The Ill Child's Diet
Ill children should first and foremost have their needs met concerning the extra intake of fluids. Fluids are more important than food, when the child is ill. When the child is ill, it will usually not eat but it wants to drink. There is no reason to force the child to eat during an illness. When the child is well again it quickly replenishes itself. The child can make do only with fluids for 2-3 days.
When the child as a fever its metabolism rises and therefore the child loses fluids. As a rule of thumb the metabolism rises with 10 % for every degree over 38°C. Infants should continue breastfeeding or to be given formula and should in addition to this be offered extra water. A child with a fever should be offered to be breastfed as often it likes. The production of breast milk adapts to the child’s fever, in that way extra breast milk is produced to cover the child’s increased need for fluids. When the child is 6-12 months old you can offer it juice.
Children who are breastfed have fever and milder cases of stomach infections with diarrhoea and vomiting. Far most stomach infections are caused by virus and only last for a couple of days.
When a child has diarrhoea and vomits it needs an extra supply of sugary fluids and salt. Infants should continue breastfeeding or to be given formula, but meanwhile you may also give the child a mixture of salt and sugar (rehydration sachets). You can buy this in a pharmacy. With larger children you can supplement with juice.
Fluids and meals should be given often but in small servings. When the vomiting has ended you should give the child solids to eat according to its own desires, in spite of continued diarrhoea.