Electrolytes are responsible for maintaining many normal bodily functions including hydration, proper functioning of nerves, muscles, and chemicals, and building and breaking down molecules in the body. The mechanisms that allow you to move, speak, and even digest food would be impossible without an appropriate balance of electrolytes. Electrolytes and fluids can typically come from a healthful diet, and supplements are not usually needed for children who are feeling well and eating and drinking regularly. But when your child is sick—with symptoms such as poor appetite, lack of thirst, and fluid losses—it is important to prioritize maintaining their electrolyte and fluid balance above all else. In order to do this, we recommend electrolyte supplements in combination with fluids. When purchasing an electrolyte supplement, make sure it contains a minimum of sodium, potassium, and sugar as either glucose or dextrose. If your child is taking in no solids at all, it would also be advisable to select a product that contains chloride. These nutrients allow a child’s body to continue essential daily functions while sick.
Is It Beneficial to Supplement with Electrolytes When My Child Is Sick?
Not only is it beneficial, but it is also recommended. If your child is a little under the weather but is eating and drinking normally, is not vomiting, and does not have diarrhea, they likely do not need an electrolyte supplement. However, if they are feeling ill and have no interest in eating, fluids and electrolytes become more important than solid foods, and an electrolyte supplement can become crucial. Children experience electrolyte losses when ill in a number of ways. Children who may benefit from electrolyte supplements include:
Children who are not taking in enough electrolytes or fluids. For example, with a common cold, some children present with a poor appetite. Reduced intake of fluids and solid foods can result in dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities. Children who are vomiting or have diarrhea: Excessive vomiting and diarrhea, coupled with poor appetite/fluid intake, can cause significant fluid loss and result in dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities.
Some more specific signs to look for include:
Changes in urine output: Children with decreased urine output or concentrated/smelly urine will benefit from an electrolyte supplement.Extended time without eating, drinking, or urinating: If your child has gone greater than 8 hours without eating, drinking, or urinating while ill, make sure to give them an electrolyte supplement and call your pediatric healthcare provider.
Who May Not Benefit from Electrolyte Supplements When Sick
All children should be supplemented with electrolytes and fluid if they are sick enough that their appetite is affected or they have diarrhea or vomiting. The exception would be if your child has a metabolic illness that precludes them from consuming specific electrolytes.
The Importance of Sugar and Salt in Electrolyte Drinks
Keep in mind that some of the key ingredients you will want to look for in an electrolyte drink may be things that you may typically hear you should minimize in your child’s diet—namely, sugar and salt. Sugar: While the goal is not typically to increase sugar intake when children are healthy, it is crucial to look for added sugar in electrolyte drinks for children when they’re sick. There are two reasons sugar is added to electrolyte drinks: for energy and to help with fluid reabsorption. Much like electronics, humans need frequent battery charges to maintain their function. Unlike electronics, we cannot get our energy from a charger—we have to get it from food. Our preferred energy source is a simple sugar called glucose, also called dextrose by some medical professionals. Adding glucose to sick-day supplements, something we are encouraged to drink when we have poor appetite and dehydration, gives our body an energy charge while we are low on battery. Additionally, glucose helps with the reabsorption of sodium and fluids. This is critical when we know someone who is sick is at a greater risk for dehydration. Salt: A healthy child’s diet generally contains plenty of salt, which is made up of the electrolytes sodium and chloride. However, kids who are sick and have poor intake and/or vomiting or diarrhea benefit from drinks that contain these key electrolytes. Pedialyte might be the most well-known electrolyte supplement, and it is our top pick because it is a safe, effective, and readily available product. It includes sodium, the most abundant electrolyte, as well as chloride, a key electrolyte that some electrolyte drinks skip out on. Another feature unique to Pedialyte is that it includes zinc. This is particularly important if you have a child with excessive diarrhea. Zinc, a trace element and not an electrolyte, is only needed in small quantities. With that in mind, the small amount you need is often excreted with diarrhea. A 2020 study in The New England Journal of Medicine now recommends including low-dose zinc for 10-14 days for all children with diarrhea. We love that Pedialyte is readily available, comes in a range of flavors, and is the top brand recommended by doctors and pharmacists. It also has a long-standing reputation. First available in the 1960s, Pedialyte was initially only sold to hospitals and was the first ready-to-drink rehydration product available. Price at time of publication: $7 Like Pedialyte, it contains both zinc and chloride. A nice feature that allows Kinderlyte to stand out is that they entirely avoid the use of food coloring by using fruit/vegetable juice to provide color. It is non-GMO and uses only natural flavors. All in all, this is a great product that hits all the essential marks. However, it is important to note that Kinderlyte uses stevia, a sugar alternative. There is little research on the consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners, such as stevia, in children. Price at time of publication: $30 When it comes to nutrition, it has sodium, chloride, zinc, and potassium. It also has a little bit of sugar, as dextrose, to help with lost carbohydrate stores. The ingredients are held to the same standards as the rest of the Kinderfarms products—no fructose, plant-based, non-GMO. Since it’s in powder form, it is easier to store for a long period of time and to travel with. With that said, take note that Kinderfarms makes two powder-based electrolyte supplements. One, the original rehydration solution, is perfect for sick kids. The other, the immunity supplement, is not recommended for rehydration because it contains a high dose of zinc. Excessive intake of zinc can lead to nausea and vomiting. If you are planning to provide your child with more than one packet, stick with the original formula when sick. With that in mind, we do run into similar issues with the original rehydration solution. Intake greater than four packets does provide excessive content of zinc and, in some cases, sodium and potassium. Additionally, this product contains stevia, and there is little research on the consumption of stevia in kids and teens. Price at time of publication: $22 We would particularly recommend trialing this product if your child (or you!) has a diarrhea-based illness. Ensure Clear also has zinc and magnesium, which are both lost in excess with diarrhea, so it can help replace lost nutrient stores. While it is not marketed for pediatric use, if your child weighs more than 15 pounds, it is entirely appropriate to provide them 1-2 cartons per day while sick. With that in mind, this is not a beverage we would recommend for children when they aren’t sick. As always, pair your Ensure Clear with some sea salt crackers and morning cartoons. Price at time of publication: $28 However, since one ice pop is roughly two ounces or ¼ a cup, it likely will not provide enough liquid to rehydrate your child. To maintain proper hydration, nearly 16-32 pops would be recommended daily. We recommend using these ice pops alongside water or other electrolyte drinks to ensure your child is getting enough fluids. We recommend only serving these pops to your kids if it’s tough to get them to consume other forms of electrolytes, as Pedialyte freezer pops contain two high-intensity sweeteners, sucralose and acesulfame potassium, in addition to artificial colors. Price at time of publication: $14 We would caution against using any of the Gatorade Zero products, which are equivalent to “diet” drinks. Remember, we want to restore glucose levels when a child is sick. Giving them some sugar, whether it is glucose or dextrose, is immensely beneficial and should not be avoided. Conventional Gatorade is higher in added sugar than some other products, which may not be preferable when your child is feeling well but may be especially beneficial for replenishing calories if your child has low food intake or is sick for an extended period of time. Price at time of publication: $14 We support supplements that are evidence-based and rooted in science. We value certain product attributes that we find to be associated with the highest quality products. We prioritize products that are third-party tested and certified by one of three independent third-party certifiers: USP, NSF, or ConsumerLab. It’s important to note that the FDA does not review dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they go to market. Our team of experts has created a detailed, science-backed methodology to choose the supplements we recommend.
Avoiding Severe Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalances
The results of critical electrolyte losses or imbalances can be scary. Initial signs/symptoms include reduced and concentrated urine output, fatigue, dizziness, aches, and dry lips. Prolonged dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities may result in constipation, delayed cognition, decreased physical performance, and kidney stones. In more serious cases, the function of the heart, brain, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract may be compromised. Jennifer Bleznak, MD, a provider at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, encourages the intake of fluids and electrolytes while sick as a way to avoid short hospitalizations for rehydration. “When a young child is sick, keeping them well hydrated is key to their recovery. Many times children need to be admitted to the hospital for IV fluids after vomiting, diarrhea, or even a nasty cold that makes them feel too sick to eat and drink normally. One of the best things families can do at home to help a sick child recover is keeping them well hydrated.” When your child is sick, you want to observe both fluids in and fluids out. If your child is putting out more than they seem to be taking in—whether that comes from poor appetite or excessive output such as vomiting or diarrhea—that would be the time to start some type of electrolyte supplementation combined with fluids. Normal output includes urination, bowel movements, and sweating. When ill, because appetite is poor and fluid intake decreases, urine output can decrease while output from stool and vomiting may increase. When combined, this can lead to dehydration.
What to Look for in Electrolyte Supplements for Kids
Third-Party Testing
Supplements that are third-party tested are sent to a lab where they are tested to ensure they contain what they say they contain and are not contaminated with specific high-risk, common contaminants. However, it’s important to note:
Third-party testing does not test to see if a product is effective or safe for everyone, and it does not ensure the supplement will not interact with other supplements or medications.Not all third-party testing is created equal. It is not uncommon for supplement companies to pay labs for certificates after conducting minimal to no testing. The third-party certifications we can trust are: ConsumerLab, NSF, and USP. However, these certifications are difficult to obtain and/or expensive, so many companies choose not to get their products tested by one of these three organizations. Sometimes products tested by these three companies are more expensive to try to offset the cost they pay for certification.Just because a supplement is not tested by one of these three companies does not mean it’s a bad product. We recommend doing some research on the reputability of the manufacturer and calling up the manufacturer and their testing lab to determine their protocols and decide if you feel comfortable consuming the supplement.
Form
Electrolyte drinks come in liquid “Ready-to-Feed” and powder-based, which needs to be mixed with water. Be cautious with powder-based products. Read the nutrition facts label correctly, and be sure not to overconsume based on the values provided below. You can avoid this by looking at the serving size and determining how much your child is taking in comparison to recommendations.
Ingredients and Potential Interactions
Electrolyte consumption is safe and low risk and an important part of the diet when children are sick. With that said, there are always risks associated with excessive intake of nutrition. With respect to the intake of electrolyte supplements when ill, the primary focus should be on maintaining an appropriate balance of sodium and potassium, as they both can negatively affect the heart. Do not exceed 2000mg/d of sodium and 3000-4700mg/d of potassium in children.
Dosage
The amount of fluid and electrolytes recommended per day varies based on the age and weight of a child. This can create a bit of confusion for parents. See our chart below, adapted from the Texas Children’s Hospital Pediatric Nutrition Reference Guide, to determine how much of each electrolyte is appropriate for your aged child. The American Academy of Pediatrics provides helpful guidance on recommended fluid intake for children less than 5 years of age. For children older than 5 years, their age typically corresponds with the number of cups they should be drinking per day.
Why Trust Verywell Family
Lauren Capacete MS, RD, LDN, is a registered dietitian with a specialty in pediatric nutrition. She spent five years working with children and families at Nemours/A.I. duPont Hospital for Children to help support positive health outcomes through nutrition and now works as a clinical liaison to help support patients through their medical process. Lauren holds a Master of Science in clinical nutrition and dietetics from New York University. Read Next: The Best Children’s Vitamins, According to a Pediatric Dietitian There was an error. Please try again.
