DEHYDRATION

Dehydration happens when there has been a loss of fluid from the body, or a person has not been drinking enough liquids. The body needs liquids to maintain normal functions. The human body needs water to survive. When fluid loss reaches severe levels, a person can go into shock and even die.

Anyone can become dehydrated. However, babies and older adults are most easily affected. There are many causes including:

vomiting
diarrhea
strenuous exercise
fever
sweating
dry climates
hot, especially humid, weather
some medicines, like "water pills" and
some diseases, like diabetes

By the time a person is thirsty, they may already be mildly dehydrated. Mild symptoms of dehydration may include:

small amounts of dark yellow urine
dry mouth and tongue with thick saliva
weakness
lightheadedness
headache
cramping in the arms and legs and
deep breathing

Severe symptoms of dehydration may be life threatening. The emergency medical system 911 needs to be called for anyone with symptoms of severe dehydration. Symptoms of severe dehydration may include:

sunken eyes
very fast pulse and breathing
fainting
irritability
cold hands and feet
listlessness
coma and
no tears

Drinking liquids can treat mild dehydration in adults. The best liquid is water or an oral rehydration solution. If this is not available, a sports drink like Gatorade is good. Alcohol and drinks with caffeine or milk products should be avoided. Alcohol and caffeine act like diuretics. They make a person urinate more often, which gets rid of fluids.

Adults who are vomiting may need to drink small sips every 10 minutes. As the vomiting gets better, the liquids can be increased. Adults with diarrhea need to drink at least 2 to 3 quarts of fluids a day. More fluids will not make the diarrhea worse, but will help to replace the fluids lost.

Dehydration in babies and young children can be a medical emergency. Call your healthcare provider immediately if your child has any signs of dehydration. Treatment of dehydration in children depends on the cause. For mild dehydration, your provider may recommend home treatment with special fluids, such as Pedialtye or Infalyte, for a specific amount of time. Children with moderate or severe signs of dehydration should be seen in the nearest hospital emergency room.

The best treatment for dehydration is prevention. The best way to prevent dehydration is to drink plenty of liquids everyday. A person should drink 6 to 8 glasses of water or other liquid every day. When exercising or participating in sports it is best to drink water before starting the exercise or sport. Then drink more water during the exercising. Following the exercise, continue to drink liquids.

Severe cases of dehydration may require a hospital stay. Intravenous (IV) fluids may be given in the hospital. A provider should be contacted when mild to severe dehydration is suspected.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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