- 2 quarts water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt substitute (made with potassium chloride)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 package Kool-Aid or other flavoring (optional) OR
- 2 teaspoons vanilla (or other) extract
This can also be frozen into popsicles.
For those who are not concerned with dyes, using Kool-Aid or another powdered drink mix will add flavor. For those concerned with dyes, you can get something called the Flavorit Home Flavoring Kit, which is like what they use at the pharmacy to mask really bitter medications. It is dye-free, sugar-free and they've yet to have an allergic reaction to any of the flavors. You can pick these up at many drug stores. Kool-Aid also has a line of flavors called "Invisibles" that are dye-free. And really, if your child is vomiting, who wants to clean up that bright red or blue mess?
If your child has already been introduced to fruits and you are using the drink just to keep fluids and electrolytes up, then you can omit the salt substitute and add 1 cup of orange juice or other high potassium juice to the mix, which will supply potassium and flavor. You don't want to use certain juices (like orange, prune or grape) if you are using this drink to treat dehydration associated with diarrhea, however. If your health care provider has already advised a BRAT diet, then you know that apples are an option and can try using apple juice. It's not as high in potassium as orange juice, though, so go ahead and keep the salt substitute.
Some kids like vanilla or natural extracts better than fruity flavors, so give those a try if you're trying to avoid the dyes.
