So, how do we hydrate our kids when they are sick?
Homemade electrolyte drinks are excellent alternatives to store-bought sports drinks, but keep in mind that these beverages still contain sugar—albeit less sugar than their bottled counterparts.
We assume that Gatorade is a healthy way to deal with dehydration and upset stomachs because it was designed to help athletes rehydrate after a game.
However, Gatorade is nothing, but sugar mixed with sports drinks and chemicals that help to make you feel better.
Hence, it may not be a healthy alternative for kids.
Can Babies Drink Gatorade?
New parents can be unsure what beverages are safe for their children. Can babies drink Gatorade?
It is not recommended for infants and toddlers to consume Gatorade or other sports beverages as a substitute for juice, water, or milk.
While Gatorade is not toxic to infants and toddlers, it does contain sugar and electrolyte levels that are not generally found in breast milk, formula, or fruit juices.
However, infants and toddlers that have stopped taking breast milk or formula and are transitioning to solid foods can take Gatorade.
It’s best to ask your pediatrician about introducing a new beverage into your child’s diet.
1. Gatorade for a 1-Year-Old Infant
1-year-old infants are in a vulnerable position and still susceptible to illness.
There is no need for them to have Gatorade because they aren’t actively sweating or losing water due to exercise.
Their new baby teeth are vulnerable to damage by sugary drinks like Gatorade and sodas, so giving them these drinks as a treatment for sickness isn’t appropriate because it would just contribute to the tooth decay that can be caused by drinking sugary drinks.
Searching for information about giving Gatorade to babies reveals that the company that produces this drink is also the manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages, which you might think would make Gatorade a healthy choice of drink for sick babies.
However, this isn’t true because these drinks contain sugar content, and should be treated in the same way as soda or other sugary drinks.
2. Rehydrating Your Child– How To Treat Vomiting and Diarrhea at Home?
Diarrhea and vomiting are common problems in infants and young children.
These illnesses often start with a virus, rather than bacteria, so medicines like antibiotics will not help.
Young children are particularly vulnerable to losing too many fluids through these illnesses, which can cause dehydration.
In most cases, these illnesses can be treated at home with extra care and supervision by parents.
3. Rehydration
Replacing lost fluids is often the most important part of treating dehydration.
Rehydrating your child requires a slow and steady pace—giving too much fluid too quickly can cause nausea and vomiting.
After 30 minutes without throwing up, offer small amounts of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes.
It’s important to give your baby the right fluids to help it get well, but you don’t want to give too much sugar.
Use Pedialyte or another electrolyte solution for children at least a month old; this should not be used for children younger than that age.
For children older than 6 months old, give them – sports drinks such as Gatorade or PowerAde, jelly, popsicles, broth, or caffeine-free soda like Sprite, 7Up, or ginger ale. Do not give red Gatorade.
It can make vomit or diarrhea look like there is blood in it.
4. How much to Give
For a newborn, give 5 mL of milk every 5 minutes for the first hour. If your baby is not sick after one hour, try offering 10 mL every 5 minutes for the next hour.
For children over 1 year old, give 10 mL every 5 minutes for the first hour.
If your child is not sick after one hour, try offering 20 mL every 5 minutes for the next hour.
If your child is not sick after one hour, you can offer more to drink for the next 4 to 6 hours.
Summary
Dehydration caused by sickness can be managed by replacing lost fluids and electrolytes.
Sports drinks such as Gatorade contain sodium to help rehydrate you, but their high sugar content can be a problem.
Sugar-filled drinks can prolong diarrhea—and even make it worse. Sports drinks are also used by pet owners as a rehydration therapy for dogs with diarrhea.
You can find Pedialyte in any drug store, and it is the best product for rehydrating a sick child.
If you don’t have access to that, Gatorade Zero might be an acceptable alternative, but only if your child isn’t so dehydrated that they need to get fluids into their body as quickly as possible.
Can babies drink Gatorade? Yes, if and only if a pediatrician says it’s okay.
There is no solid evidence that Gatorade is harmful to babies, though you should always check with your pediatrician as to what your baby’s nutrition needs are.
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Frequently Asked Questions
At what age can you give a baby Gatorade?
It can be scary when a child has diarrhea or is vomiting.
Help your child out by giving him/her Pedialyte or an electrolyte solution for children at least a month old; this should not be used for children younger than that age.
Make sure to give enough fluid so your child does not get dehydrated while vomiting or having diarrhea.
For children older than 6 months old, give them – sports drinks like Gatorade or PowerAde, jelly, popsicles, broth, or ginger ale.
Do not give red Gatorade—it can make vomit and diarrhea look like there is blood in it.
Do not use medications to help with symptoms until after you have talked to the doctor who will treat your child’s dehydration.
Can you give a baby watered down Gatorade?
Bottles holding water or ice chips can help you soothe a dry, sore throat. If your throat hurts, try swallowing ice chips rather than solid food.
If drinking fluids does little to quench your thirst, try sipping on solutions like Pedialyte or Gatorade.
This will boost your electrolyte intake as well as provide needed fluids.
If your child is vomiting, consider giving them small liquids in small amounts. This helps than giving them a lot of liquid at once.
Why should babies not have Gatorade?
Although Gatorade is a quick fix for rehydrating your child, paediatricians believe that the sugar content in Gatorade is more likely to deteriorate diarrhea.
In this case, the American Dietetic Association highly recommends an oral electrolyte maintenance solution, which can help with hydration.
Iesha is a loving mother of 2 beautiful children. She’s an active parent who enjoys indoor and outdoor adventures with her family. Her mission is to share practical and realistic parenting advice to help the parenting community becoming stronger.