Early Dehydration Symptoms & Measures To Treat

Dehydration is a condition when the body loses more fluid than is obtained so that the body does not have enough fluids to carry out its normal functions. Some of the early symptoms of dehydration is, you feel thirsty and dizziness, decreased urine output and darker colored, dry skin and constipation. While the signs that appear in infants who are dehydrated are top of the head will shrink, there were  only few tears when crying, diaper stays dry after a few hours, drowsiness, and less active.

The body will be greatly affected even if we lose a little bit of water. Unfortunately, there are no gauges that can be relied upon if the body needs water, especially in babies and young children. Pretty good clue is the color of urine. Clear urine color means your body has plenty of water, while urine is dark yellow or yellow would be a sign of dehydration.

Dehydration Symptoms

Two early sign of dehydration is thirst and urine is dark yellow. It's the body's way when trying to add fluid in the body and reduce fluid disposal. Depending on how much your body fluid loss, dehydration is divided into three kinds. As mild, moderate, and severe.

Dehydration Mild and Moderate

Mild and moderate in general will lead to thirst, urine color becomes darker or dark, the number and frequency of disposal decreased urine, dry mouth and sticky, drowsiness and fatigue, when crying no tears, dry skin, headache, constipation, dizziness, babies do not urinate in a long time, especially in young children, the power of the body decreases so noticeable limp.

You can cure dehydration process at this stage without any medical assistance, by drinking more fluids. If dehydration is allowed to go in the long term, it could affect kidney function and lead to kidney stone condition. Could eventually lead to liver damage, inflammation of the joints and muscles, cholesterol problems, and constipation.

Heavy dehydration

Dehydration can be dangerous if left alone and is not addressed immediately. Severe dehydration is considered as an emergency medical condition and needs immediate attention. Symptoms that may occur when severe dehydration are:

• Irritable or frustrated
• Tears were little and dry mouth
• Hands and feet feel cold
• Rapid heartbeat
• Breathing fast
• Eyelid pockets
• Fever
• The skin becomes elastic, after shrinking longer pinched
• Low blood pressure
• There is blood in the vomit fluids
• There is blood in the stool
• Very dizziness or drowsiness, especially in infants and children
• Seizures
• Low level of awareness

Dehydration at this level require hospitalization. You will be given IV fluids to restore the amount of fluid lost. If not taken seriously, it can cause complications. Could stop circulating blood due to severe dehydration and cause sufferers death.

By the time you experience early symptoms of dehydration, it is advisable to perform blood tests and urine tests to check the balance of salt, particularly sodium and potassium, in the body. If there is a suspicion that your baby or child is dehydrated, see your doctor. So even when you've been drinking a lot of water, but the symptoms continued. Immediately consult to the hospital if your baby has diarrhea six times, or more frequently over the last day, or when they are vomiting more than three times a day.

Dehydration treatment

The only treatment for dehydration is to replace fluids and minerals lost by drinking plenty of water, low-fat milk, or fruit juice. Sweet drinks can help replace the lost sugar, while salty snacks to replace lost salt or sodium. The best approach to treat dehydration depends on the age and severity of dehydration, as well as the cause.

ORS

ORS is used to treat dehydration. When you are dehydrated, your body will lose the sugar, salt, and fluids. Drinking ORS can restore the balance of sugar, salt, and fluids in the body. There are plenty of rehydration products that can be purchased freely. Consult your doctor or pharmacist to find out more about ORS.

Treat dehydration in infants

Doctors can advise the appropriate treatment if your baby is dehydrated. Immediately consult a doctor if you start to worry about your baby is dehydrated. Continue breast-feeding infants when they have diarrhea, vomiting, or fever. If you are bottle feeding the baby, substitute with lactose-free milk formula until the diarrhea completely stopped. Lactose is difficult to digest if the baby has diarrhea, and even tend to worsen the diarrhea. Give ORS regularly along with their food (breastmilk, formula milk mixed with water) will replace fluids, salt, and sugar are missing.

Treat dehydration in children

For the treatment of dehydration in children, provision of excess water can actually make the mineral content in the body decreases and consequently worsen the condition of their body. Then they should be given ORS. You can use a spoon to feed fluids to children who often experience vomiting and had diarrhea.

Treat dehydration in athletes

For the dehydration caused by exercise, energy drinks containing electrolytes and carbohydrates or sugar is the best choice. Avoid any kind of carbonated beverages.

Treating severe dehydration

Children and adults with severe dehydration should be treated by medical personnel at the hospital and will likely be required hospitalization. Patients may receive sugar, salt, and fluids through an IV. IV is a quick and effective in restoring the levels of fluids and minerals the body to normal levels.

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