If your child refuses water or oral rehydration fluids, try diluted apple juice. You can also give your child their usual milk. Do not give drinks that are high in sugar (e.g. flat lemonade or sports drinks), because they can make dehydration worse.
You can also try ORS (such as Pedialyte). Age more than 1 year: offer chocolate or regular milk, fruit drinks, juice or water. You can also try popsicles. The type of fluid doesn't matter, as it does with diarrhea or vomiting.
Take your child to a hospital emergency department straight away if they: have symptoms of severe dehydration – they are not urinating, are pale and thin, have sunken eyes, cold hands and feet, and are drowsy or cranky. seem very unwell.
Kids with more severe dehydration may need treatment in the ER or hospital. Mild dehydration is treated with oral (by mouth) rehydration. This usually includes giving oral rehydration solution (such as Pedialyte, Enfalyte, or a store brand). It has the right amounts of water, sugar, and salt to help with dehydration.
For mild dehydration, have your child rest for 24 hours and keep drinking fluids, even if symptoms get better. Fluid replacement may take up to a day and a half. Continue on your child's regular diet as well. For severe dehydration, the child may need IV fluids in the hospital.
The administration of intravenous fluid usually occurs when oral rehydration has failed. In such situations, an IV fluid administration may be more efficient for rehydration. This may be more relevant in infants and young children, especially if there is vomiting associated with diarrhea.
Hydralyte Ready to use Electrolyte solution is suitable for the entire family, including babies, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. TIP: When administering Hydralyte Ready to use Electrolyte solution to babies and infants, pour Hydralyte directly into a sterilised baby bottle or sippy cup.
“Your child's body needs to replenish the water being lost through sweat, breathing and urination, and water is absolutely the best fluid for that. Unflavored milk is also good — whole milk for toddlers and skim or 1% for kids older than 2.
You can also try giving your child water or ice chips. Electrolyte solutions like Pedialyte or Gatorade will help your child replace both fluids and electrolytes that have been lost.
Fewer wet diapers
In infants and toddlers, persistently dry diapers are a telltale sign of dehydration. If your baby is younger than 6 months and produces little to no urine in 4 to 6 hours, or if your toddler produces little to no urine in 6 to 8 hours, they may be dehydrated.
A number of physical findings together with clinical history can help assess the severity of dehydration. These findings include the child's pulse, blood pressure, skin turgor, increased thirst or lethargy, and decreased urine output.
With beginning symptoms of dehydration, you can rehydrate by consuming fluids that contain electrolytes, such as sports drinks or oral rehydration solutions. There are also foods available that have a high water content, such as fruits and vegetables. These will also help with rehydration.
In severe cases, dehydration can lead to shock or even death. If you or your child is vomiting, has a fever, or is unable to urinate, you should go to the ER right away.
maintenance fluid requirements are calculated using the 4,2,1 rule (4ml/kg/hr for the first 10kg, 2ml/kg/hr for the second 10kg, and 1ml/kg/hr after that, with a maximum of 100ml/hr maintenance).
Bananas. The classic healthy post-workout snack, bananas are packed with potassium, one of the most important electrolytes. Dehydration can cause an imbalance of electrolytes in the body, so eating potassium-rich foods when you're feeling parched should help stave off the symptoms.
Most experts say they can go without food for three days without any consequences. That depends on the toddler's health condition at the moment of course. Be sure to hydrate your child regularly, and watch for the signs of dehydration.
Severe dehydration should be treated with intravenous fluids until the patient is stabilized (i.e., circulating blood volume is restored).
Low blood volume shock (hypovolemic shock).
This is one of the most serious, and sometimes life-threatening, complications of dehydration.
Call your doctor if your baby or child has a dry mouth, fewer tears than usual, and no wet diapers or hasn't urinated in more than 6 hours. Get emergency help right away if your child or baby is very sleepy and hard to wake up, or if your baby or child hasn't had any wet diapers or hasn't urinated in 12 or more hours.
Milk is more hydrating than water
For example, milk was found to be even more hydrating than plain water because it contains the sugar lactose, some protein and some fat, all of which help to slow the emptying of fluid from the stomach and keep hydration happening over a longer period.