If your doctor recommends home treatment for dehydration, be sure to get clear instructions about what fluids to give, what foods to avoid and what, if any, medication to use. Make plans to follow up with the pediatrician if needed.

Here are a couple of guidelines for home treatment of dehydration to keep in mind:

• Most children should continue their normal diet, including formula and breast milk. For mild dehydration, children do not need special fluids.
• Remember, it is not safe to use adult medications, such as anti-diarrhea medicines, for children or infants.
• For older children and infants, the best foods to give after hydration include bananas, rice, cereal and potatoes.
• Avoid salty broths and soups and all caffeinated beverages.
• If your child has moderate to severe dehydration, your doctor may recommend special fluids to replace the lost electrolytes and help your child hydrate. Making hydration fluid at home can be complicated, and it is easiest to buy a pre-mixed formula, such as Pedialyte or Infalyte or a generic equivalent.
• Unless specifically instructed by your doctor, do not prevent your child from eating if he is hungry.
• Keep your pediatrician informed if there is any significant change in how your child is behaving, if he develops any new symptoms or if it doesn't seem like he is improving.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.