it. Meanwhile, I had thought of another idea I thought would coax her into drinking more: an extremely fancy glass. (We have these little cordial glasses decorated with tiny beads and chains.) I poured an ounce of electrolyte stuff into the cordial glass, and Alex happily gulped it down. I felt like a genius.

Until five minutes later, when she threw it up. Huh. I guess she knew what she was doing, all that time that she was refusing to drink juice or pedialyte from a cup.

I took over the medicine-dropper routine. For the next two-and-a-half hours, Alex lay limply on my lap watching TV through slitted eyes. Every three minutes, she obediently opened her mouth for a dropperful of electrolyte solution. A teaspoon every three minutes means a tablespoon every nine minutes, which means an ounce every eighteen minutes. Three ounces an hour. Rehydration at three ounces an hour takes a very. Long. Time. But she kept it all down.

When I came home from work, Alex was so sick that shocked tears came to my eyes. She was barely there. By the time we'd gotten nine ounces of electrolyte solution into her, she was actually able to sit up, converse a little, interact with a book instead of staring blankly at the screen.

She's asleep now. I hope that in the morning she'll actually be able to drink. Otherwise it's going to be a dropperful every three minutes. All. Day. Long. It's like Chinese water torture, except that it's keeping our kid out of the ER.

Comments

[txanne.livejournal.com]

I'm praying for all three of you.

[eeyorerin]

Oh, poor little button. And poor you and Michael.

I'm glad you're able to keep her out of the ER, though.

[guruwench.livejournal.com]

Oh, the poor dear - and you and Michael besides. Good thoughts continuing for you three.

[aloha-moira.livejournal.com]

Oh gosh, that does not sound fun... over the first couple entries I was convinced this was a 24 hour bug; so unfortunate that it's not! Hope she gets better soon, for all of your sakes... :(

[nex0s.livejournal.com]

Man o man.

I'm sending "fluid keeping down vibes".

Poor baby.

N.

[geminigirl]

I'm sitting here weeping, Rivka. I'm so sorry.

[iamjw.livejournal.com]

*hugs* to all of you.

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

Oh, golly, that sounds awful. But better than the ER.

*friendly hugs are offered*

[tammylc.livejournal.com]

Oh, honey, that's just awful! i'm so glad to hear she kept the nine ounces down, and i'm wishing you best luck for tomorrow!

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Heh, there's late pregnancy hormones for you. I promise that parenthood is not usually like this.

And write this one down: Gerber Liquilytes, instead of Pedialyte. Apple flavor seems to be the tastiest.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

I am so, so sorry for all three of you. (But mostly Alex. Still, here's sympathy for what you and Michael are suffering, too.)

[baratron.livejournal.com]

That is very much no fun. But nicer than a drip. However, it's difficult to explain that to poor Alex.

*hugs* to all of you.

[(Anonymous)]

That's pretty scary. Best wishes for Alex's improvement.

[ex-serenejo.livejournal.com]

Poor little dear. Poor mommy and daddy!

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Not good. I hope she's able to drink and keep it down in the morning. I also hope you and Michael can get some decent sleep tonight. Tomorrow might be a very long day.

Suggestion from a pediatrics nurse

[daddywarlock.livejournal.com]

Heidi's a nurse, and she suggested using a shot glass (which, she says, is 1 oz.). Personally, I don't see that that'll help; seems like Alex needs small quantities at a time.

If thre's anything we can do, just ask.

Yet another suggestion from the pediatrics nurse

[daddywarlock.livejournal.com]

Try making a popsicle from the apple-flavor Liquilyte. Even if it doesn't work, you're no worse off than before; it'll thaw. Or even half-freezing it into a Slushie. (That one makes a lot more sense to me. If Alex can handle a spoon she'll be able to control her intake rate, and you can still limit the total amount.) Freezing it in the bottom of a flat pan will freeze it faster, and you can scoop it up with an ice cream scoop or a melon baller.

Nah, she doesn't know anything about getting fluids into a toddler 8-)

Ken

[jerusha.livejournal.com]

Good luck! Hopefully life in Stomachsville will be rather more settled tomorrow, and Alex will be able to help hydrate herself.

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

I always read and never comment, but right now I'm shivering with caring for you all.

[ailbhe]

Oh god. You poor things. I hope things are getting better now.

Jello is another trick for hydrating the unwilling, but I think too much for her as she was when you wrote this.

Good luck.

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. I'm so sorry. I hope she feels better soon. Dehydration can be weirdly cumulative (I've seen this in children, and felt it myself.)

[bosssio.livejournal.com]

wow, poor thing - all of you.

I wouldn't be afraid of the ER, though, if that is what needs doing. She may need an IV of fluids. I have had severe dehydration twice that resulted in hospitalization with fluids (once due to food poisoning in DC and once due to Amoebic dysentery in Mali) and while I hate hate hate IVs, the fluids did make me feel better FAST. And dehydration in kids can be so darn fast.

The problem with the ER is the wait time. Even when there is no one there, unless you are actually bleeding or convulsing, they make you wait, which is stupid. An urgent care clinic should be able to administer IVs but there are too few of them around.

Good luck and I really hope things continue to improve!!

[fairoriana.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry -- that sounds unutterably miserable. I hope that she feels better soon!

[kate_nepveu]

Oh, sympathies and best wishes to all of you. That sounds utterly miserable.

(I've been avoiding the posts with warnings, and now I'm glad and grateful because I can fill in some of the blanks.)

[tendyl.livejournal.com]

Thank you - Nori hates Pedialyte so I'll switch. and *HUGS*

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

I was thinking that -- I drink 32oz of rehydration fluid every day (so I don't have to get IVs twice a week) and when I get dehydrated like that, I'd really rather have the IVs. But Alex is too little to understand and it will probably scare her.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

I read these so late after you post that I always hope things are better by the time I post. This one is tough on all of you.