- Thirst is the most common symptom although it is not accurate indicator especially in children. Once you reached this point, you already lost a considerable amount of water.
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Irritability
- Drowsy
- Cramps
- Dry mouth.
- Inability to produce tears.
- Absence or reduced amount of urine.
- Dark urine or no urine for three hours
- Dry skin
- Absence of tears.
Contact your child's pediatrician, if you develop these symptoms. Especially if your child skin become cold to the touch and have a bluish tint, go to the hospital. Meanwhile, move him or her to a cool area, apply a cool washrag to the back of neck and forehand and give plenty of fluids, preferably a drink with electrolytes in it such as pedialyte. If not available, add a half a teaspoon of salt and eight teaspoons of sugar to a liter of water. Remember, DO NOT put your child in a cold bath hoping to reduce heat, this will make the body overact causing further heating, place in a lukewarm bath instead.
If symptoms are allowed to continue, it may cause faint and may even cause a coma or death, if it gets out of control. The best way to treat dehydration is to stay hydrated.
The rule of thumb is to drink eight 8-ounce cups of water per day. Here are some more tips.
- Keep water with you at all times.
- If child is resistant to water, give ice pops instead. (there are commercial ice pop products such as pedialyte0
- During extremely hot and humid weather, drink sports drinks to replace lost electrolytes.
- Avoid caffeinated beverages, they cause more water loss.
- Encourage fluids before and after they play outside
- Dress your child wear light colored and lightweight clothing with a large rimmed hat and sunglasses
- Don't leave your child in the car during the summer.
- If you don't have an air conditioner, during the hot part of the day go to the mall, movies, or do like I do and go to the frozen food section of the supermarket.
Better play it safe than sorry.
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