Tips for Avoiding Infant/Child Dehydration
It is hotter than Hades in southern Missouri and now is the time to really watch for dehydration in children! With summer camps and vacations well under way, it’s important to know the signs for dehydration in kids and infants.
According to Cleavland Clinic, dehydration occurs when an infant or child loses so much body fluid that they are not able to maintain ordinary function. The warning signs can include dry skin, tongue and lips, rapid breathing, fewer wet diapers and tearless crying.
Dehydration can occur due to things like vomiting and diarrhea, but it can also occur in children who have been in the sun too long. This is why we have to watch closely for it during summer months, especially when we take the kids to places like the river, lakes, or just out to play.
When a child becomes dehydrated, they may not be able to replace fluid by normal eating or drinking. This is when it’s time to take action and head to the hospital. Below are some signs you can look for in your child to know when they may be suffering from dehydration.
Dry tongue and dry lips.
No tears when crying.
Fewer than six wet diapers per day (for infants), and no wet diapers or urination for eight hours (in toddlers).
Sunken soft spot on infant's head.
Sunken eyes.
Deep, rapid breathing.
Cool and blotchy hands and feet.
There are steps you can take at home to help your child get better. First, call their doctor or WKO nurse and let them know what’s going on if you think your child might be getting too dehydrated. Follow the instructions of a healthcare professional and slowly increase your child’s fluids over a few hours and see if they start to turn around.
If things don’t get better or the dehydration gets worse, call a doctor. Call the doctor if your child:
Has any signs of dehydration as listed above.
Has increased vomiting or diarrhea.
Has no wet diapers or urination within eight hours.
Is lethargic (sleeping more and less playful).
Untreated dehydration can lead to more serious illnesses. Heat cramps (painful cramps in the arms, legs, and abdomen), and heat exhaustion which appears in the forms of dizziness, nausea, vomiting, headaches, weakness, muscle pain, and sometimes unconsciousness are major signs that your child needs medical attention. If not taken care of, these can lead to eventual heat stroke: A temperature of 104 F or higher and severe symptoms, including nausea and vomiting, seizures, disorientation or delirium, lack of sweating, shortness of breath, unconsciousness, and coma.
Both heat exhaustion and heat stroke require immediate care. Heat stroke is a medical emergency that, when untreated, can be deadly. Any child with heat stroke should be rushed to the nearest hospital.
As with anything, the best way to avoid dehydration is to prevent it. In the summer months, take precaution while you have your child outside with you. Some ways to prevent dehydration from sun exposure are:
Make sure your child drinks cool water early and often. Send your child out to practice or play fully hydrated. Then, during play, make sure your child takes regular breaks to drink fluid, even if your child isn't thirsty. If kids wait to drink until they feel thirsty, they're already dehydrated. Thirst doesn't really kick in until a child has lost 2% of their body weight as sweat.A good size drink for a child, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, is 5 ounces of cold tap water for a child weighing 88 pounds, and nine ounces for a teen weighing 132 pounds. One ounce is about two kid-size gulps.
Make sure your kids are acclimated before summer camps and practices. If they’ve been inside all of May and then go out to run and practice in June, their bodies are not ready for that kind of physical activity in the heat.
With infants, make sure they are out of the sun. Set up shade devices so that your child’s skin stays out of the sun and is protected from harmful UV rays. Also, if breast feeding, be sure to continue to feed at normal times as usual.
Know that dehydration is cumulative. If your child is 1% or 2% dehydrated on Monday and doesn't drink enough fluids that night, then gets 1% or 2% dehydrated again on Tuesday, that means your child is 3% or 4% dehydrated at the end of the day.
Monitor your child’s urine output. If urine is dark instead of almost clear or light yellow, that is an easy to way to tell dehydration is setting in.
Here are some questions to ask your doctor when it comes to your child and dehydration:
Should I give my child medication? If so, for how long and at what times of the day?
When will my child start to feel better?
Will I need to bring my child back for a follow-up visit?
Should I keep my child home from school or daycare?
Should my child be limited from certain activities? If so, which ones?
Are there certain foods or liquids my child should have or avoid?
Which over-the-counter pain relievers do you recommend?
Which over-the-counter medications/preparations do you not recommend?
Which symptoms should I report to you/your office?