External manifestations of dehydration in children. How to understand that a child is dehydrated: the first signs

Dehydration is the process of complete dehydration, which is very dangerous for the baby. The body of any person consists of 80% water, so its loss is very dangerous and can lead to negative consequences. Against this background, irreversible pathologies that are dangerous to the child’s health develop. Dehydration in a baby should be stopped in time, so parents should know the first signs of this condition.

Causes of water shortage

Dehydration in infants occurs when the required amount of fluid is not regularly supplied to the body. It is important to recognize the situation in time and take all measures to eliminate it. negative consequences. The causes of this condition:

Quite often, vomiting and diarrhea remove all fluid from the body. The situation is dangerous because additional minerals are removed from the body.
Infectious diseases often resolve with elevated body temperature, which helps remove all fluid from the body.
Taking diuretics.
Diabetes causes a large amount of urine to be produced. Its production requires spending extra water from the body's resources.
Excessive sweating, which is a consequence of various pathologies.
The baby may also refuse drinks due to feeling unwell. For example, the symptom often appears during teething. The baby sometimes completely refuses breast milk moms.

The manifestation of dehydration occurs against the background of changes in the functioning of some organs and systems or the lack of supply of a necessary component for a long time. Severe dehydration is dangerous, so it is important to respond to the first symptoms in time. Mommy must provide the baby with the necessary amount of drink.

Severe consequences of the process

Dehydration in newborns leads to negative changes in a large number of metabolic processes. First of all, it negatively affects the absorption of chlorine and potassium. Components required for correct height and development of central nervous system. If the pathology is not eliminated in time, the baby’s risk increases renal failure.

Severe illness puts the baby into shock, so he may lose consciousness. The situation is aggravated by seizures. They indicate the beginning of negative changes in the brain. During this period it is necessary to provide medical care. Otherwise, the risk increases fatal outcome. Only a doctor can correctly assess the condition little patient and prescribe the necessary therapy.

Degree of manifestation of the disease

Depending on the volume of fluid lost, the degree of dehydration is determined. infant.

A mild manifestation is diagnosed in case of loss of no more than 5% of the substance from total mass bodies.

In this case, the following symptoms of dehydration of this nature are distinguished:

The baby is constantly thirsty.
Bright flashes of vomiting are observed periodically.
Stool occurs two to five times a day.
The condition and character of the mucous membranes change noticeably.

The manifestation can be recorded at the first stage of dehydration development.

The balance can be restored independently, provided that fluid is regularly supplied to the body.

The average degree is diagnosed in the absence of 6 to 9% of the required volume of water in the body. Highlight following signs dehydration in an infant at this stage of pathology development:

Stool occurs several times more often. For children older than six months, the frequency may be more than ten.
Excessive salivation and vomiting.
Lack of mucous membrane in the nose and mouth.
Poor palpation of pulse.
The skin has a characteristic Blue colour.
The skin becomes less elastic.

Severe degree represents real threat child's life. A sign of its presence is considered to be the removal from the body of more than 10% of fluid from the total body weight. The symptoms are similar, but more pronounced.

Children become cranky and have difficulty sleeping when dehydrated

The frequency of attacks also differs:

Profuse diarrhea.
Complete drying of the mucous membranes.
The child has no facial expressions.
You can additionally record the retraction of the fontanel and eyeballs.
In some situations, the baby cannot close his eyes completely.
The skin becomes blue.
Complete absence of urination.
A marble pattern is noticeable on the epidermis.
The limbs are completely cold.
Loss of consciousness.
Heart beats too fast.

The manifestation is dangerous because it occurs with complete leaching of potassium cells. In their absence, there is a deterioration in the functioning of the central nervous system, which becomes pathological.

Parents should also know how to understand that a child has extreme serious condition against the background of dehydration. In this case, he can lose up to 20% of his own body weight. The changes are irreversible, because disruption occurs in the functioning of organs and individual cells of the skin. That is why mothers should be extremely attentive to their babies and, if they detect the first symptoms of the disease, immediately seek advice from a doctor.

How to properly treat dehydration?

It is also important to determine the degree of development negative situation. Not all parents will be able to cope with the process on their own. To do this, you should consult a pediatrician. He will carefully analyze the nature of the manifestation and select the necessary course of treatment. For elimination severe forms a mandatory hospital stay is required.

If parents notice the first signs of dehydration in their baby, then they should give him solutions that can replenish the fluid deficiency in the baby’s body. Extremely attentive to this manifestation necessary if the situation is caused by diarrhea or vomiting. Dehydration often occurs due to a sore throat. After all, in this period the child cannot drink. For treatment rotavirus infection it is advisable to use antibiotics. If a child has diarrhea for a long time, it is also recommended to use special medications to restore stool.

Regidron helps cope with dehydration in infants

The situation cannot be left to chance, because it can only get worse.

If a child has a bowel disorder in the form of diarrhea, it is recommended to give him plain boiled water to drink. You should completely avoid juice, compote or tea, because these drinks can only worsen general course diseases. Even water should be given in small portions. Thanks to this, it will be possible to achieve maximum digestibility.
Vomiting is characterized by other manifestations. To eliminate it, you should give your baby special solutions every five minutes. A large volume is dangerous because it can lead to severe irritation of the stomach or esophagus. In this case, vomiting can only intensify, and with it, big picture dehydration.
To improve the process of moisture absorption, Regidron should be used. The drug is available in powder form, which must be diluted in regular boiled water. It should also be given to the child in small quantities, but often. Thanks to this, it will be possible to achieve a stable state within a short period.

Pediatricians recommend always having Regidron in your first aid kit. However, if it was not available at the required time, then a composition with similar properties can be made independently. To do this, you will need to add 0.5 tsp to one liter of water. salt and soda. To improve the properties of the mixture, 4 tbsp is also added to it. l. granulated sugar. You will also need to take one fourth of the ampoule of potassium chloride. This substance is used in the process homemade cottage cheese.

At the first sign of dehydration, you should seek medical help.

Preventive actions

The baby should receive sufficient quantity fluids for proper growth and development. On average, this volume per day ranges from 100-150 ml per kilogram of weight.
The child drinks a lot more water in the hot season. He should not be limited in this.
Fluid from the body may also be excreted through sweat. The situation can only be prevented if you do not wrap up the baby.
If during treatment it is necessary to take diuretics, then during this period it is important to provide the child with sufficient fluids.
Parents are recommended to always have Regidron in their first aid kit. It can only be used if its expiration dates are within the acceptable range. The drug helps cope with the consequences of vomiting and diarrhea. Thanks to this composition, it will be possible to prevent the development of complete dehydration of the body.

Dehydration is a dangerous manifestation for the fragile body of an infant. Parents should be extremely attentive to his state of health and, if there is characteristic symptoms Consult a doctor quickly. In this case, they will not allow development negative manifestations and severe consequences.

When the weather changes, and when we find cold limbs and pale skin in the baby, we refer to the fact that the restless little one is simply frozen. All this takes place, but more often, especially in combination with each other, these signs signal the occurrence of a serious lack of water in the baby’s body or, simply put, dehydration. How dangerous is this phenomenon for a child? What can cause a baby’s body to lack water? How to identify dehydration and distinguish it from other ailments? How to treat and is it possible to cure completely? How to prevent it from happening? Can you answer these questions? If not, then every line of this article will help you understand everything, but even if you are completely confident in your knowledge, read it anyway - in case you forgot something, or maybe you will find new useful information for yourself.

At the first sign of dehydration, immediate action must be taken.

Dehydration? What is this?

Dehydration is a violation of the body's water balance in scientific language. The diagnosis of “dehydration” is made to a child when less fluid enters into his body and more fluid is released than is necessary according to the individual norm. Young children are much more likely than teenagers or adults to suffer from lack of water. You know why?

Where did the water go - let's talk about the reasons

Often, dehydration in children begins against the background of a viral (, adenovirus, norovirus) or bacterial (salmonella, clostridia,) infection. Why? Viruses and bacteria provoke the production of poisons that poison the cells of the body. The latter, when fighting pests, includes all the methods of protection available to it:

rise in temperature- at moderately high numbers on the thermometer, the process of accelerated production of protective cells occurs;

Almost always, at high temperatures, a large amount of fluid leaves the body.

- this is how the body expels microorganisms through the intestines;
- ridding the gastrointestinal tract of microbes;
loss of appetite- the body tries to prevent the re-entry of evil microbes.

To prevent bacteria from entering your body, always wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly.

Children of the youngest age are most susceptible to all these ailments. Such insecurity small organism caused by a deficiency of immunity in the child (not immunodeficiency).

To avoid dehydration, give your child plain drinking water little by little but often.

Other causes of dehydration in babies are:

Undiagnosed (manifested by excessive urine production by the baby) or decompensated (the child does not receive insulin) diabetes mellitus.
, which begins in the warm summer season or because the child is not dressed warmly for the weather or wrapped in diapers.
Some hereditary diseases(malabsorption, cystic fibrosis).

When a child has a sore throat, he may refuse food and water.

An intermediate cause of dehydration may be a sore throat. Baby, realizing that mechanical pressure food or liquid causes him discomfort painful sensations when swallowing, refuses to eat and drink, while continuing to produce natural excrements. It turns out that more fluid is released from a small organism than it enters. The result is dehydration.

Without water the child feels bad

How dangerous is dehydration? You probably know that everyone human body mostly consists of water. 80% of 100 is the ideal fluid content in the body of a baby, 70% for teenagers, and 60% for adults. Without water, any person, and especially Small child, cannot be avoided in any way, since it is the most important component of every cell. Water is involved in absolutely all processes occurring in the body. Its most important function is the transfer various substances and elements from one cell to another. Water also takes a direct part in the digestion process and in removing unnecessary and dangerous substances from body cells.

If there is a lack of water in human body Many metabolic processes are disrupted, the level of potassium and chlorine decreases. The consequences of a lack of these elements result in kidney failure and brain disorders.

Recognize the degree of dehydration by characteristic signs

If everything is so serious, then how can you determine that your baby has become dehydrated? Dehydration manifests itself in different ways. Symptoms vary depending on its degree:

With mild dehydration, the baby loses about 5% of body weight - this stage of dehydration occurs in 90% of cases infectious diseases, accompanied frequent diarrhea. The most basic symptoms for mild cases are:

constant thirst - the baby requires water or breasts 2 times more often;
bowel movements become more frequent up to 5 times per day (in babies older than six months);

Frequent loose stool- an alarm bell.

mucous membranes of the eyes and oral cavity remain unchanged, that is, do not dry out;
infrequent vomiting, which can be confused with regurgitation.

Mild dehydration in a child does not cause major difficulties in treatment.

The average degree implies a loss of body weight in the range of 6-9%. It develops on the first or second day after the obvious manifestation of symptoms of the primary viral infection. The main symptoms are:

frequent (up to 10 times in 24 hours) and bloody spots;
repeated, almost non-stop vomiting;
general restless behavior of the child;

Excessive anxiety in a baby is a reason to be wary.

dry mucous membranes of the oral, nasal and other cavities;
weak, hard to palpable pulse;
viscous saliva;
becomes inelastic (folds straighten out at intervals of up to 2 seconds or more) and acquires a bluish tint;
softening of the child’s skin (decreased muscle and tissue turgor);
retraction of the area of the large fontanel;
eyeballs become soft;
the amount of urine excreted by the child decreases.

For serious colds, the pediatrician may prescribe antibiotics to the child. These drugs do an excellent job of fighting viruses, but have a detrimental effect on intestinal tract baby. After each dose of antibiotics is necessary.

Many young mothers have questions: “Should infants be given vitamin D, and in what quantity?” Let's try to answer these and other questions.

The average degree of dehydration can be treated quite successfully.

Severe dehydration occurs with diarrhea, which occurs more than 10 times per day and looks like muddy water, and with very frequent vomiting. The child loses about 10% of his body weight. The symptoms are in many ways similar to moderate dehydration, but are much more pronounced:

the mucous membranes of the oral cavity are dry;
the skin, when gathered into a fold, does not straighten out within a few seconds;
the baby’s face becomes like a mask: the folds on it are smoothed out, and facial expressions are absent;
the large fontanelle and eyeballs are significantly sunken;
the baby cannot close his eyelids;
the cornea becomes dry;
the skin and mucous membranes acquire a well-defined bluish tint;
no urination;
a marble pattern appears on the skin;
a symptom of a pale spot occurs - when, when you press on the nail bed, the latter remains pale for more than 2 seconds;
the child’s hands and feet become cold;

Cold hands testify medium degree loss of fluid from the body.

the child may lose consciousness;
Tachycardia appears - rapid heartbeat.

At severe dehydration, potassium ions are washed out of the body cells and excreted along with the urine.

An extremely severe degree of dehydration is determined by a loss of fluid within 15-20% of the child’s total body weight. With such a significant lack of water in the body, serious metabolic changes begin to occur, affecting all tissues and every organ of the baby. If fluid loss exceeds 20-22%, the changes become irreversible. A severe degree is treated for a very long time and is quite difficult, but an extremely severe degree cannot be treated.

How to quickly understand that a child is dehydrated?

What parents should do if they suspect dehydration

What should you do if you notice any signs or symptoms in your toddler that indicate dehydration? First of all, don’t panic, collect your thoughts and dial the number of your local doctor or family doctor, explain the situation to him and express your suspicions, invite him to personally examine your child.

Don’t be shy, if something really worries you, call an ambulance.

Sound the alarm immediately and call an ambulance if:

the baby constantly sleeps and wakes up with difficulty and reluctance;
the baby has very severe dry mouth;
the child complains of pain in the abdomen;
you were unable to consult with your regular doctor.

Outpatient or inpatient treatment

The doctor must examine the child and, if necessary, prescribe additional research to accurately detect the degree of dehydration. Komarovsky very clearly and briefly explains how a pediatrician can determine the presence of dehydration in a baby.

After examining you and determining the degree of dehydration, your doctor may leave you to be treated at home or admit you to a hospital. Mild degree dehydration, unless any infection is detected, is usually treated at home. Treatment is based on taking special solutions that restore normal saline and water balance. Drugs prescribed to children under 2 years of age are “Rehydralit” and “Pedialit”.

Regidron is considered one of the the best drugs for rehydration procedures.

Treatment of moderate degree of dehydration already requires, albeit short, but inpatient treatment. What is the therapy? The baby is administered intravenously at regular intervals. infusion solution and watch how the body begins to replenish the missing amount of water and mineral salts. When your baby can start drinking on his own, you will be discharged home to continue treatment. Medicines for home therapy the same as when dealing with mild dehydration. The next day after discharge, be sure to invite your local doctor home to monitor the situation.

Even after discharge, the child requires medical supervision.

Maria is grateful to the ambulance staff:

“It’s a terrible state when you see that your child is very bad, but you can’t help him. And not because you have hook hands, but because there are situations when it is simply impossible to provide help. We found ourselves in an infection with a diagnosis of moderate dehydration. I was not allowed into the treatment room, even though the child was not even a year old. He screamed terribly for about 10 minutes, and then fell silent. 3 long days We spent time with him in the hospital. All this time, some nasty stuff was dripped into the child’s vein. As it turned out later, it was very good “muck”. I am very grateful to the doctors that they did not heed my pleas to stay at home and insisted on immediate hospitalization. We successfully completed our treatment at home and now carefully monitor our hygiene and wash fruits and vegetables well.”

In critical cases, hospitalization of a small patient is necessary.

If dehydration is severe, then There can be no talk of any independent home treatment. All therapeutic measures, including identifying the causes of dehydration, full examination, infusion therapy, treatment of infection (if any) is carried out only in a hospital setting. Children suffering from vomiting and diarrhea are prescribed special medications that inhibit these unpleasant processes. Antibiotics are prescribed only when the cause of dehydration is a bacterial infection.

Pharmaceutical powder can be replaced

If your child has a mild degree of dehydration, and the medicine prescribed by the doctor is not available at the nearest pharmacy, then you can prepare a medicinal solution for your little man yourself. For this you will need:

half a teaspoon of regular table salt;
a quarter ampoule of potassium chloride;
half a teaspoon of soda;

You can prepare saline solution at home using available materials.

4 level tablespoons of sugar;
liter of boiled water.

Dissolve all the ingredients in water and feed the baby this solution every 15-20 minutes. The solution can be stored in the refrigerator for a day. Don't give sports drinks to your child. Yes, they contain the electrolytes that are so necessary for the baby now, but the concentration of sugar in them is much higher.

Recovery diet

If your little one is already 2 years old, then in addition to the medicinal solution, you can give him non-carbonated mineral water and soup cooked in water. If your child last vomited 4 hours ago or more, you can give him an apple, banana, pasta or potato. Infants can try rice and carrot broth.

In order not to burden the stomach of a recovering child, give him soft purees or porridge.

Such carbohydrate diet You should stick to it for a couple of days, and then gradually switch to a normal diet. If you are breastfeeding, feed as often and as much as possible, even if you yourself are experiencing stomach problems. In the process of fighting infection, your body produces antibodies, which you can pass on to your child with milk and thereby help him cope with the disease as quickly as possible.

If you are breastfeeding, do so as often as possible.

Drinking plenty of fluids is the best prevention

Is it possible to prevent dehydration from occurring? It is unlikely if the baby has contracted a viral infection. Prevention of dehydration due to viral or bacterial infections comes down to timely recognition of symptoms and rapid initiation of treatment. If the baby vomits and diarrhea more than 5 times a day, then he should be soldered immediately with an electrolytic solution, and not plain water. To prevent the development of dehydration, it is sometimes useful to drink probiotics, for example, "Lacidophile" or "Acidolac".

To avoid problems, children should drink a lot, especially on hot days.

If there is no infection, then the daily amount of liquid consumed by a baby older than six months should not be less than a liter. This includes fruits, vegetables, and all foods containing liquid. In hot weather and at elevated temperatures, feed the baby often, but in small portions.

Alina says that more than half of the success in preventing dehydration is desoldering started on time:

“It was scary: Danil had vomiting and diarrhea at the same time. Naturally, the child is scared and hysterical. I myself almost succumbed to emotions, but as soon as I thought that I could lose my only son due to some kind of infection, I immediately pulled myself together and began to calm him down and give him warm water. The doctor arrived and praised me for starting to give my son water on time. He prescribed probiotics and prescribed an electrolytic solution just in case, but we did without it. So, we managed with ordinary water.”

When the baby is already recovering, in addition to water, other drinks can be introduced into his diet, for example. This drink, sweetened with honey and diluted with milk, is very popular with children. The only thing mothers should remember is that the tea should not be too strong.

When the baby is seriously naughty, an excellent sedative is a decoction of oatmeal. Any mother can make this drink. Read how to do it correctly.

Last but not least:

dehydration - lack of water in the body;
Dehydration is more common in infants;
artificial children are the most unprotected children;
There are several degrees of severity of dehydration;
treatment directly depends on the severity of dehydration;
Prevention consists of timely treatment.

A newborn baby consists of almost 76% water; by the age of five, this amount decreases to 70%. When there is no supply of water from outside for a long time, the body begins to suffer from dehydration or dehydration. This is a dangerous process that disrupts normal functioning all systems. Know the symptoms of dehydration in children.

Types of dehydration

Dehydration in children is a pathology associated with a decrease in the amount of water in the body below physiological values. It is accompanied by metabolic disorders and can develop very quickly to the point of irreversible disorders. Dehydration is divided into degrees:

Fluid loss, %	Peculiarities	Symptoms
	Develops in the first hours after acute diarrhea	Constant thirst, increased bowel movements up to 5 times a day, no drying of the mucous membranes, vomiting resembles regurgitation
	Occurs within 24-36 hours, against the background of hyperthermia, refusal to drink	Frequent stools (10 times a day) interspersed with mucus or blood, vomiting does not stop, restless behavior, dry mouth, nose, eyes, weak pulse, viscous saliva, decreased amount of urine, retraction of the large fontanel area when palpated
	Consequence of persistent vomiting or diarrhea	The oral mucosa is dry, the skin gathers in folds, the eyelids do not close, there is no urination

Signs of dehydration in children

The severity of symptoms of dehydration depends on the severity of the condition; an important sign is a decrease in the frequency of urination. Signs of dehydration in a child with rotavirus are pronounced. Viral infection(noro- and adenovirus), bacterial pathogens (salmonella, clostridia, coli), Giardia secrete poison, which the body gets rid of by fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and lack of appetite.

Other causes of dehydration include diabetes, overheating, cystic fibrosis, malabsorption, and sore throat. Types of dehydration and their symptoms in children:

Name		Signs
Hypertensive	Water loss (diarrhea, dyspnea, hyperthermia)	Thirst, dry mouth, cracked skin, loss of energy, lethargy or agitation, decreased urine volume, confusion, hyperthermia, muscle spasms
Hypotonic	Loss of electrolytes (vomiting)	Decreased skin elasticity, rapid heartbeat, dry eyes, shortness of breath, vomiting, lack of thirst
Isotonic	Loss of water and electrolytes (vomiting, diarrhea, lack of fluids)	Deafness of heartbeat, slight thirst, increased heart rate

Change in urination

The main symptom of dehydration is the absence of urination for more than 6 hours, the passage of urine with pungent odor and unusual color, hyperactivity of the child, crying without tears. Urinary norms depending on the age of children, deviation from which may indicate dehydration:

	Frequency of urination, once a day	Amount of daily urine, ml
Newborn baby
Week of life

Up to 6 months


Over 10 years old

How to determine dehydration in a baby

It is especially important to know the signs of dehydration in a baby, because you cannot ask a newborn what hurts or why he feels unwell. Dehydration can be recognized by its symptoms:

sunken eyes;
there are no tears when crying;
lethargy, inactivity, or excessive hyperactivity;
rich dark-colored urine with a pungent odor;
no urination for 5-8 hours;
exicosis;
dryness of the oral mucosa.

Depending on the stage of development of dehydration, symptoms are distinguished:

Mild – slight weight loss, thirst, no dry mouth or eyes, occasional vomiting.
Medium – watery frequent stool, viscosity of saliva, bluish skin, weak pulse, enlarged fontanel.
The third is a loss of up to 10 kg of weight, loss of consciousness, tachycardia, blue color of the skin or a marble pattern on it, deep recession of the fontanel.
Extremely severe - loss of up to 20%, you need to urgently consult a doctor. With a loss of 22% of water, death occurs.

In children after one year

Identify symptoms of dehydration in babies over a year old You can use the same criteria:

Mild degree - no tears when crying, dry lips, tongue, increased thirst, frequent requests for drinks, lethargy.
Moderate – frequent bowel movements, vomiting, loss of skin elasticity, slow heart rate.
Severe – frequent loose stools, vomiting, deep sunken eyes, lack of facial expressions, loss of consciousness, severe drowsiness.

Symptoms of severe dehydration

Dehydration is dangerous for every organ and system of the body. When fluid is lost, the functioning of the kidneys, heart, and brain is disrupted, which can lead to convulsions, loss of consciousness, heart rhythm disturbances, and life-threatening conditions. Symptoms of severe dehydration:

dryness of the oral mucosa;
gathering of skin into folds;
lack of eyelid closure;
no urination;
sagging skin;
cyanosis of fingertips, nose, lips;
pallor of the body;
cardiopalmus;
dyspnea;
convulsions.

Video

A lack of moisture in the body (dehydration) is especially dangerous in childhood, when the water content in tissues is up to 80% of the total volume of components. For this reason, all parents should know what the signs of dehydration in a child are, what to do if a pathological process is suspected, and how to provide first aid. It is worth considering that the younger the toddler, the more severe the consequences of the phenomenon may be.

If the case concerns an infant or a child who has not yet turned 2 years old, you should consult a doctor already at the stage that can only provoke the condition, without waiting for its first symptoms to appear.

The main causes of fluid loss in childhood

Dehydration in a child can develop in two cases. Either the liquid does not enter children's body in the required volume, or it is withdrawn too actively, and reserves do not have time to be replenished. Most often, such consequences occur as a result of the following factors:

A febrile condition in which the baby's body actively secretes fluid in the form of sweat.
Profuse or repeated vomiting, prolonged diarrhea. IN in this case The situation is further complicated by the fact that mineral salts and trace elements are actively removed from the body. Against this background, the symptoms of the condition are especially obvious.
Long-term or improper use of diuretics, and not necessarily medications. According to statistics, dehydration in children is often the result of inappropriate use of traditional medicine by parents.

Tip: In some cases, the cause of dehydration is a sore throat. This is most often observed in children aged 5-10 years. They deliberately refuse water, because... it irritates the mucous membrane and causes pain. Metabolic processes are carried out as usual, which leads to rapid dehydration.

If the baby is undergoing treatment for some disease and this process involves taking medications, you need to take into account the fact that a certain amount of liquid must also be consumed to absorb the components of this medicine.
Often, dehydration is a consequence or sign of diabetes. In this condition, the child secretes significant amount urine.
We must not forget about the unfavorable external factors. It could be heatwave, stimulating sweating, intense physical exercise without replacing fluid loss.

It is usually not difficult to figure out what is causing your child to become dehydrated. The main thing is not to delay the provision of first aid aimed at restoring water balance.

Degrees of dehydration, characteristic signs and prognosis

The dangerous syndrome is classified into several groups depending on the loss of body weight. Each of them has its own symptoms and characteristics:

Grade 1 (mild) – weight loss does not exceed 5%. The baby's need for breast milk or water doubles. If the child is more than six months old, there may be an increase in bowel movements up to 5 times a day. Sometimes there is mild vomiting, which parents sometimes mistake for regurgitation. Children over 2 years of age experience lethargy, drowsiness, or irritability. The mucous membranes do not dry out yet and do not change in any way.
2nd degree ( moderate severity) – loss of body weight does not exceed 9%. Anxiety appears in the behavior of an infant or an older child. There is dryness of the mucous membranes, crying without tears (at the age of up to 2 months, the phenomenon is considered physiological norm). The pulse is weak and difficult to palpate. Saliva acquires unusual viscosity, the skin loses elasticity (the fold can straighten out in about 2 seconds). In some cases, the tissues acquire a bluish tint. In children under the age of 1.5 years, the area of the large fontanelle sinks. The eyeballs become unusually soft, the amount of urine produced is sharply reduced.
Grade 3 (severe) – weight loss does not exceed 14%. The oral mucosa is dry, the skin fold straightens out only in a few seconds, and retraction of the large fontanel and eyeballs is noted. The cornea dries out and the baby (or older baby) has problems closing the eyelids. The skin takes on a bluish tint and a marbled pattern may appear. The child’s face loses its facial expressions and resembles a mask, and the limbs become cold. Loss of consciousness and increased heart rate may occur.
Grade 4 (extremely severe) – weight loss is up to 20%. The condition is characterized by the appearance of signs of metabolic disorders. The pathological process affects all organs and tissues of the baby.

Fluid loss in excess of 20% of body weight is considered irreversible. Parents should be wary if their child does not need to go to the toilet for a long time, or if there is a change in the quality of urine ( bright color and pungent odor).

First aid for a child if dehydration is suspected

At the slightest suspicion of a problem, you must call ambulance. Before the doctor arrives, you should try to replenish the fluid deficiency in the child, especially in infants. First of all, he must drink: often, in small portions. It is better if the liquid is slightly warm drinking water. The use of compotes and juices for problems caused by intestinal infection, unsafe.

Expressed positive effect give special solutions with glucose or mineral salts. They can be purchased at a pharmacy and used at home. Most often, such products are presented as powders that need to be diluted drinking water and give to the child in accordance with the rules and dosages specified in the instructions.

In cases where children categorically refuse to drink liquids or are unconscious, solutions are administered intravenously. But this is already carried out in a hospital setting under the supervision of doctors.

Prevention of dehydration in childhood

Preventing dehydration in children early years life involves carrying out fairly simple manipulations:

The baby should receive water the required volume. Each age has its own norm, which must be strictly adhered to. It must be taken into account that, due to accelerated exchange substances, a baby needs to be fed a little more actively than an older toddler.
In summer you should not take your child out into the heat. Between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., it is better to take shelter in the shade.
The habit of constantly and gradually drinking should be developed in children as early as possible. If water is constantly in front of the baby’s eyes, then problems with moisture deficiency will not arise.
In addition to all of the above, it is necessary to try to prevent the development of conditions that can provoke fluid loss from the body.

In childhood, dehydration develops especially rapidly, so it is necessary to monitor any changes in the baby’s condition and behavior. After potential danger will be eliminated, it is recommended to carry out a course restorative procedures, which will necessarily include taking a complex of vitamins and microelements. All points must be agreed with the attending physician.

The human body consists of 65 - 70% water. And in a newborn child - by 85%. Over the years, this figure decreases, causing the body to age. The little man is actively developing, so he needs a lot of clean and high-quality water, so it is important to notice the symptoms of dehydration in a child in time.

A newborn baby receives the necessary water with mother's milk. The situation changes with the introduction of the first complementary foods. From this moment on, mother's milk becomes insufficient to replenish the required amount of water.

Its norm is calculated using the formula: 50 ml per kg of child’s weight. Take into account the water in breast milk, which makes up 75% of the total volume. The difference between the two indicators will indicate how much water the child is missing.

For example:

the baby's weight is 7.5 kg, he needs water - 50 x 7.5 = 375 ml;
he drinks milk - 400 ml, 75% of it is water, this is: 400 x 0.75 = 300 ml;
difference: 375 - 300 = 75 ml.

This means that the child needs to be given 75 ml of water per day.

With age, the child becomes more active, eats more solid food, and water consumption increases, as it cleanses the body, restores strength, and participates in the supply of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, water must be available and in the right quantity. Its norm is calculated using the same formula as for children under one year old.

Causes of dehydration

Symptoms of dehydration in a child are varied, but they are all closely related to the causes that cause them:

Diseases caused by viruses and infections, occurring with fever, aggravated by vomiting and diarrhea. If a child has a sore throat, he refuses to eat and drink;
Poisoning with drugs and substances household chemicals, resulting in vomiting and stomach upset;
Uncontrolled use of medications, as the body spends fluid to dissolve them;
Intoxication of the body due to rotavirus infection. It appears in the form elevated temperature and cough, then vomiting and diarrhea are added;
In hot weather, the baby loses moisture through sweat;
Diabetes mellitus leads to frequent urination, more fluid comes out than comes in;
Diseases hereditary nature such as cystic fibrosis, malabsorption, lead to dehydration.

The fluid in the child’s body is replenished with plain water. Its uniqueness is that it is quickly absorbed, easily digested, and takes part in all important processes.

Types of dehydration

In the human body, water is present in the organs, circulatory system, between cells and tissues. Prolonged lack of fluid leads to dehydration or dehydration.

There are several types of it:

isotonic- a frequent type of dehydration, fluid loss occurs gradually, evenly, the body does not experience severe suffering;
hypotonic- vomiting increases the deficiency of extracellular fluid, sodium concentration decreases, which leads to renal failure, water from the blood plasma passes into the cells, causing their swelling;
hypertensive- prolonged diarrhea and increased sweating increase the sodium content, intracellular fluid passes into the bloodstream to ensure work internal organs, a deficiency is created in the cells.

Consequences of dehydration

The functioning of the body as a whole depends on water content.

Its deficiency leads to changes:

In the brain- blood supply and brain nutrition are disrupted, the risk of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and atherosclerosis increases, the protective function of the blood-brain barrier is disrupted;
In blood- thickens, its viscosity increases, the lumens of blood vessels decrease, its constituent blood cells (leukocytes, erythrocytes, platelets) stick together and lead to the formation of blood clots;
IN immune system — immunodeficiency states develop in cells and appear chronic diseases: bronchial asthma, infertility, scleroderma, systemic diseases;
Metabolism is disrupted, which leads to obesity.

Signs of dehydration

Dehydration in infants is determined by the following signs:

Older children suffer no less from lack of fluid in the body.

The following symptoms are observed:

prolonged diarrhea and vomiting (more than 12 hours);
faint consciousness;
labored breathing;
break from urination up to 7 hours;
complaints of pain and cramps in the abdomen;
heat.

Symptoms of dehydration in a child are visible to the naked eye. The main thing is to carefully monitor the baby’s condition.

Normal urination

Dehydration leads to changes in the child's urine output:

the frequency of urination is reduced;
one-time and daily quantities;
an unpleasant odor appears;
color changes.

Approximate norm of urine output in children of the first year of life:

newborn on the first day - 5 - 6 times, volume - 60 ml;
up to 6 months - 20 - 25 times a day, 30 ml, total - 300 - 500 ml;
from 6 months to 1 year - 15 - 16 times a day, 60 ml, total - 750 ml.

Parents' doubts can only be confirmed or refuted by laboratory tests.

Determining the degree of dehydration

The child’s body loses fluid very quickly, this manifests itself in mild, moderate and severe forms. Mild degree - the baby loses up to 5% of his body.

Common signs:

thirst - the child constantly asks for a drink;
frequent bowel movements - up to 5 times a day;
slight vomiting - it can be mistaken for regurgitation;
the inner covering of the mouth, nose, and eyes does not change.

Correcting the baby’s condition does not cause difficulties. Medium degree - body weight decreases by 6 - 9%.

Lack of water is aggravated by the following manifestations:

intensity of bowel movements - up to 10 times per day, feces liquid, mucus and traces of blood are present;
incessant vomiting;
the inner surface of the mouth and nose is dry;
skin loses elasticity;
the skin is dry, the folds return to their original position within 2 seconds, and acquires a bluish tint;
viscous saliva;
the fontanel sinks;
urine output is reduced;
the pulse is difficult to palpate;
the eyes do not produce tears when crying.

The child becomes capricious, restless, irritable. The condition is not critical and can be treated in a hospital setting. Severe - weight loss of more than 10%.

Has the following symptoms:

increased frequency of bowel movements more than 10 times a day and incessant vomiting;
dried up internal surfaces mouth, nose;
the eyes do not close, the cornea is dry;
the fontanel and eyes become very sunken;
the child does not urinate;
hands and feet lose heat;
the child may switch off;
pulse quickens.

The condition is difficult to treat. If you don't provide it on time emergency assistance, death is possible.

Dehydration of a child up to one year old

If the doctor considers it possible home treatment, then soldering with electrolyte solutions in combination with glucose is prescribed: daily dose is 130 ml per kilogram of weight. They use Gastrolit and Humana Electrolyte. If diarrhea and vomiting continue, the child is admitted to hospital for treatment by intravenous injections.

Dehydration of baby's skin

Skin dehydration is determined by the following signs:

Elasticity disappears;
Itching and peeling appear;
Flaccid skin, when squeezed, the fold straightens out after 2 seconds or more;
Cold, bluish;
Takes on a marble pattern.

As a result of dehydration, the skin cannot perform main function- protecting the body from negative external influences.

What to do if you have diarrhea

If a child has an upset stomach, the actions of parents are as follows:

Give your child water as often as possible and in small portions. Use any liquid he asks for, as well as saline solutions. If he pees every 3 hours, then there is enough water in the body. If he does not drink, you should not hesitate to call an ambulance;
Give medicine for fever if it is above 38.5 degrees;
After each bowel movement, wash the child and lubricate anal hole baby cream to avoid irritation;
Monitor the baby's condition and prevent dehydration.

What to do if you are vomiting

Vomiting, like diarrhea, is accompanied by the removal of fluid from the body.

Call a doctor;
Place the child on his side to avoid vomit from entering the trachea;
Give sorbents ( Activated carbon, “Enterosgel”, “Atoksil”, “Smecta”). Even a small amount of them displays toxic substances and microbes from the stomach;
Give your baby water and liquids with electrolytes (Regidron, Gastrolit).

What to do if you have rotavirus

Symptoms of dehydration in a child due to rotavirus infection do not appear immediately. First, the temperature rises and vomiting begins, then diarrhea occurs up to 10 - 12 times a day.

call a doctor;
give the baby fluids room temperature in small portions (from a cup, spoon, bottle);
include recovery aids in your drink salt balance(“Regidron”, “Humana Electrolyte” and others);
put the baby on his side so that vomit does not enter the respiratory tract;
do not give medications until the doctor arrives;
Monitor the baby's condition if signs appear severe dehydration, urgently call an ambulance.

What to do for acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections

Elevated temperature leads to dehydration of the body.

Tips for parents:

Give your child water as often as possible. Any liquid will do: water, fruit juice, dried fruit compote, decoction of raisins and dried apricots;
Use solutions for rehydration: “Rehydron”, “Normohydron”, “Gastrolit” and others;
Instill the nose with saline solution (Aquamaris, Humer, Marimer). You can do it yourself: dissolve a teaspoon of kitchen salt in a liter of water;
Any medication treatment is prescribed by a doctor.

What to do if you have a fever

To prevent high temperatures from leading to dehydration, parents are required to take the following actions:

Create an air temperature in the room of 18 - 20 degrees, humidity 50 - 70%;
Provide drinking plenty of fluids: dried fruit compote, fruit drink, raisin decoction, sweet soda, rehydrating agents (Regidron and others);
For temperatures above 38.5 degrees, give Ibuprofen or Paracetamol in liquid form.

In what cases should you not solder your child?

When helping a child with dehydration, it is important to know that rehydration is not carried out in the case of:

constant vomiting;
critical dehydration;
decreased urine output, which may indicate kidney problems;
elevated sugar levels.

Each of these symptoms is a direct path to hospitalization of the baby.

When to urgently call a doctor

Parents should not rely on chance or their knowledge of pediatrics.

Call a doctor immediately if you have the following symptoms:

dry tongue;
dry crying;
does not pee for more than 6 hours;
does not sweat;
refuses to drink.

Methods for diagnosing dehydration

When identifying the type and degree of dehydration, use an assessment clinical manifestations dehydration.

From laboratory research apply:

General blood test (clinical) - gives an idea of the state of the body as a whole;
Blood culture - determines the presence of bacteria and their sensitivity to antibiotics;
Urinalysis - to exclude infection in bladder, presence of sugar, severity of dehydration.

Treatment in hospital

Treatment in a hospital depends on the severity of the admitted patient.

Apply:

oral rehydration;
parenteral treatment;
infusion therapy.

Peroral rehydration

This type of replenishment of lost fluid is used for mild to moderate dehydration.

Use:

Solutions of glucose and salt containing sodium and potassium (“Glucosolan”, “Citroglucosolan”, “Regidron”);
Liquids without salt content, weak-consistency tea with lemon, compotes, mineral water without gas, carrot juice, rice water.

Treatment is carried out in two stages:

In the first 6 hours mild degree liquid is administered in an amount of 50 ml/kg, with an average amount of 80 ml/kg;
Over the next 18 hours, increase the administered fluid to 80 - 100 ml/kg.

The liquid is given in parts of 1 - 2 tsp. up to 1 tbsp. l. every 5 - 10 minutes.

Parenteral rehydration

Fluid replacement by intravenous injection is carried out when:

ineffective oral administration dosage forms;
lack of fluid becomes catastrophic;
incessant vomiting;
increased loose stools;
stopping urination.

The daily volume of administered drugs is calculated by adding:

amount of liquid necessary for the child daily;
volume required to increase mass;
volume that the body continues to lose.

Additional liquid is added to the resulting volume if there is vomiting, diarrhea and difficulty in excreting urine.

Infusion therapy

They begin with the introduction of colloidal solutions (“Albumin”, “Dextrose”, “Reopoliglyukin”). For children early age solutions with sodium and glucose are administered intravenously. Acesol is also used by others, but with caution.

Treatment is carried out in stages:

Elimination of the consequences of shock, restoration of mass deficit, correction of hemodynamics;
The solutions are injected slowly up to 15 - 20 drops per minute. Increase the volume of fluid with drinking and nutrition;
A solution of potassium chloride is administered intravenously.

Medicines

Dehydration in a child, the symptoms of which are discussed above, is treated with the following drugs:

"Regidron" - normalizes the acid-base balance;
“Humana Electrolyte” - corrects the water-electrolyte ratio, suitable for babies up to one year due to its lower sodium content;
“Gastrolit” - replenishes water and electrolyte losses, chamomile extract relieves inflammation, eliminates spasms, and is an antiseptic;
“Albumin” is a colloidal infusion solution for injection, restores water-alkaline balance, removes toxins;
“Dextrose” is a solution for injection infusions, replenishes water deficiency, and is a carbohydrate nutrition;
“Acesol” is a saline solution for injection, eliminates blood thickening, normalizes capillary circulation, removes harmful substances;
"Trisol" - a similar action.

Treatment at home

Home treatment begins as soon as the child develops nausea, vomiting, and high fever.

What should parents do:

Call a doctor;
Observe the child;
Collect stool before the doctor arrives;
Do not prescribe medications yourself;
Drink frequently and in small portions. Use water mineral water without gas, saline solutions from a pharmacy or prepared independently, raisin decoction. Liquids at room temperature;
For diarrhea without vomiting, prepare rice broth: a tablespoon of rice in 2 cups of water, cook until the liquid is reduced by half;
Do not feed, if asked, give liquid porridge;
If the condition worsens, call an ambulance.

Recovery diet

After normalization of the functions of the stomach and intestines, you should adhere to a gentle diet.

What can older children eat:

liquid pureed soups with water;
steamed or boiled pureed vegetables;
jelly from berries, compotes from dried fruits (exclude prunes).

For children under one year old and infants:

Infants receive mother's milk;
artificial - fermented milk mixtures, acidophilus milk, kefir;
complementary foods - liquid pureed soups and vegetables, steamed or boiled.

Do not use:

milk and fatty dairy products;
porridge with milk;
fatty meat and fish;
strong broths;
smoked and canned products;
bread and pastries;
vegetables and fruits with high content fiber.

Preventing fluid deficiency

Accustom the child to drinking water with the introduction of complementary foods;
Increase the amount of water for the child in hot weather and at high temperatures;
Start giving your child water at the first symptoms of disease: infection, poisoning;
Have saline solutions in your first aid kit;
Do not stop feeding your infant during diarrhea and vomiting;
The starvation diet is applicable only in the first hours of the disease.

Dehydration in a child is a pathology with a variety of symptoms. Armed with knowledge, parents will be able to help their child in time, without bringing the situation to a critical stage.

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