Pedialyte and Feeding Tubes (G Tubes and GJ Tubes)

Unfortunately, there are times that your children will get sick with a virus or need preparation for an upcoming procedure. Both of these times usually call for typical feeding tube regimens to change temporarily.

In some circumstances, Pedialyte is needed to replace typical feeding tube food. When given over time, Pedialyte can help ease the troubles of stomach viruses and discomfort. Pedialyte can also be given as a clear liquid for pre-op for most procedures. Giving Pedialyte by feeding tube can be a simple process.

Pedialyte ingredients label

Liquid Pedialyte is broken down into two sections of ingredients, medicinal and non-medicinal.

The medicinal part is basically sodium (salt) and potassium, these are the two parts that help relieve dehydration.

The non-medicinal part is water, sugar, colorings, and flavorings, these are what make the Pedialyte more drinkable.

Generic Brands of Pedialyte have almost the exact same nutritional information and ingredient list, so utilize the cheaper versions when possible!

Pedialyte powder ingredients

Pedialyte not only comes in a liquid form, it also comes in a powder form. This powder is mixed with water at home and then used just like regular Pedialyte.

The powder ingriedents are the exact same as the liquid Pedialyte, except the water hasn’t been added yet.

Can you put pedialyte in a feeding tube?

Yes! There are many times that you would want to give Pedialyte in a feeding tube.

The 3 most common reasons to give Pedialyte:

For clear liquids only before a procedure or surgery (they usually tell you only clear liquids after midnight and then up to 4 hours before a procedure at the hospital.
Stomach Issues or Virus (helps relieve any dehydration and can help with constipation)
Colds and Respiratory Infections (helps thin mucous and relieve dehydration)

Even though Pedialyte is available over the counter, you may want to ask your physician about rates and dosing to be given by a feeding tube.

You can actually over hydrate someone by giving them too much Pedialyte and cause an electrolyte imbalance. Giving Pedialyte occasionally will usually not cause problems, but if you are giving it for more than a day or 2, you will need to keep a close eye on your child.

Signs of an Electrolyte Imbalance

Depending on why you are giving a child Pedialyte it may be hard to tell if your child is developing an electrolyte imbalance.

Common symptom of an imbalance include nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, frequent urination, weakness, and fatigue. These are all normally associated with a stomach virus or cold, so keep an eye on your child for more obvious signs like changes in blood pressure, rapid heart rate, dark urine, muscle spasms, and difficulty breathing.

If you notice any of these symptoms, you will need to alert your physician right away!

Pedialyte in infants

As long as a doctor tells you to use Pedialyte for your infant it is fine for use. On the packaging for Pedialyte it will say to “Consult a Doctor for use under the age of 1 year old”.

Depending on your child’s condition and diagnosis, doctors may want you to use an unflavored version for an infant using a feeding tube because it has no added sugar.

Pedialyte age range

There really is no age range for using Pedialyte. Anyone from infants to adults can use Pedialyte to help rehydrate their body.

A clinical trial on the effectiveness of Pedialyte vs Gatorade in children with a stomach virus, showed that both were effective. The only main difference between the two is that Gatorade has much more sugar, and Pedialyte has more electrolytes per volume.

So even adults can benefit from using Pedialyte instead of Gatorade if they are looking for an effective solution but want to drink less sugar.

Pedialyte age limit

There is no upper age limit to using Pedialyte for hydration. It is actually recommended that seniors drink Pedialyte to help restore electrolytes if they live in high heat areas or don’t drink water regularly.

Staying hydrated with feeding tube

Whether it is due to sickness, high heat, or an upcoming procedure, it is important to stay hydrated.

Many moms reported that during the high heat times of the summer, that formulas would curdle and go rancid from the heat. So instead, they would feed their child Pedialyte through the feeding tube to make sure their child was well hydrated in the heat.

Pedialyte for teething?

Teething has been a scapegoat for many symptoms, aches, and pains in early childhood. There is no scientific evidence that says teething can cause fevers, but some parents swear that their children experience them.

If you notice your child is hotter than normal or sweating a lot during a time of teething, giving Pedialyte in a frozen form may help. This would help with hydration, lowering body temperature, and comfort with the cold liquid on the gums.

If your little one is NPO (nothing by mouth) and teething, giving Pedialyte will unfortunately not help the situation. If you notice other signs of possible dehyration, then definitely give some Pedialyte.

For more information on teething relief for children with feeding tubes, check out this article “Teething Relief Tips”.

Pedialyte for constipation baby

Constipation in babies can actually be caused by dehydration, so by using Pedialyte it can help relieve constipation. The extra electrolytes and fluids can help stool become softer and easier to pass.

For extra help with constipation, read this article “Constipation and Feeding Tubes” for tips and tricks.

Pedialyte vs Pediasure

These two products have very similar names so it is easy to confuse the two. Pedialyte is a clear low calorie liquid that focuses on hydration. Pediasure is an actual formula that comes in many varieties and calorie counts like 1 calorie and 1.5 calorie per ml.

Pediasure is a common formula given to toddlers over the age of 1 rather than staying on infant formula. Pediasure would be considered a food, whereas Pedialyte is a temporary solution to an illness or dehydration.

What does Pedialyte unflavored taste like?

Pedialyte comes in an unflavored version and this is typical of what is given in hospitals. The first time my daughter had pedialyte as baby she was given the unflavored version in the hopsital.

One of the residents advised that she could drink it in this state, but a nurse practitioner advised me that my daughter would never drink it by mouth. Needless to say, both my daughter and I tried the unflavored version and it basically taste like sterile salt water. Unlike salt water in the ocean, this had a non-taste and was very bitter. My daughter was not a fan of unflavored, so we switched to an orange flavor, and she tried a little by mouth but was not loving it. (She had previously not been drinking by mouth at this age, so we were not surprised by her reaction.)

What does Pedialyte unflavored taste like?

Is Pedialyte sugar free?

Technically Pedialyte does not have sugar in it, but rather a sweetener. The reason for this is that if you have vomiting and or diarrhea and eat or drink sugar, it can actually make your symptoms worse.

So why does Pedialyte need sweeteners? Primarily the sweeteners are added to make it sweeter so children will drink it. The drink is not much help if a child won’t drink it.

Now the sweetness factor doesn’t really come in to play if your child gets their fluids by feeding tube like a G Tube or GJ Tube. In this case you can go with unflavored which has little to no sugar or the Sugar Free option.

Pedialyte has about half the sugar content of Gatorade, so that is why it is preferred to give Pedialyte and not Gatorade to children.

If you are diabetic or have any issues with blood sugar levels, the unflavored or sugar free options will probably work best for you.

Can Pedialyte be warmed up?

In general, Pedialyte tastes much better if it is very cold. If you have ever taken a glucose test while pregnant, they advise that the colder the better when it comes to taste. This same concept works with Pedialyte.

Now Pedialyte doesn’t have to be given cold in a feeding tube. We typically give the Pedialyte at room temperature, because very cold liquids can be felt in the belly. We usually give Pedialyte at night, and I’ve noticed that giving her cold liquids will sometimes disrupt her sleep.

If your child doesn’t mind cold temperature vs warm temperature, then I would go with whichever is more convenient. So, for us, when it is a brand new bottle she will get it room temperature, if it is an already opened bottle we will give it chilled. I typically slow the rate on the chilled Pedialyte so that it gets closer to room temperature by the time it gets to the stomach.

Pedialyte should not be microwaved or warmed on the stove, because this can cause the liquid to change. Basically, heating the liquid can cause some water to evaporate and then the balance of water, glucose, and electrolytes will be disrupted.

Pedialyte shelf life unopened

Pedialyte is one of my favorite things to have on hand at all times. I know that we will use it pretty regularly for procedures and for illness, so when I find a good deal on it, I will stock up.

Unopened Pedialyte has a shelf life of approximately 2 years from when it was manufactured. I keep an eye on the “best buy this date” to make sure when I buy it, there is still lots of time left.

We also write the expiration date on the cap in a marker, and try to always use the oldest dates first. We store Pedialyte on a shelf in the pantry, but as long as you are not storing it in front of a window you should be fine. Extremely hot or cold temperature may affect taste.

Pedialyte shelf life after opening

Pedialyte advises that any unused portions be refrigerated after opening. If your taking this by mouth, then that makes sense because you will want to drink it cold.

If you are giving Pedialyte by feeding tube, it still needs to be refridgerated after opened even though you are not trying to preserve taste.

Pedialyte can lose effectiveness and possibly grow mold, so it typically should be used within 2-3 days of opening.

Most bottles say that it needs to be used within 24 hours but as long as you are pouring the pedialyte into clean feeding bags or bottles, then it is fine for a few extra days.

The main reason for the using within 24 hours after opening is if you introduce bacteria to the bottle or liquid inside while using it. So for instance if you drink it straight from the bottle, then germs from your mouth are transferred to the bottle and into the liquid. This can cause bacteria to grow and the start of mold.

Other signs that your Pedialyte has gone bad is if it is no longer clear and has a cloudy appearance. Go ahead and throw it away if you detect any odd smells or different appearance.

Can Pedialyte be frozen?

I thought I was being so smart buying these huge bottles of Pedialyte because it was cheaper. Then I realized that I couldn’t always use the whole bottle within 2-3 days.

I noticed that Pedialyte makes a frozen popsicle like version for kids, so I decided to take any leftover Pedialyte and freeze it myself.

You can make your own popsicles or make it into ice cubes. During the summer if I start to get overheated, I will add the ice cubes to water or tea and it helps you feel hydrated quicker.

*** It should be noted that Pedialyte is not supposed to be mixed with other liquids like water, juice, or milk. This is because it can disrupt the balance of sugar and electrolytes***

Homemade Pedialyte for infants

There are recipes available for homemade versions of Pedialyte, but I don’t recommend them. Usually you are giving Pedialyte due to an illness so you really don’t want to take the chance of not getting the correct balance of sugar and salt.

I’ve also noticed that most of the homemade recipes include items like Jell-O mix powder. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to give my infant powdered Jell-O mix.

If you didn’t have Pedialyte on hand, you would be better off giving just straight water.

Pedialyte with food stamps

Pedialyte is labelled as a food with nutritional information on the label. This means that you can purchase Pedialyte with food stamps.

Be careful if you buy an off brand Pedialyte though because if the label has “Supplement information” and not “Nutritional Information” on the label then it will not be covered by EBT or Food Stamps.

Pedialyte instead of formula/ Will Pedialyte make you gain weight?

In cases of illness or pre-op for a procedure, Pedialyte can be given in place of formula. Due to Pedialyte having very few calories, this is not a life sustaining food or a way to gain weight.

Any weight gained from Pedialyte is simply water weight and will eventually go back down. Drinking or receiving by tube a lot of Pedialyte can cause mild swelling, but this usually goes down once the Pedialyte is stopped.

Please get dosing and rate instructions from your medical team, but in most cases Pedialyte can be given at the same rate and dose as formula. During illness, especially a stomach virus, you may want to lower the rate and give the dose over a longer period of time.

Pedialyte alternative for toddlers

There are times when you are in need of a Pedialyte fix, but don’t have any on hand. In toddlers over 1 year of age, you can use a light version of gatorade (less sugar) or a coconut water. Both will help rehydrate a toddler in similar ways to Pedialyte.

Pro Tip: Check your local Dollar Tree or Dollar Store for a generic version of Pedialyte. They typically have bottles that are in the medium size range and are very wallet friendly. My local store tends to only get 2 flavors (orange and grape), but I stock up on both so if either of my kids get sick, we have it on hand.

Is Pedialyte FSA eligible?

FSA stands for a Flexible Spending Account that is usually offered by your employer. These accounts are used to save money on medical purchases because they use pre-tax dollars.

In most cases Pedialyte is covered by FSA accounts, but you may need to triple check your company’s guidelines. In some cases, the FSA account will only be able to purchase the unflavored version or any version without sweetners.

FSA accounts are managed by your employer, so each company may have very different guidelines. If you are not able to find this information on your own, just call your Human Resources department for clarification.

Is Pedialyte covered by Insurance?

Depending on which insurance provider you have and your plan, then you may be able to get Pedialyte covered. This will typically need a prescription from a physician.

To double check your insurance coverage, call your case worker or the 1-800 number on the back of your insurance card.

Depending on your state, Pedialyte may also be covered by Medicaid or State Funded Low Cost Insurance Programs. Definitely call and ask, the worst thing they can say is no.

How many days in a row can you take Pedialyte?

In times of illness, it is not unusual to take Pedialyte for a few days. If your child is vomiting and or having diarrhea due to a stomach virus, it is more important to get hydration into the child than calories.

If your child is unable to tolerate anything except Pedialyte and it has been more than 3 days, you will need to contact your physician.

After 3 days of calorie needs not being met, a medically complex child may need further treatment at a Children’s Hospital.