If you remember chemistry very well, you will know that water, or H2O (pardon the text), is the world's universal solvent. In fact, our body consists of almost 60% water, but this is dependent to our body's proportion. The water content in our body is subdivided into two compartments: intracellular fluid (cytosol or cytoplasmic matrix), the liquid found in our cells; the other one is extracellular fluid (ECF), is the fluid found outside our cells. Extracellular is further subdivided into plasma, interstitial fluid, transcellular fluid.
Ok, before I even go deeper (which is not my intent here), it's obvious we need to be hydrated every time. Hydrated individual's capability to maintain electrolyte balance is important since it helps our general well-being. Even a slight dehydration will show instantaneous symptoms – thirst, lethargy, and minimal urine output – symptoms that appeared when my son started vomiting two days ago.
It’s not a super duper vomit, but a little vomit several times a day definitely will take a toll on his health. Result? A slight fever the night after.
What to do, what to do? I don’t need panic driving my veins. I just need a clear head to do certain things to ensure he would be able to stand those vomiting episodes.
Problem is, he doesn’t eat, doesn’t drink his milk. Uh-oh. It took a lot of coaxing to make him swallow anything. The only thing he would do is drink water – good sign. But that too makes him vomit. My own diagnosis: stomach flu. I mean, he was ok before that first vomit. I didn’t see any sign, not even a fever, not an iota of indication that he is under the weather. Before that gag.
I know it’s too presumptuous of me to even think of just making that diagnose, but just to be certain, I made an appointment with a pediatrician. So, we’ll see what will happen tomorrow.
For now, I’m just thankful to two drinks – one is Yakult. He drank it and it never gagged up. Two, the most important is the Pedialyte. I’m just glad that they were able to make this ORS in pop forms. My son wouldn’t even take one sip before, but now I was able to persuade him on this ‘ice candy’. Result? Lethargy gone. Not one vomit since he got his Pedialyte intake. And starting to be his delightful self again.
Now you tell me if it's easy being mom.
