So yesterday I posted about a dcb age 17 months that wont drink. but no one responded. I am at my wits end...

He's been here for almost a month and daily he has one wet diaper and about 3-5 poops. This is the child that over eats. Am I making a big deal out of this or should I just let it go?

Any tips on how to encourage him to drink ANYTHING!

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Have you tried something besides milk? I know it is not the best thing, but maybe sugar free punch, kool aid? Make it strong at first and then weaken it? Or maybe chocolate milk? It would keep him hydrated.

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So far I have tried, apple/grape juice watered down, water, ice water, warm milk, cold milk. I dont have punch or anything like that to give him. So far nothing works

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I keep the single serve, sugar free "koolaids", etc. I add them to the kids water sometimes as a treat.

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Maybe you should offer him a less eat to drink more milk or any juice. Just thought. Most children would drink chocolate milk than regular milk.

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Try a sippy with a straw.
Try a regular cup with a straw (sit with him).
If that doesn't work, make sure you are feeding him food with water in it over the next while to prevent dehydration (soups, watery fruits/veggies, cereal w/milk, oatmeal with milk, etc).

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If juice or choco milk isn't something you regularly serve (I NEVER do here) than don't start it now! There are better ways.

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I have a one year old here that drinks about 4oz or less of milk from a sippy cup each day she is here (shes part time). the parents are aware and i don't see this causing any issues. i offer her cup as much as a i can but after that, i dont worry about it. again, the parents know so its up to them to keep her on track nutritionally. there is only so much i can do to encourage her to take more milk. like you, i tried what i could think of and its not working.

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Is he on a bottle at home?

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no he is not. Parents even brought in one of his cups from home to use but he wont drink.

Yesterday I tried to serve drink first and had him wait about 15 minutes for food. I left the cup on the tray and I even tried to help him hold it. He either screamed or would just pick up the cup and threw it. So I had to give in and feed him. I then tried to do a few bites then drink,nothing.

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What does he drink from at home?

I'd stick with only water for a while. Then, I'd try putting it in different types of containers to see if he'll drink from other things.

Then, I'd serve him foods with water in it.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-g...er_10344421.bc

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I just gave him a piece of watermelon and hope that this will help keep him hydrated. It's not a lot of calories and juicy so I guess for now its the only way that my home will be peaceful....for the moment,,,lol

I will read the artice now..thank you

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Does he drink at home? Ask mom what kind of sippy cup he uses there. Sometimes kids prefer or are use to a certain kind.

I would be concerned too! I have never encountered this problem...usually it's the other way around and they only want to drink milk! (especially true for those who haven't been weaned off a bottle at home)

I would try to cut back on his food intake and just try to continue encouraging him to take liquids from his sippy cup. I agree, you don't want to make this into a battle at meal time. If things don't improve in a day or two, I would definitely ask mom to consult her pediatrician on what to do.

Good Luck!

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Just read this after I had posted...so does he drink for them at home? I agree you can only offer it to him and let the parents know what is going on while in your care.

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Well the sad thing is, is that the mom works hours on end and I don't honestly know if she knows if her son is drinking at home or not. He is with dad and when picks up, he doesnt really say anything other than oh hes ok??

DCB gets here at 8, mom basically changes his clothes and drops him off for breakfast.
This will be the second child that I have had this year that wont drink, but the other child was becuase the paretns were lying to me that their daughter was off the bottle at home. I know that this is not the case here...

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What have the parents said? I would be worried too. I feel for you daycare!! Sometimes my kiddo's come in with a sippy with milk prefilled. It will take them hrs to drink it. They don't like it much and want gatarade. but they know that they have to finish their milk before I refill it. I know this doesn't help you but. I would start with the parents. Before drop off or at pick up today express your worry and let them know he isn't drinking anything there and you are worried bc he could be come hydrated there. Ask what they do at home and also maybe bring it up to them that this might be something the little ones pediatrician needs to get involved with. Then go from there...but def. provide all food that have a watery base to it. It might take a while to feed him. does he eat on his own with out assistance with spoons? I hope this helps you hun!!

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Does the cup they sent have teeth marks on it and wear?

Have the Mom come and give him a cup of liquids in front of you. Ask her if he is having bottles at home ever.

Dilute everything you spoon feed him with milk. Every bite.

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awweeee I like this idea..

Yes the cup has some wear on it, I just looked. Not much though

I will try this method over the next few days of milk with every bite in the food. Then I will require mom to come in.... I feel like I am not getting any help from home, so I am doing my best to deal with it here.....

thanks nannyde and thank you everyone for helping....Maybe now I will get to keep my hair....lol

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Have you tried flavoring his milk...chocolate, strawberry or putting just a little vanilla extract in there?

What if you gave him water and put red food coloring in it? (To resemble Kool-aid)

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So Nan- I am trying your method and what is strange is that he will take the milk off of the spoon, just not from the cup. I am going to continue doing this and see where it goes..

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I'm wondering WHAT he drinks at home. I wouldn't be surprised if he's being given soda. I have had this happen three times, kids wouldn't touch milk or water (all I typically offer) but I found out that all three families were giving the kids soda in their sippy cups. Ugh.

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Interesting... I'm sorry I didn't post when you posted your first thread - it was too late at night when I saw it and hubby was asleep. He complains when I type in the room when he's trying to sleep.

I was just going to say find something he likes. My son was a non-drinker too and had HORRIBLE constipation as a toddler. He has since had surgeries on 3 hernias so you are right to be concerned when they don't drink. (While a lot of it (hernia) is hereditary, I believe that the constipation aggravated the situation big time.)

If he is eating a lot of juicy fruits then he will be OK for a while. Watermelon/Pears/Grapes

My son was a chocolate milk drinker. Thankfully he now will drink it plain. I figured it was because he nursed and liked his milk sweeter. He is also a lemonade fan.

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This may sound crazy, but if I were worried, until I got to the bottom of this, I'd be using a syringe of liquids every now and then just in case as well as really watery foods.

I've had to do it with both my son and my dog ;-) Good luck.

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My guess is that he is on the bottle at home. I'd bet on that.

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I had this exact situation, turned out she was still on the bottle at home. Nobody told me that until I asked. She's transitioning off it now, at school and I think (?) at home.

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also,some kids just don't drink. My own 2 can go to school all day and not drink anything but when they get home they drink.

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I would not be so concerned if he was just here for a few hours or so, but he is here 11.5 hours m-f.

So I have been doing Nans suggest, this morning oatmeal with extra milk, bananas in milk, and then toast (no milk) I have already had one wet diaper.

I guess my fear is now, that if I keep doing it this way will I ever be able to get him to drink out of a cup? I decided last night that I am going to conference the mom today at pick up....

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I had one of those too, but the parents were lying about it to me. The older brother ratted them out....lol Got to love how honest kids are..

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Have you tried just a cup? I have one I transitioned with an A&W baby root beer mug. I just held it with her.

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Sometimes it really is the simplest thing...I had an 14 month old who threw a fit every day at lunch time and I could not figure out the deal. Turns out he simply didn't like the high chair or the "baby" utensils. I put him at the big kid table with regular silverware and an unlidded cup and he is now one of the best eaters I have!

He was the same with naps. HORRID in the PNP but as soon as I laid him down on the mat next to the big kids he sleeps fantastic!

All kids are puzzles, but some have more pieces than others.

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A perfect analogy!

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I had one little guy like this too! I love this!

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I would bet large amounts of money that he is still on a bottle at home.

I'm glad to hear he's taking the milk from a spoon though.

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I am going to bank on this too....breakfast went great, however, AM bombed...would not even take milk off the spoon..

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What age was your little one... this one is a very very young 17 months.

I agree... I always say to my older kids that people are like puzzles...each one different, yet we all fit together some how to make things work.....

this is a tuff one....another crazy day today.....booooooo..

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14 months. so even younger than yours

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I think the only issue that i have is that I dont have any booster seats.. I only have table and chairs for the 2-5 year olds to use and I know he won't be able to sit down and eat, as he trys to climb out of the high chair non stop...

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trying to discovery the mystery..... I think I found it!!

He gets laid down with a bottle................SO not gonna happen at my house....

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I have a 15 month boy that I can not get to drink. His mom still nurses at home and through out the night. She did send me with a bottle to try to give to him before nap but he won't take it. I keep his cup and try to offer liquids every chance I get, but he only takes sips at a time. When we are outside in the heat I notice he will drink a little more. I watch for signs of dehydration. The mother is very quite and when he first started here she said he nursed a little bit. Well the first few days she came to pick him up she needed to nurse him as soon as she walked in the door because he started having a melt down. I have a feeling that the child nurses regularly while mom is at home with him. The baby also sleeps in bed with her so I kind of am assuming he snacks on and off at night. I can tell the subject of him nursing is private or embarrassing. Some of my kids have used a bottle longer than they should have and they have been aware of the no bottle rule in front of others. 1st of all my husband and I hate hearing from family and friends that that boy is to big for a bottle, 2nd it makes it harder for daycare children being weened from their parents to see someone the same age or older with a bottle 3rd it made it easier to go from milk to water only; to only right before nap and bedtime. Many parents are ridiculed for allowing a child to use a bottle after the age of one. They know that it shouldn't be done, so their for they don't like to talk about it or admit to it.
I do my best to offer fluids to this little boy, especially when we are outside for long periods of time or on hot days. I tell the mom every day how much he drinks. She is the only one who knows how much the child nurses. As long as I don't see signs of dehydration I will do my best and leave it at that. I did ask her to let me know if she does discontinue nursing so that I know he is no longer getting those extra fluids. The child eats very well.
I saw that you said heck no to a bottle at your house. Certainly respect that. If I was concerned about dehydration I might consider letting him have a water bottle right before nap. It sound like he does nap well for you, so I wouldn't want to mess things up by starting up a bad habit unless I was concerned for his health. Good Luck.

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I would definitely give him a bottle at my house. I could care less when they switchc over to a bottle. I wouldn't let him lay down with one to bed but I sure would give him one if that's the only way he would do it himself.

I wouldn't even dream of hand feeding him liquids when it would take a few seconds to put it into a bottle and hand it to me for him to do himself.

I personally would do what was easiest to get the liquids in him.

Every time I hear stories of kids refusing liquids at this age it's almost always kids who are still on the bottle at home. Often it's a kid who has the bottle as a method of coping at home.. a way to keep the child from crying.. carrying around all the time..... on the perpetual bottle.

I would just let him have a couple of four oncers a day at my house and keep offering a cup with meals.

If he is baba addicted for happiness at home this can go on for a year or so. Not worth the staff time to hand feed him if he is having it as a way of life at home.

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