When children are sick, they are apt to be fussy about food, so it appears sensible not to be too insistent about their eating, and to offer small amounts of food. A child not acutely ill will appreciate food served in unusual ways and on different china with color full napkins and tray covers.

The doctor will prescribe the diet for a sick child. If the patient has a fever, he usually loses most of his appetite and is apt to reject solid foods. Vomiting occurs with many illnesses, particularly in the beginning, and even fluids may not be tolerated by a sick child. If vomiting occurs, one should wait a while and then offer small amounts of cool boiled water, cracked ice, ginger ale, or fruit juice. If these are tolerated, fluids should be offered about every half-hour. It is difficult to make a rule about giving milk to sick children, for certainly it is one of their basic foods. If milk can be taken without vomiting, it is usually the right food to offer because of the nourishment it supplies.

The child who has been ill for several days usually has lost some weight and parents may be overly concerned by this. Appetite may be slow to return, and undue urging to eat may cause the child to turn away from foods he normally enjoys, thus creating another problem. Most babies and children are the bet judge of when and how much they should eat. The best course to follow is to offer small portions of the liquids and solids that the child wants and enjoys, and wait for his appetite to return. One should keep in touch with the doctor and consult him if the child persists in not eating.