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You are here: Experts > Kids > Health for Kids > Pediatrics > drinking
Expert: Mary Pat, R.N. - 10/29/2009
Question
My 11 month old daughter refuses to drink anything except juice. Two weeks ago, she was in the hospital with dehydration (she had bronchitis and a high fever and wouldn't eat or drink). At that time, the doctor said she needed to drink any fluids we could get into her. The only thing she would drink was juice. She has never been a big fan of her bottle, but now even less. Since being sick, she will not drink her formula. I've tried it in a bottle, sippy cup, cup, cold, room temperature, warm --- you name it. She arches her back and screams and hits the bottle/cup away. So... I thought I would try switching her to whole milk (better than nothing). She sucked down the first bottle offered to her but has not taken much since (three days ago). Again, I have tried mixing the milk and formula, adding Pediasure, cold, warm, room temp., bottle, sippy cup. She may take a sip or two and maybe an ounce or two if I'm really lucky, but usually she swats it away. However, she LOVES her food and eats everything put in front of her. I have tried cutting back on food but that doesn't effect the amount of fluid intake either. Because she was recently sick and dehydrated (something I don't ever want her to experience again) I am very concerned. The only formula I can get in her is the 4 ounces I put in her oatmeal for breakfast. Do you have any suggestions? I am at a loss!
Answer
Dear Kelley:
Hospitalization of a young child can cause them to be very difficult to manage for a little while once home.
It was okay to wean your child off of formula and start whole milk. Many children resist drinking milk when first offering it but continue to offer it with meals and bedtime snack. One day she will start drinking it again. In the meantime, stop giving her all that juice. She should only be given 3 to 4 ounces of juice a day by cup, not bottle. Juice is a huge appetite killer so it may cause her to get so used to it's sweet flavor, milk will never be as good.
Until she starts drinking milk again make pudding with milk daily, add it to her cereal as you have been doing, offer cheese and yogurt daily and make sure she takes a children's liquid vitamin dropperful once a day.
Try to give it to her with a straw. It is amazing how easily a one year old can learn to drink thru a straw.
Mary Pat
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