Please Note: For those of you who linked right to this page and are not aware, the Never-Ending Squirrel Tale is a web site for the parents of kids with cancer. They have special dietary needs and this forum is used to exchange ideas from parent to parent on what worked for them. Believe it or not, there are a few things you do have some say-so over. For example, you can try to shorten some of your time in the hospital. Instead of waiting until the day chemo is to begin to have the blood drawn, see if you can get it done the day before. That way you’re not sitting around the hospital waiting on labs--they’ll be done and waiting on you when you arrive the next day. Start hydrating your child at home the day/night before you check in for chemo. You can speed up the process by helping get your child’s urine’s specific gravity and ph to the right levels so they can start chemo as soon as possible. The sooner you start chemo, the sooner you go home! Here’s some tried and true tips for hydrating: Serve gelatin desserts and/or popsicles for snacks. Let your child help make up the drinks (whether powdered soft drinks or concentrated juice). That may excite them to drink more. Serve the drinks in special glasses. For example, serve a soda in a pretty goblet with a cherry garnish, or from a punch bowl. Try Gatorade® or Powerade®--they're the drinks that strong athlete's drink. It comes in all kinds of cool flavors. Avoid caffiene and salty foods because they dehydrate! Of course nutrition is important, but sometimes it simply has to take a back seat. For example, milk is more filling than water and soft drinks, so they’re likely to drink less. Now is a good time to give in and let them drink what they want. Naturally, expect accidents, but don’t sweat the small stuff! Visit the bathroom frequently, especially before naps, meals, walks, and trips to the playroom or for tests. If you're ready for it, it will calm your life down! When it comes to soda, remember that caffeinated drinks will actually have a diurectic effect. Steer clear of Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, Big Red, and the sneaky one—Sunkist Orange Soda! --Kathleen M. A good way I've found to get my daughter to drink more is by using straws and sports bottles--she thinks it's more fun. I have found that those colorful, zany, loopy straws ares a sure-fire way to get most kids to drink. They are so enthralled with watching the liquid go through its loops and turns, that they are done with a full glass in no time (and often ask for more!). A popular method to get our kids (all of them) enough fluids is ice chips, especially when the weather is warm. They will go through cup after cup of crushed ice. Popsicles® are good too, especially the homemade variety that they've had a hand in making.