How to Care for Your Child with Mild to Moderate Dehydration

This leaflet will provide you with information about dehydration causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and home care advice.

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Dehydration

What is Dehydration?

  • Dehydration is when your baby's/child’s body loses too much water.
  • Children and babies are at higher risk of becoming dehydrated than adults
  • Dehydration can be mild, moderate or severe.
  • Mild dehydration can get worse if not treated, and the baby/child continues to lose water.
  • Severe dehydration almost always requires admission to the hospital.

What are the causes of dehydration?

Dehydration can occur with many childhood illnesses including:

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • High fever or an illness that prevents children from drinking fluids such as  Sore throat, ulcers
  • Heatstroke
  • Kidney disease

What are the symptoms of Mild and Moderate Dehydration?

Your child may experience the following symptoms:

  • Thirst
  • Dry skin and mouth with cracked lips
  • Crying without tears
  • Feeling tired and lack of energy
  • Your baby/child eyes look sunken in the face
  • Headache
  • Less urine in the diaper or going less frequently to the bathroom, you might also notice dark-colored urine (concentrated).

How is dehydration diagnosed?

The doctor will ask a few questions about your child's health and examine your child. Depending on clinical assessment, your doctor will classify the degree of dehydration that your baby/child has and will decide if further investigation or blood tests are required.

How is mild and moderate dehydration treated?

  • Mild to moderate dehydration can be treated by giving your child fluids to drink.
  • Some fluids help to treat dehydration better than plain water because they contain the right amount of water and salts (i.e. Oral rehydration solution- ORS).
  • Babies who breastfeed should continue to breastfeed from the mother.
  • Mild dehydration can be managed at home after learning about oral rehydration solution and how it should be given.
  • You will be given instructions on how to give you baby/child rehydration at home.

Home care advice:

Dehydration
  • Make sure your child Takes rest and avoid hot weather
  • Make sure your child drinks an adequate amount of fluids
  • Give your child ORS as soon as they vomited or have diarrhea
  • Give your child extra fluids if they are out playing in hot weather
  • Monitor your child for signs of worsening dehydration like
    • Decreased urination, less than 4 diapers in 24 hours
    • Lack of tears when crying
    • Cool or clammy hands and feet
    • Restlessness
    • Dry mouth
  • If your baby is exclusively breastfed and vomits immediately after breastfeeding, you can try the following:
    • Continue to breastfeed your baby more frequently but for a shorter time (breastfeed every 30 minutes for 5 to 10 minutes)
    • If vomiting improves after two to three hours, you can restart feeding as usual.
    • If vomiting does not improve within 24 hours, you need to seek medical advice as below