Rice-Based Help for Baby Diarrhea

When infants suffer from diarrhea, there’s a serious risk of dehydration. Now, the manufacturer of a new over-the-counter antidote called Ricelyte claims it can help infants with diarrhea recover faster and better than other antidotes. Rice is the basis of Ricelyte, while glucose is the basis of many other rehydration solutions such as Pedialyte.

“I think Ricelyte is good stuff--the same or maybe better than glucose-based solutions,” says Kenneth Saul, a Thousand Oaks pediatrician who recommends both rice- and glucose-based solutions for his patients. So far, he reserves Ricelyte use for children over 6 months of age. “Kids seem to get better quicker on Ricelyte, but that’s preliminary and observational.”

“Pedialyte works just as well,” counters Dr. Henry Sauls, vice president of medical affairs for Ross Laboratories, the Columbus, Ohio, manufacturer of Pedialyte.