http://www.saferchild.org/dehydrat.htm
Signs of Dehydration:
The simplest way to check for dehydration is to check urine color. It should be clear or very pale yellow. If it begins to darken in color, fluid intake should increase.
(Note: If you've increased water intake -- but thirst, headache or other symptoms persist -- check with your doctor. It might simply be that a fluid containing electrolytes is needed to restore a normal balance. It could also be that some other underlying cause requires medical attention.)
Remember: if you try to drink a large amount of water all at once, your kidneys will simply flush the excess fluid by sending you to the bathroom. It's better to drink regular amounts of fluid throughout the day. Each morning, pour the liquid you need to drink and make sure that by the end of the day, it's gone. That way, you won't forget how much you've already had.
|
Mild Dehydration: (increase fluid intake -- and for babies, call a medical professional): Thirst, dry lips, dry mouth, flushed skin, fatigue, irritability, headache, urine begins to darken in color, urine output decreases | |
|
Moderate Dehydration: (call a medical professional): All of the signs of mild dehydration, plus: skin doesn't bounce back quickly when pressed, very dry mouth, sunken eyes, (in infant - sunken fontanel, the soft spot on the head), output of urine will be limited and color of urine will be dark yellow, cramps, stiff and/or painful joints, severe irritability, fatigue, severe headache | |
|
Severe Dehydration: (call emergency number): All of the signs of mild and moderate dehydration, plus: blue lips, blotchy skin, confusion, lethargy, cold hands and feet, rapid breathing, rapid and weak pulse, low blood pressure, dizziness, fainting, high fever, inability to pee or cry tears, disinterest in drinking fluid |
Dehydration is loss of water and important blood salts like potassium (K+) and sodium (Na+). Vital organs like the kidneys, brain, and heart can’t function without a certain minimum of water and salt. In underdeveloped countries, dehydration from diseases like cholera and dysentery kills millions every year (usually infants and children). Still, with severe vomiting or diarrhea and occasionally with excessive sweating, you can become dangerously dehydrated right here in the U.S.A. Below are some warning signs for dehydration.
| ||||||
If you’re severely dehydrated, you must get to a hospital right away. Intravenous fluids (IVs) will quickly reverse dehydration, and are often life-saving in young children and infants.
In teenagers and adults with moderate dehydration, careful home treatment can be safe, but phone contact with a physician is advisable. Children under 10 with moderate dehydration should see a physician first, though hospitalization usually isn’t necessary.
Mild dehydration is safe to self-treat at all ages, as long as it doesn’t worsen.
To treat dehydration, you must first address the cause: Fever, Vomiting, Diarrhea, and Heat Exhaustion are the most common reasons for dehydration. Click on each of those topics to review treatment. While you’re treating the underlying problem, begin small amounts of oral re-hydrating solution (ORS).
Commercial ORS replaces important blood salts and water in balanced amounts designed especially for dehydration in sick people They are formulated to allow your intestines to absorb maximum amounts of water along with small amounts of salts. Don’t confuse ORS with sports drinks designed for concentrated energy and salt replacement in healthy, high-performance athletes. These drinks can actually aggravate vomiting and diarrhea and are so concentrated they can limit intestinal water absorption.
Once signs of dehydration have disappeared, ORS is no longer necessary, but a clear liquid diet might still be useful if vomiting or diarrhea persists.
Recommended Product:-
Kaolectrolyte (carbohydrate and electrolyte powder packets). This is the product that most closely approximates World Health Organization and American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines on oral rehydrating solutions. Because they come in small, easily transportable packets and dissolve in 8 oz. of water in seconds, they are more convenient than pre-mixed brands. They also come in several flavors. ===========================================
-
Dry lips and tongue
-
Sunken eyes
-
Bright colored or dark urine, or urine with a strong odor
-
Infrequent urination
-
Small volume of urine
-
Apathy or lack of energy
The progressive effects of dehydration are serious. As someone becomes dehydrated, heart rate increases, blood flow to the skin decreases, and a body temperature can rise steadily to dangerous levels. To avoid a potentially life-threatening medical emergency, parents and coaches need to be familiar with the symptoms of and treatment for heat-related illnesses.
=============================
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/dehydration/symptoms.htm
Symptoms of Dehydration
List of symptoms of Dehydration: The list of symptoms mentioned in various sources for Dehydration includes:
- Thirst
- Dry mouth
- Dry tongue
- Fatigue
- Dark colored urine
- Infrequent urination
- Reduced urine
- Dry skin
- Loose skin
- Wrinkled skin
- Rapid pulse
- Rapid breathing
- Muscle cramps
- Muscle weakness
- Sunken eyes
- Light-headedness
- Rapid heartbeat
- Rapid breathing
- Confusion
- Loss of consciousness
- Infant dehydration symptoms - dehydration is severe in infants requiring immediate urgent medical care; call the doctor or emergency immediately; some of the symptoms include:
- High fever
- Irritability
- Listlessness
- Sleepiness
- Dry mouth
- Cracked lips
- Sunken eyes
- Sunken abdomen
- Sunken cheeks
- Dark rings around the eyes
- Sunken fontanel
- No tears when crying
- Dry mouth and tongue
- Non-responsive skin - does not flatten out when pinched up and released
Symptoms of Dehydration: General signs of dehydration include
- Thirst
- Less frequent urination
- Dry skin
- Fatigue
- Light-headedness
- Dark colored urine
Signs of dehydration in children include
- Dry mouth and tongue
- No tears when crying
- No wet diapers for 3 hours or more
- Sunken abdomen, eyes, or cheeks
- High fever
- Listlessness or irritability
- Skin that does not flatten when pinched and released
If you suspect that you or your child is dehydrated, call the doctor immediately. Severe dehydration may require hospitalization. 1
More symptoms of Dehydration: In addition to the above information, to get a full picture of the possible symptoms of this condition and its related conditions, it may be necessary to examine symptoms that may be caused by complications of Dehydration, underlying causes of Dehydration, associated conditions for Dehydration, risk factors for Dehydration, or other related conditions.
Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Diarrhea: NIDDK
Last revision: October 23, 2003
Diseases > Dehydration > Symptoms
===============================
http://yalenewhavenhealth.org/library/healthguide/en-us/support/topic.asp?hwid=std120726
Dehydration
Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when a person's body loses too much water. When a person stops drinking water or loses large amounts of fluids because of diarrhea, vomiting, or sweating, the body reabsorbs fluid from the blood and other body tissues.
By the time a person becomes severely dehydrated, there is no longer enough fluid in the body to get blood to the vital organs and the person may begin to go into shock, which is life-threatening.
Dehydration is very dangerous for infants, small children, and older adults. It is most dangerous for newborns. Watch closely for its early signs anytime there is an illness that causes a high fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Early signs of dehydration include:
- Increased thirst.
- Dry mouth and sticky saliva.
- Reduced urine output with dark yellow urine.
Symptoms of moderate dehydration include:
- Extreme thirst.
- Dry appearance inside the mouth and the eyes don't tear.
- Decreased urination, or half the normal number of urinations in 24 hours (usually 3 or fewer urinations). Urine is dark amber or brown.
- Lightheadedness that is relieved by lying down.
Severe dehydration is life-threatening. Symptoms that require emergency care (even if only one of them is present) include:
- Altered behavior, such as severe anxiety, confusion, or not being able to stay awake.
- Faintness that is not relieved by lying down, or lightheadedness that continues after standing for 2 minutes.
- Weak, rapid pulse.
- Cold, clammy skin or hot, dry skin.
- Little or no urination.
- Loss of consciousness.
================================================
What are signs of dehydration?
dry mouth, lightheadedness, a headache, fatigue or muscle cramps
http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/428/200104_q10.cfm?pid=60&CFID=879497&CFTOKEN=28023944
Offline 
Send Email