
Written by Editorial Team
Now though the word dehydration is very common, yet you would never imagine that your little toddler would become a victim of it. Dehydration is a situation where a patient does not have adequate fluids as per what the body requires. There is every chance any little kid can become dehydrated in the severe heat during summer. You need to be aware of the most common symptoms of dehydration which may occur in your child so that you can take immediate measures to combat.
On a daily basis, we all lose our bodily fluids to sweat, tears, urine, stool, through the skin, and even as we breathe. This loss is met by our daily dose of water and salts, through our regular diet. However, when large amounts of water are lost from the boy due to an illness, like fever or diarrhea, or excessive playing or exercise etc. it can result in dehydration because the loss of fluids is not compensated through diet and otherwise. Because toddlers are physically very active, they sometimes tend to go long periods without drinking adequate water or when they are sick. Dehydration in toddlers can cause them to be cranky, lethargic and dizzy.
Firstly you need to know what causes dehydration in children.
Children are more prone to dehydration than adults. The most common causes of dehydration in children are:
The common tell tale signs of dehydration include:
Severe cases which need immediate attention may even exhibit the below symptoms as well:
If you feel your toddler is a victim of dehydration which requires immediate attention, the best course would be to immediately rush him/her to the emergency. If on the other hand you feel it is just a mild case, you could just ring up your pediatrician who will provide you with the right kind of advice about what needs to be done.
In normal cases, your doctor will want to see your kid to assess the extent of dehydration and then decide the course of treatment accordingly. Mild cases only require prescribed electrolytes to make up the quantity of fluids the child has lost. The regularly prescribed electrolytes which are available in all leading pharmacies include Re Vital, Infalyte and Pedialyte. These electrolytes are ideal to reload the required amount of salts and water. How much to provide depends on the weight and condition of each child. There is every chance your child may not take well to the taste of electrolyte and if this is the case, you may need to ask your doctor for alternatives.
Like the saying goes, prevention is always better than cure and dehydration is one contingency which can be avoided if you take proper care and ensure your child remains hydrated always. Anyhow the main preventive measures to avert dehydration are:
Always bear in mind the fact that chances of dehydration are always more in young children rather than adults and if ignored, it can cause a life threatening situation. Never neglect this condition as it can blow out of proportion if ignored.
With a rich experience in pregnancy and parenting, our team of experts create insightful, well-curated, and easy-to-read content for our to-be-parents and parents at all stages of parenting.Read more.
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