A Common Experience

Most parents will tell you they go through the following scenario in their child's first couple of years:

1. Child gets sick, throwing up or diarrhea.
2. Parent feels awful for child and does all in their power to make them comfortable and help them get better.
3. Some point worry about child's health and calls the nurse line.
4. Nurse on the other end calmly says it's nothing to get too worried about and recommends to give child "Pedialyte" to keep child hydrated.
5. Parent runs to Walgreens at 11:30PM, grabs Pedialyte and buys it. Barely registers that they just paid $6.00 for 48 ounces of fluid. Child's health holds no cost barriers.
6. Pedialyte is offered to child, but they want no part of it. With much crying, some is forced into child.
7. Step 6 is repeated an hour later, then parent gives up and gives child water, which they happily gulp down.
8. Pedialyte is put in fridge for future use.
9. Parent is cleaning fridge out a couple of days later grabs the Pedialyte and notices warning on bottle that says "Use within 24 hours of opening."
10. Parent grumbles as they pour Pedialyte down drain and realize that they paid $6 for a teaspoon of low sugar Gatorade.
11. Repeat process next time child get sick.


I'm calling for a full scale investigation of Abbot Laboratories, maker of Pedialyte. It must have at least an 80% share of the Kid's sick drink category, sharing space only with Private Label. It has completely infiltrated the medical system where it's recommended BY NAME by most nurses and doctors. Because of this, its price is astronomical compared to it's ingredients. How can Gatorade sell a similar product, water with electrolytes, (ie: salt and sugar) for $1 for 32oz vs. $6 for 48oz for Pedialyte?

And it's a crappy product that most kids refuse.

What is in Pedialyte that will spoil 24 hours after opening?

Shame on a company for preying on the loose wallets of worried parents.
I want answers. I think this is ripe for an indie documentary.