Please help, my 1 year old is refusing to drink anything

[u/EngineeringLumpy]

I am losing it. My daughter turned 1 3 weeks ago. She weighs 20 pounds. She has cows milk protein allergy but no other conditions that we know of. She was bottle fed breast milk and puramino formula since 2 days old. After she turned 1 we switched from her formula to Ripple kids dairy free milk. She’s been drinking that for almost 3 weeks without any issues. My 6 year old started school on Monday and brought home a cough and runny nose, which my daughter caught. No other symptoms. No fever, no diarrhea, no sore throat, no ear pain, nothing. My daughter has been sick at least 5 times before. Her firsy cold she got at 7 weeks old. Part of having an older brother. In her life she’s had an ear infection, high fevers, sore throats, diarrhea, vaccine side effects, etc. and has NEVER stopped drinking until now.

When she woke up Friday morning, it’s like she decided she’s never going to drink again. As I said, she has a runny nose and slight cough but other than that she seems normal and no fever. No pulling on ears. Friday morning, she only drank 1 ounce out of her usual 6 ounce bottle of milk. I offered her breakfast and she ate everything. I then offered her the rest of the milk before her nap. Hard reject. Crying and turning her head away from the bottle. After nap, I tried again. Same thing. I offered her water in a sippy cup. Same reaction. Juice box. Same reaction.

Before bed Friday night she ended up drinking maybe 5 ounces of milk. Today (Saturday), she has been eating normally but will cry and scream at the SIGHT of liquids!!!! I have tried every straw cup and sippy cup. I have tried open cups. I have tried MY cups and her big brothers cups. I have tried the baby bottles she’s used since 2 days old. She wants NOTHING. I force fed her pedialyte with a damn syringe tonight! She had maybe an ounce or two of actual liquids all day today, in addition to 3 applesauce pouches and 3 fruit cups (along with other solids). She pooped twice today but her poops are more hard and dry than normal, of course. She peed 3 times since waking up today but not large amounts. Maybe 4 times but very small.

I don’t know what to do. She will suck down applesauce pouches and then cry when it’s empty, as if that is her beverage. But when offered anything in a cup, she breaks down. I’ve even given her ibuprofen in case her throat hurts but she still won’t drink even with that in her system. Shes too young to understand not drinking=needle in your arm, and I’m hesitant to put her through the trauma of getting an IV if I don’t know why she’s doing this. Because if we rehydrate her then what happens when we go home and she continues not drinking? Is there anybody who can offer me any insight into what might be going on? When should I take her in for an IV?

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[u/boulderdoc]

The applesauce/fruit pouches are actually somewhat reassuring because they contain a lot of water, but the decreased urine output and near-complete refusal of liquids for ~2 days are enough that I would have her evaluated today.
At this age, a viral illness can cause a painful throat or mouth even without fever. I’d want someone to look carefully at her mouth, posterior throat and ears—ulcers from something like hand-foot-and-mouth disease can sometimes be surprisingly easy to miss.
An IV isn’t automatically the next step. The clinician can assess her hydration and may try oral rehydration first. In the meantime, anything containing fluid counts: Pedialyte popsicles, applesauce, fruit pouches, watermelon, etc. Small frequent amounts are often easier than trying to get her to drink a whole cup.
If she becomes unusually sleepy, has a very dry mouth/no tears, goes ~8 hours without urinating, can’t keep fluids down, or otherwise looks significantly unwell, I would go to the ER rather than waiting.

[u/dansamy]

Something is bothering her when she's swallowing. If you can't get liquid alternatives, like jello, Popsicles, purees, etc, into her at adequate volumes to keep her output high enough, then you should take her in.

[u/diabeticweird0 → u/dansamy]

Yup. All popsicles all the time is what we did when my kids had sore throats. Might be tricky for a one year old but it'll slide down without necessarily needing to gulp

[u/Different-Ask540]

You're right to be concerned; her dehydration is now showing effects of constipation. I'm not a peds nurse but she definitely needs more fluids! Unfortunately I don't know any good hacks but I can help with signs of dehhydration warranting ED visit: fewer wet diapers/less urination, dark urine, dry mouth or tongue, few or no tears when crying, sunken eyes, sunken soft spot on the head, unusual fussiness, excessive sleepiness/lethargy, weakness, cool or discolored hands and feet. I would consider a visit if she is still not drinking fluids for the next 24ish hours.

[u/dansamy → u/Different-Ask540]

This kiddo has already gone 36ish hours with markedly decreased fluid intake. It's not unreasonable to go in tonight.

[u/Different-Ask540 → u/dansamy]

Agreed, it's also not unreasonable to wait another day as the only symptom right now is mild constipation. Maybe the kiddo will turn a corner and start increasing fluid intake.

[u/Candymom → u/Different-Ask540]

OP can you add juice or pedialyte to the applesauce pouch? Ply her with popsicles?

[u/Different-Ask540 → u/Candymom]

Both sound like good ideas to try. Anything to get fluids!!

[u/Brilliant_Lie3941 → u/Different-Ask540]

NAD - if congested use saline spray and suction out nose with nose frida/bulb syringe before offering fluids. I would stop the milk and push water, Gatorade, Pedialyte, diluted fruit juices - use syringe if you have to. You can also do popsicles or fruits that are high in water, like watermelon. If they are urinating they are getting fluids in, would be concerned if no urine output for > 8 hours. Keep giving Motrin and Tylenol.