Sometimes, diseases are not so terrible as the consequences to which they can lead. And because the human body consists of 70 percent water, it is very dangerous to dehydration, that is, the loss of a large amount of water, which affects the work of all organs and systems. Most often, dehydration occurs as a result of an infectious disease of the gastrointestinal tract and high temperature, but it can also occur as a result of increased sweating and long exposure to the sun.
Dehydration is especially dangerous for children and the elderly, since their body itself does not work stably enough. All mothers need to know how to determine dehydration in a child.
Therefore, in this article we will consider how dehydration is manifested in the child, that is, we study its signs.
Symptoms of dehydration in children
Since dehydration is a progressing process, it is mild, moderate and severe, the symptoms of which must be able to be determined.
Symptoms of mild degree:
- absence of urination - more than 4-6 hours;
- decrease in the amount of urine and increase in its concentration (it becomes darker, the smell increases);
- feeling of thirst and dryness in the mouth;
- dry, chapped pale lips;
- change of complexion - becomes grayish;
- the viscosity of saliva;
- no crying when crying;
- the appearance of dark circles under the eyes;
- lack of activity, apathy or too long a dream;
- rapid breathing and pulse;
- weight loss up to 5%.
Severe Symptoms:
- weakness, drowsiness, or anxiety (overexcitation);
- dizziness and confusion (delirium);
- loss of consciousness;
- decrease in skin elasticity - when squeezing, the skin returns to normal more than 2 seconds;
- muscle spasms;
- swelling of extremities;
- heavily sunken eyeballs and a decrease in their turgor;
- coldness of limbs (hands and feet);
- marbling of the skin;
- refusal to drink;
- excessive drowsiness or fussiness;
- in infants - the fall of the fontanel;
- loss of about 10% and more weight.
Determining the dehydration of the body in children by the first signs helps to start treatment on time, since, especially for young children, this can lead to kidney failure (development of kidney failure) and the brain, accumulation of harmful substances and changes in the chemical balance in the body.
When determining signs of dehydration, do not be afraid to go to the doctors, in the conditions of the hospital, the water-salt balance is compensated faster by the use of droppers.