About all

Whats the signs of dehydration. Dehydration: Symptoms, Causes, and Prevention – Stay Hydrated for Better Health

What are the signs of dehydration in different age groups. How can you prevent dehydration in hot weather or during illness. When should you seek medical attention for dehydration symptoms.

Содержание

Understanding Dehydration: A Common but Serious Health Issue

Dehydration is a condition that occurs when your body loses more fluids than it takes in, leaving it without enough water and other fluids to carry out normal functions. While it can affect anyone, dehydration poses a particularly significant risk to young children and older adults. The severity of dehydration can range from mild to life-threatening, making it crucial to recognize its signs and take preventive measures.

What exactly is dehydration?

Dehydration happens when the body’s fluid output exceeds its intake. This imbalance can occur due to various reasons, including excessive sweating, diarrhea, vomiting, or simply not drinking enough water. When the body lacks adequate fluids, it struggles to perform essential functions, potentially leading to serious health complications if left untreated.

Recognizing the Signs: Dehydration Symptoms Across Age Groups

The symptoms of dehydration can vary depending on age and the severity of fluid loss. Recognizing these signs early is crucial for prompt treatment and prevention of more serious complications.

How do dehydration symptoms differ in infants and young children?

In infants and young children, dehydration can manifest through the following signs:

  • Dry mouth and tongue
  • No tears when crying
  • No wet diapers for three hours
  • Sunken eyes and cheeks
  • Sunken soft spot on top of the skull
  • Listlessness or irritability

Parents and caregivers should be particularly vigilant about these symptoms, as young children may not be able to communicate their thirst or discomfort effectively.

What are the common signs of dehydration in adults?

Adults experiencing dehydration may notice:

  • Extreme thirst
  • Less frequent urination
  • Dark-colored urine
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Confusion

It’s important to note that thirst isn’t always a reliable early indicator of dehydration, especially in older adults. By the time you feel thirsty, you might already be mildly dehydrated.

The Root Causes: Understanding What Leads to Dehydration

Dehydration can occur for various reasons, some of which might surprise you. Understanding these causes can help you take proactive steps to prevent fluid loss.

Which common factors contribute to dehydration?

Several factors can lead to dehydration:

  1. Insufficient fluid intake due to illness or lack of access to safe drinking water
  2. Severe diarrhea and vomiting, which can cause rapid fluid loss
  3. High fever, especially when combined with diarrhea and vomiting
  4. Excessive sweating during hot weather or intense physical activity
  5. Increased urination, often due to certain medical conditions or medications

Recognizing these factors can help you stay vigilant about your fluid intake in situations that might put you at risk of dehydration.

Risk Factors: Who’s Most Vulnerable to Dehydration?

While anyone can become dehydrated, certain groups are at a higher risk. Understanding these risk factors can help individuals and caregivers take appropriate preventive measures.

Which groups are more susceptible to dehydration?

The following groups are particularly vulnerable to dehydration:

  • Infants and young children
  • Older adults
  • People with chronic illnesses, especially diabetes and kidney disease
  • Individuals who work or exercise outdoors, especially in hot and humid conditions

These groups may need to take extra precautions to ensure adequate fluid intake and monitor for signs of dehydration.

The Dangers of Dehydration: Potential Complications

Dehydration, if left untreated, can lead to serious health complications. Understanding these risks emphasizes the importance of maintaining proper hydration.

What are the potential complications of severe dehydration?

Severe dehydration can result in:

  • Heat injuries, ranging from mild heat cramps to life-threatening heatstroke
  • Urinary and kidney problems, including urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and kidney failure
  • Seizures due to electrolyte imbalance
  • Low blood volume shock (hypovolemic shock)

These complications highlight the critical nature of addressing dehydration promptly and effectively.

Prevention Strategies: Keeping Dehydration at Bay

Preventing dehydration is far easier than treating its complications. By adopting simple habits and being mindful of your fluid intake, you can significantly reduce your risk of becoming dehydrated.

How can you prevent dehydration in everyday life?

Here are some effective strategies to prevent dehydration:

  1. Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, even when you’re not thirsty
  2. Consume water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables
  3. Monitor your urine color – pale yellow indicates good hydration
  4. Increase fluid intake during hot weather, illness, or physical activity
  5. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption, which can lead to dehydration
  6. Use oral rehydration solutions when experiencing diarrhea or vomiting

By incorporating these habits into your daily routine, you can maintain proper hydration and reduce your risk of dehydration-related health issues.

When to Seek Help: Recognizing Severe Dehydration

While mild dehydration can often be addressed at home, severe cases require immediate medical attention. Knowing when to seek help can be crucial in preventing serious complications.

Under which circumstances should you seek medical attention for dehydration?

Contact your healthcare provider if you or a loved one experiences:

  • Diarrhea lasting 24 hours or more
  • Irritability, disorientation, or unusual sleepiness
  • Inability to keep fluids down
  • Bloody or black stools
  • Severe weakness or dizziness
  • Rapid heartbeat or breathing

These symptoms may indicate severe dehydration or an underlying condition that requires professional medical evaluation and treatment.

Hydration for Special Populations: Tailoring Fluid Intake

Different groups may have unique hydration needs based on their age, health status, or activity level. Understanding these specific requirements can help ensure adequate hydration for everyone.

How do hydration needs vary for different groups?

Consider the following guidelines for specific populations:

  • Athletes: Increase fluid intake before, during, and after intense exercise
  • Pregnant women: Consume additional fluids to support increased blood volume
  • Older adults: Drink regularly throughout the day, even if not feeling thirsty
  • Children: Encourage frequent water breaks during play and physical activities

By tailoring hydration strategies to individual needs, you can help ensure that everyone maintains optimal fluid balance.

The Role of Diet in Hydration: Beyond Just Water

While water is the most obvious source of hydration, your diet can also play a significant role in maintaining fluid balance. Understanding how different foods and beverages contribute to hydration can help you make informed choices.

Which foods and drinks contribute to hydration?

Consider incorporating the following into your diet for improved hydration:

  • Water-rich fruits like watermelon, strawberries, and oranges
  • Hydrating vegetables such as cucumber, lettuce, and zucchini
  • Clear broths and soups
  • Herbal teas and infusions
  • Milk and plant-based milk alternatives
  • Coconut water

Remember that while these foods and beverages can contribute to your daily fluid intake, they should complement, not replace, regular water consumption.

Hydration Myths Debunked: Separating Fact from Fiction

Numerous myths and misconceptions surround the topic of hydration. Addressing these can help people make more informed decisions about their fluid intake and overall health.

What are some common hydration myths?

Let’s debunk some prevalent hydration myths:

  1. Myth: You need to drink 8 glasses of water a day.
    Reality: Fluid needs vary based on individual factors like activity level, climate, and overall health.
  2. Myth: Caffeine always leads to dehydration.
    Reality: Moderate caffeine intake doesn’t significantly impact hydration levels in regular consumers.
  3. Myth: Clear urine indicates optimal hydration.
    Reality: Pale yellow urine is a better indicator of proper hydration.
  4. Myth: You can’t overhydrate.
    Reality: Excessive water intake can lead to a dangerous condition called hyponatremia.
  5. Myth: Sports drinks are always better than water for hydration.
    Reality: For most people, water is sufficient for hydration during moderate exercise.

Understanding these facts can help you make more informed decisions about your hydration practices.

Technological Aids for Hydration: Apps and Devices

In our tech-savvy world, various apps and devices have been developed to help people track and improve their hydration habits. These tools can be particularly useful for those who struggle to remember to drink water regularly.

How can technology assist in maintaining proper hydration?

Consider using the following technological aids:

  • Hydration reminder apps that send notifications to drink water
  • Smart water bottles that track fluid intake and sync with smartphones
  • Wearable devices that monitor hydration levels through skin sensors
  • Apps that allow you to log your daily fluid intake from various sources

While these tools can be helpful, it’s important to listen to your body and consult with healthcare professionals for personalized hydration advice.

Environmental Factors and Hydration: Adapting to Different Climates

Your environment plays a crucial role in determining your hydration needs. Understanding how different climates and altitudes affect fluid balance can help you adjust your hydration strategies accordingly.

How do different environments impact hydration needs?

Consider the following environmental factors:

  1. Hot and humid climates: Increase fluid intake to compensate for increased sweating
  2. High altitudes: Consume more fluids to combat the effects of increased respiration and urination
  3. Air travel: Drink extra water to counteract the dehydrating effects of low cabin humidity
  4. Cold environments: Don’t neglect hydration, as cold air can be very dry

By adapting your fluid intake to your environment, you can maintain proper hydration across various conditions.

Hydration and Mental Health: The Cognitive Benefits of Proper Fluid Balance

The impact of hydration extends beyond physical health. Proper fluid balance can significantly affect cognitive function and mental well-being, highlighting the importance of staying hydrated for overall health.

How does hydration affect cognitive function and mood?

Proper hydration can lead to:

  • Improved concentration and focus
  • Enhanced short-term memory
  • Better mood regulation
  • Reduced feelings of fatigue and anxiety
  • Improved reaction times

These cognitive benefits underscore the importance of maintaining adequate hydration throughout the day, especially during mentally demanding tasks.

Hydration for Chronic Conditions: Managing Fluid Balance with Health Issues

For individuals with chronic health conditions, maintaining proper hydration can be both crucial and challenging. Understanding how various health issues impact fluid needs can help in developing effective hydration strategies.

How do chronic conditions affect hydration needs?

Consider the following for specific health conditions:

  • Diabetes: Monitor fluid intake carefully, as high blood sugar can increase urination and risk of dehydration
  • Heart failure: Balance fluid intake to avoid overloading the heart while preventing dehydration
  • Kidney disease: Work with healthcare providers to determine appropriate fluid intake based on kidney function
  • Cystic fibrosis: Increase fluid intake to help thin mucus secretions

Always consult with healthcare professionals to develop a hydration plan tailored to your specific health needs.

The Future of Hydration: Emerging Research and Trends

As our understanding of hydration science evolves, new research continues to shed light on its importance and optimal strategies. Staying informed about these developments can help you make the best choices for your health.

What are some emerging trends in hydration research?

Keep an eye on these developing areas:

  1. Personalized hydration strategies based on genetic profiles
  2. Advanced wearable technology for real-time hydration monitoring
  3. The role of hydration in disease prevention and longevity
  4. Development of more efficient oral rehydration solutions
  5. Exploration of optimal hydration strategies for extreme environments, such as space travel

As research progresses, our approaches to hydration may become increasingly sophisticated and tailored to individual needs.

Dehydration – Symptoms & causes

Overview

Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don’t replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated.

Anyone may become dehydrated, but the condition is especially dangerous for young children and older adults.

The most common cause of dehydration in young children is severe diarrhea and vomiting. Older adults naturally have a lower volume of water in their bodies, and may have conditions or take medications that increase the risk of dehydration.

This means that even minor illnesses, such as infections affecting the lungs or bladder, can result in dehydration in older adults.

Dehydration also can occur in any age group if you don’t drink enough water during hot weather — especially if you are exercising vigorously.

You can usually reverse mild to moderate dehydration by drinking more fluids, but severe dehydration needs immediate medical treatment.

Products & Services

Symptoms

Thirst isn’t always a reliable early indicator of the body’s need for water. Many people, particularly older adults, don’t feel thirsty until they’re already dehydrated. That’s why it’s important to increase water intake during hot weather or when you’re ill.

The signs and symptoms of dehydration also may differ by age.

Infant or young child

  • Dry mouth and tongue
  • No tears when crying
  • No wet diapers for three hours
  • Sunken eyes, cheeks
  • Sunken soft spot on top of skull
  • Listlessness or irritability

Adult

  • Extreme thirst
  • Less frequent urination
  • Dark-colored urine
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Confusion

When to see a doctor

Call your family doctor if you or a loved one:

  • Has had diarrhea for 24 hours or more
  • Is irritable or disoriented and much sleepier or less active than usual
  • Can’t keep down fluids
  • Has bloody or black stool

Causes

Sometimes dehydration occurs for simple reasons: You don’t drink enough because you’re sick or busy, or because you lack access to safe drinking water when you’re traveling, hiking or camping.

Other dehydration causes include:

  • Diarrhea, vomiting. Severe, acute diarrhea — that is, diarrhea that comes on suddenly and violently — can cause a tremendous loss of water and electrolytes in a short amount of time. If you have vomiting along with diarrhea, you lose even more fluids and minerals.
  • Fever. In general, the higher your fever, the more dehydrated you may become. The problem worsens if you have a fever in addition to diarrhea and vomiting.
  • Excessive sweating. You lose water when you sweat. If you do vigorous activity and don’t replace fluids as you go along, you can become dehydrated. Hot, humid weather increases the amount you sweat and the amount of fluid you lose.
  • Increased urination. This may be due to undiagnosed or uncontrolled diabetes. Certain medications, such as diuretics and some blood pressure medications, also can lead to dehydration, generally because they cause you to urinate more.

Risk factors

Anyone can become dehydrated, but certain people are at greater risk:

  • Infants and children. The most likely group to experience severe diarrhea and vomiting, infants and children are especially vulnerable to dehydration. Having a higher surface area to volume area, they also lose a higher proportion of their fluids from a high fever or burns. Young children often can’t tell you that they’re thirsty, nor can they get a drink for themselves.
  • Older adults. As you age, your body’s fluid reserve becomes smaller, your ability to conserve water is reduced and your thirst sense becomes less acute. These problems are compounded by chronic illnesses such as diabetes and dementia, and by the use of certain medications. Older adults also may have mobility problems that limit their ability to obtain water for themselves.
  • People with chronic illnesses. Having uncontrolled or untreated diabetes puts you at high risk of dehydration. Kidney disease also increases your risk, as do medications that increase urination. Even having a cold or sore throat makes you more susceptible to dehydration because you’re less likely to feel like eating or drinking when you’re sick.
  • People who work or exercise outside. When it’s hot and humid, your risk of dehydration and heat illness increases. That’s because when the air is humid, sweat can’t evaporate and cool you as quickly as it normally does, and this can lead to an increased body temperature and the need for more fluids.

Complications

Dehydration can lead to serious complications, including:

  • Heat injury. If you don’t drink enough fluids when you’re exercising vigorously and perspiring heavily, you may end up with a heat injury, ranging in severity from mild heat cramps to heat exhaustion or potentially life-threatening heatstroke.
  • Urinary and kidney problems. Prolonged or repeated bouts of dehydration can cause urinary tract infections, kidney stones and even kidney failure.
  • Seizures. Electrolytes — such as potassium and sodium — help carry electrical signals from cell to cell. If your electrolytes are out of balance, the normal electrical messages can become mixed up, which can lead to involuntary muscle contractions and sometimes to a loss of consciousness.
  • Low blood volume shock (hypovolemic shock). This is one of the most serious, and sometimes life-threatening, complications of dehydration. It occurs when low blood volume causes a drop in blood pressure and a drop in the amount of oxygen in your body.

Prevention

To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of fluids and eat foods high in water such as fruits and vegetables. Letting thirst be your guide is an adequate daily guideline for most healthy people.

People may need to take in more fluids if they are experiencing conditions such as:

  • Vomiting or diarrhea. If your child is vomiting or has diarrhea, start giving extra water or an oral rehydration solution at the first signs of illness. Don’t wait until dehydration occurs.
  • Strenuous exercise. In general, it’s best to start hydrating the day before strenuous exercise. Producing lots of clear, dilute urine is a good indication that you’re well-hydrated. During the activity, replenish fluids at regular intervals and continue drinking water or other fluids after you’re finished.
  • Hot or cold weather. You need to drink additional water in hot or humid weather to help lower your body temperature and to replace what you lose through sweating. You may also need extra water in cold weather to combat moisture loss from dry air, particularly at higher altitudes
  • Illness. Older adults most commonly become dehydrated during minor illnesses — such as influenza, bronchitis or bladder infections. Make sure to drink extra fluids when you’re not feeling well.

Dehydration – Symptoms & causes

Overview

Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don’t replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated.

Anyone may become dehydrated, but the condition is especially dangerous for young children and older adults.

The most common cause of dehydration in young children is severe diarrhea and vomiting. Older adults naturally have a lower volume of water in their bodies, and may have conditions or take medications that increase the risk of dehydration.

This means that even minor illnesses, such as infections affecting the lungs or bladder, can result in dehydration in older adults.

Dehydration also can occur in any age group if you don’t drink enough water during hot weather — especially if you are exercising vigorously.

You can usually reverse mild to moderate dehydration by drinking more fluids, but severe dehydration needs immediate medical treatment.

Products & Services

Symptoms

Thirst isn’t always a reliable early indicator of the body’s need for water. Many people, particularly older adults, don’t feel thirsty until they’re already dehydrated. That’s why it’s important to increase water intake during hot weather or when you’re ill.

The signs and symptoms of dehydration also may differ by age.

Infant or young child

  • Dry mouth and tongue
  • No tears when crying
  • No wet diapers for three hours
  • Sunken eyes, cheeks
  • Sunken soft spot on top of skull
  • Listlessness or irritability

Adult

  • Extreme thirst
  • Less frequent urination
  • Dark-colored urine
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Confusion

When to see a doctor

Call your family doctor if you or a loved one:

  • Has had diarrhea for 24 hours or more
  • Is irritable or disoriented and much sleepier or less active than usual
  • Can’t keep down fluids
  • Has bloody or black stool

Causes

Sometimes dehydration occurs for simple reasons: You don’t drink enough because you’re sick or busy, or because you lack access to safe drinking water when you’re traveling, hiking or camping.

Other dehydration causes include:

  • Diarrhea, vomiting. Severe, acute diarrhea — that is, diarrhea that comes on suddenly and violently — can cause a tremendous loss of water and electrolytes in a short amount of time. If you have vomiting along with diarrhea, you lose even more fluids and minerals.
  • Fever. In general, the higher your fever, the more dehydrated you may become. The problem worsens if you have a fever in addition to diarrhea and vomiting.
  • Excessive sweating. You lose water when you sweat. If you do vigorous activity and don’t replace fluids as you go along, you can become dehydrated. Hot, humid weather increases the amount you sweat and the amount of fluid you lose.
  • Increased urination. This may be due to undiagnosed or uncontrolled diabetes. Certain medications, such as diuretics and some blood pressure medications, also can lead to dehydration, generally because they cause you to urinate more.

Risk factors

Anyone can become dehydrated, but certain people are at greater risk:

  • Infants and children. The most likely group to experience severe diarrhea and vomiting, infants and children are especially vulnerable to dehydration. Having a higher surface area to volume area, they also lose a higher proportion of their fluids from a high fever or burns. Young children often can’t tell you that they’re thirsty, nor can they get a drink for themselves.
  • Older adults. As you age, your body’s fluid reserve becomes smaller, your ability to conserve water is reduced and your thirst sense becomes less acute. These problems are compounded by chronic illnesses such as diabetes and dementia, and by the use of certain medications. Older adults also may have mobility problems that limit their ability to obtain water for themselves.
  • People with chronic illnesses. Having uncontrolled or untreated diabetes puts you at high risk of dehydration. Kidney disease also increases your risk, as do medications that increase urination. Even having a cold or sore throat makes you more susceptible to dehydration because you’re less likely to feel like eating or drinking when you’re sick.
  • People who work or exercise outside. When it’s hot and humid, your risk of dehydration and heat illness increases. That’s because when the air is humid, sweat can’t evaporate and cool you as quickly as it normally does, and this can lead to an increased body temperature and the need for more fluids.

Complications

Dehydration can lead to serious complications, including:

  • Heat injury. If you don’t drink enough fluids when you’re exercising vigorously and perspiring heavily, you may end up with a heat injury, ranging in severity from mild heat cramps to heat exhaustion or potentially life-threatening heatstroke.
  • Urinary and kidney problems. Prolonged or repeated bouts of dehydration can cause urinary tract infections, kidney stones and even kidney failure.
  • Seizures. Electrolytes — such as potassium and sodium — help carry electrical signals from cell to cell. If your electrolytes are out of balance, the normal electrical messages can become mixed up, which can lead to involuntary muscle contractions and sometimes to a loss of consciousness.
  • Low blood volume shock (hypovolemic shock). This is one of the most serious, and sometimes life-threatening, complications of dehydration. It occurs when low blood volume causes a drop in blood pressure and a drop in the amount of oxygen in your body.

Prevention

To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of fluids and eat foods high in water such as fruits and vegetables. Letting thirst be your guide is an adequate daily guideline for most healthy people.

People may need to take in more fluids if they are experiencing conditions such as:

  • Vomiting or diarrhea. If your child is vomiting or has diarrhea, start giving extra water or an oral rehydration solution at the first signs of illness. Don’t wait until dehydration occurs.
  • Strenuous exercise. In general, it’s best to start hydrating the day before strenuous exercise. Producing lots of clear, dilute urine is a good indication that you’re well-hydrated. During the activity, replenish fluids at regular intervals and continue drinking water or other fluids after you’re finished.
  • Hot or cold weather. You need to drink additional water in hot or humid weather to help lower your body temperature and to replace what you lose through sweating. You may also need extra water in cold weather to combat moisture loss from dry air, particularly at higher altitudes
  • Illness. Older adults most commonly become dehydrated during minor illnesses — such as influenza, bronchitis or bladder infections. Make sure to drink extra fluids when you’re not feeling well.

Dehydration and its symptoms

Moscow

    Health

    Adviсe

    Dehydration percentage:

    • 1% – intense thirst, headache, general malaise;
    • 5% – dizziness, nausea, fatigue, shortness of breath;
    • 10% – convulsions, cell death;
    • 20% – death.

    1

    During illness, especially in case of poisoning and SARS, drink much more than usual, and not only hot tea, popular in such situations, but also just clean water;

    class=”li_div”>

    2

    When exercising and in hot weather, also increase the intake of water that is lost through sweat;

    class=”li_div”>

    3

    Don’t tolerate being thirsty – always have a small bottle of water with you. And even better – a stylish and compact AQUAPHOR City filter bottle.

    class=”li_div”>

    class=”ol_div”>

    • 09 April 2018

      93

      Is water an energy drink?

      • Health

      • Beauty

    • December 05, 2022

      97

      How to remove iron in water from a well

      • Tips

      • Dacha

    • March 30, 2018

      117

      What to give the child to drink?

      • Health

      • Tips

      • Children

    • 01 June 2022

      71

      Water helps to lose weight

      • Beauty

      • Tips

    • 02 April 2020

      64

      How to drink water during the coronavirus period?

      • Health

      • Tips

    • 07 April 2018

      88

      Is bottled water safe?

      • Health

    • September 08, 2017

      106

      Bath recipes: therapeutic baths at home

      • Health

      • Beauty

    • April 10, 2020

      83

      3 simple water experiments for children

      • Tips

      • Children

    • March 20, 2020

      79

      Risk factors during the coronavirus period. And what about the water?

      • Health

      • Tips


    Application for video consultation

    1

    messenger for communication

    2

    contact details

    3

    date selection

    Application sent 90 003

    Our employee will conduct a video consultation at the selected time

    Dehydration in a child: symptoms and prevention

    home

    reference Information

    Resources for Parents

    Dehydration in a child: symptoms and prevention

    Dehydration is a pathological condition in which the body loses fluid and, along with it, salts and minerals. Infants and young children are especially at risk of dehydration because they lose fluid faster than adults.

    Causes of dehydration

    1. Difficulty in the flow of fluid into the body. This situation is rare. This may be the refusal of the child to drink liquid, for example, due to pain when swallowing. Or these are severe pathological conditions in which the child cannot swallow on his own.

    2. Increased excretion of water and minerals by the body, when the loss of fluid exceeds its intake. This situation is observed in acute infections, food poisoning, parasitic damage, overheating, burns.

    Signs of dehydration in a child: dry mucous membranes, shallow breathing, rapid pulse, low blood pressure, lethargy and irritability; decreased frequency of urination, deformation of the fontanel, lack of tears when crying.

    Dehydration is a very dangerous condition, especially for children. Its most common cause is a viral infection with the following manifestations: high fever, loss of appetite, loose stools, vomiting.

    In many cases, the infection is caused by rotaviruses.

    Dehydration can also be the result of the formation of wounds in the child’s mouth, because they are also the result of the entry of the virus into the body. Painful mouth ulcers make it difficult for a child to eat and drink normally. Dehydration can also occur as a result of intense sweating, so on hot days you should make sure that the child consumes more fluids than usual. Always carry a bottle of water with you.

    2. Symptoms of dehydration in children

    The first symptoms of dehydration in infants and children are as follows: chills, weakness, crying without tears, dry mouth. In severe cases, symptoms include dry skin, a change in the smell and color of urine, and a decrease in the amount of urination. Having recognized these symptoms, it is worth thinking about how to restore the water balance of the body as soon as possible.

    How to quench a child’s thirst?

    Water

    Pediatricians always recommend water to quench your thirst. Drinking water will not cause a child to lose their appetite and will not have problems with tooth decay and obesity in the future, unlike the consequences of drinking sugary drinks.

    A baby only needs a few teaspoons of water a day. When he shows that he is no longer thirsty, stop the process and give the next dose in a few hours.

    The water given to the child should be boiled and cooled. Even tap water filtered with special filters is not suitable for direct consumption by a child, as it contains many chemicals and metals that can be harmful to health.

    Teas

    Teas are also recommended for children, but only in small amounts, as babies often like the sweetened drink. You can also give your child juices, preferably diluted 1:1 with water. The most useful are low-sugar juices containing pulp, without dyes and preservatives. They are meant to be safe for children to consume.

    How to avoid dehydration?

    If you have already experienced the annoying problem of dehydration in your child, do not rush to panic! Read the detailed description of actions on how to avoid this phenomenon.

    Give your child a small amount of water several times a day

    Breastfeed your baby more often, especially in hot weather

    Use drinking water, chamomile tea and light fruit infusions

    Check the temperature of drinks before serving it to the child – it should be at room temperature

    Remember that hot days can be dangerous not only for your baby, but also for you. At this time, be sure to have a bottle of water with you separately for yourself and your baby. When a child’s dehydration is so severe that he looks visibly weak and lethargic, see a doctor as soon as possible.

    In extreme cases of dehydration (accompanied by fever and diarrhoea), we are talking about inpatient treatment and the installation of a drip under the supervision of doctors

    What Diet Should You Follow During Dehydration?

    The most important rule during dehydration is the constant filling of the body with fluid. Not only oral rehydration fluids, but also some dietary changes play a key role in solving this problem.