DD getting over virus: any tricks to persuade her to drink more water?

[franch]

GP says DD (16m) is obviously over her virus but needs to drink more water - skin getting very dry and flaky and lots of dry nappies. Her appetite's still not that great either which makes the fluids all the more important. She was fine at drinking before she was unwell, but today for example she's had one sip, that's all.

She's also been getting very interested in open cups recently and I'm not sure if it's partly a behavioural thing rather than just the illness. At the moment if I give her a spouted cup she wants me to take the lid off; if I do, she just splashes her hands about it. Occasionally she'll let me give her some water from an open cup but 99% of it goes down her front. This wouldn't bother me at any other time but I really need to get at least some of it down her!

She's also still tiring easily which I think makes her more inclined to refuse pretty much anything that's offered to her, just because she's feeling grumpy.

She's only ever drunk water and milk till now and the GP said to try some Ribena or juice, whatever it takes to get some fluids into her. But she's not interested in them either (and tbh I can barely persuade her to taste them).

Any tricks?

[WigWamBam]

Can you make her some ice-lollies from diluted juice and see if she'll suck those?

[motherinferior]

Sit her in a nice warm bath and give her an open cup (she might drink some of the bathwater too, but if it's quite clean that wouldn't really matter too much)?

My two are quite partial to fruit smoothies. Also, don't forget the sorts of food that are high in water, like fruit and veg.

Poor little love. And poor you.

[motherinferior]

Straws? Curly straws where she can giggle at the juice going round?

Apple puree?

[motherinferior]

I have to say Innocent smoothies are often the only fluid I can get into dd1, but she does munch her bodyweight in fruit.

[roseybump]

franch my ds has a virus and the water thing is a nightmare! we have resorted to feeding him 20 mls an hour with a syringe and waking him at night to give him extra little bottles. He didn't have a wet nappy for 24 hours almost - and lots of vomiting and runny nappies. the syringe works for drasticmeasures - today I added some apple and blackcurrent juice (against my will) and he drank the whole cup! Would have preffered it to be water but any fuids is better than none!

[franch]

Brilliant suggestions everyone, thanks

[PrettyCandles]

Jelly is mostly water (my gp recommended it), and if you make it yourself with gelatine or veggie equivalent it needn't have all the commercial nasties.

Sparkling water is great for laughter and increasing interest.

Make a pot of very weak decaff tea or herbal tea, and pour her a little cup while you have a cup - what a grownup, having tea with mummy!

[roseybump]

isn't sparkling water too high in sodium? I thought of that one but read somewhere to steer clear. IF they have the runs the bubbles will make things more explosive! ugh

[PrettyCandles]

Soda water is, but, IIRC, some other sparklings aren't. In any case, it's just a temporary treat, to encourage the child to drink again, jsut like giving her juice/jelly/ice-lollies. Once things have settled down, then she can be weaned off them if necessary and they can be reserved for treats again.