Flat Coca-Cola 'should not be given to children with diarrhoea and vomiting'
Flat Coca-Cola should not be given to children with diarrhoea and vomiting as it is a 'myth' it settles their stomachs, parents have been warned.
By Kate Devlin, Medical Correspondent
Last Updated: 10:09PM BST 21 Apr 2009 
Some parents have heard that they should give their child flat coke to help ease gastroenteritis, when the evidence shows that this can make the problem far worse Photo: REUTERS
New NHS guidelines warn that while there is a common belief that the soft drink can help ease the symptoms of gastroenteritis it can actually make the condition worse.
Fruit juices and fizzy drinks do not help either, and children should be given water or rehydrating salt solutions, according to the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice).
Experts claimed that the advice could "save lives".
The guidelines are aimed at doctors and parents dealing with gastroenteritis in young children.
The condition affects between 10 and 20 per cent of children under five in England each year, meaning that between 150,000 and 300,000 are struck down.
Most parents can treat their children at home but some youngsters can become dehydrated and need to be taken to hospital.
Simon Minford, advanced paediatric nurse practitioner and a member of the committee that produced the guidelines, said: "Parents I speak to every day are concerned that they are receiving mixed messages about the treatment of gastroenteritis.
"For example, some parents I have spoken to have heard that they should give their child flat coke - when the evidence shows that this can make the problem far worse.
"I hope that this guideline will dispel the myths and give parents clear, evidence-based advice about what to do if their child has diarrhoea and vomiting."
The guidance also warned parents that they should wash their hands frequently to avoid spreading gastroenteritis.
Dr Monica Lakhanpaul, co-director National Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's health and a consultant paediatrician, said that the advice was for parents to help treat the condition after they had consulted their family doctor.
She added: "This guideline will save children's lives."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/he...-vomiting.html 
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Flat Coca-Cola 'should not be given to children with diarrhoea and vomiting' 
Re: Flat Coca-Cola 'should not be given to children with diarrhoea and vomiting' 
my mum needs to see this. 
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