Symptom Definition

• Child drinks less than normal amounts of fluid.
• Main Cause: Sore mouth or throat.  See MOUTH ULCERS or SORE THROAT after using this topic to check for dehydration.
• Common cause in infants: blocked nose in bottle or breastfed infant (reason: can't breathe while sucking). See COLDS after using this topic.
• Common cause: nausea from viral stomach infection without vomiting.
• Complication: dehydration.

Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If

• Your child looks or acts very sick.
• Signs of dehydration, such as:
  - Has not urinated in more than 8 hours.
  - Crying produces no tears.
  - Very dry mouth (rather than moist).
  - Sunken soft spot.
  - Excessively sleepy child.
• Too weak to suck or drink.
• Refuses to drink anything for more than 12 hours.
• Could have swallowed a foreign body.  
• Difficulty breathing not better after you clean out the nose.
• Newborn (less than 1 month old) who looks or acts sick at all.

Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours (between 9 and 4) If

• You think your child needs to be seen.
• Unexplained difficulty swallowing or drinking and also has fever.

Call Your Doctor During Weekday Office Hours If

• You have other questions or concerns.

Parent Care at Home

• Adequate fluid intake AND no signs of dehydration and you don't think your child needs to be seen.

Home Care Advice for Decreased Fluid Intake

1. Increase Fluid Intake:  Give your child unlimited amounts of her favorite liquid (e.g., chocolate milk, fruit drinks, Kool-Aid, soft drinks, water).  The type doesn't matter, as it does with diarrhea or vomiting.
   
   
2. Solid Foods:  Don't worry about solid food intake.  It's normal for appetite to fall off during illness.  Preventing dehydration is the only important issue.
   
   
3. For Sore Mouth:  If the mouth is sore, give cold drinks. Avoid citrus juices.  For infants, offer fluids in a cup rather than a bottle (reason: The nipple may increase pain).  Older child can use 1 teaspoon of a liquid antacid as a mouthwash 4 times per day after meals.  Give acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief.
   
   
4. For a Blocked Nose:  Suction it out using warm water or saline nosedrops in infants and toddlers. Make saline nosedrops by adding ½ teaspoon of table salt to 1 cup (8 oz.) of warm water.
   
   
5. Call Your Doctor If:
   
   Difficulty swallowing becomes worse.
   
   Signs of dehydration.
   
   Poor drinking present for more than 3 days.
   
   Your child becomes worse or develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.

Parent Care for Pediatric Symptoms. Copyright © 2000. Barton D. Schmitt, MD, FAAP

See related topics:

• Colds
• Mouth Ulcers (Canker Sores)
• Sore Throat