It is only a small amount of cortef but that is the amount that the body is not producing at the approximate time!! The body needs it at the right time or your child will get very sick. I do agree that you need to feed them after waking in the am and make sure that they have a snack before bedtime but it is not necessary to make sure that they eat or drink at the exact time you give the cortef. For one thing - I find it hard to get my kids to eat on demand. But I do make sure that they get the cortef at the right time. The morning dose is the most important to give between 6 am and 8am because of hormonal surges... and the cortef is not a strong or long lasting. During illness it must be given in triple dose and every 6 hours NOT every 8 hours. And then taper off of 3 or 5 days to the normal dose. preston@kreative.net