Hydration by Spoonfuls: Sip Size, Interval, and the Deficit an Overnight Gap Creates

This study uses arithmetic from stated assumptions to examine whether fluid offered by spoon or small cup can meet the daily requirement of a fevered adult who cannot sit up and who is cared for at home without a nurse. The stated requirement is 2950.0 mL per day. Continuous offering delivers between 30.0 mL per hour and 450.0 mL per hour depending on sip size and interval. Offering 10 mL every 2 minutes delivers 300.0 mL per hour and meets the requirement in 9.83 hours, costing 590.0 minutes of offering per day. An overnight gap of 8 hours with no offering creates a deficit of 983.3 mL, which is 1.4 percent of body mass. A slower schedule that offers 10 mL every 5 minutes for 8 hours provides only 960.0 mL, leaves a daily shortfall of 1990.0 mL, and reaches a cumulative deficit of 3500.0 mL in 1.76 days. If only 6 hours of offering are available, even the fastest combination considered provides 2700.0 mL and does not meet the requirement. All results are simulated from the stated assumptions, not measured.