What are the common symptoms of baby dehydration? How can you recognize these symptoms and what steps to take urgently?
Dehydration of the baby means that your baby does not have enough fluids in his body. Babies are more prone than adults to dehydration. Babies lose body fluids through vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sweating, stool, or urine. If the baby loses more fluid than he takes in, the result is dehydration.
Symptoms of baby dehydration
Some of the signs to identify dehydration in babies are:
1. They go more than 6 hours without a wet diaper
2. Urine smells stronger than normal and / or looks darker in diaper
3.dry and parched lips
Sunken eyes
5 sleeping excessively
Steps to take if you notice symptoms of dehydration in your baby
Take the baby immediately to a doctor. Don’t delay unnecessarily because babies can become seriously dehydrated quickly. Your baby may even need to be given fluids through an IV (intravenous tube) to rehydrate.
If the baby is mildly dehydrated, the doctor may instruct you on how to give a special liquid to restore the salt and water lost from the body. There are many of these baby electrolyte fluids available at major drug stores. But you shouldn’t administer them on your own without first consulting a doctor.
Reasons for baby dehydration
Some of the common reasons for baby dehydration are: hot weather, fever, asthma, allergies, infections, not drinking enough fluids regularly, diarrhea, etc. Among all these reasons, the most common is fever accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea.
In such cases, babies lose a lot of body fluids quickly. Due to this the condition of dehydration occurs. Dehydration can be severe or mild. In any case, do not delay in seeking medical assistance, as this is a serious situation that should not be taken lightly.
Rehydration of the baby
Remember that dehydration means not only loss of water, but also essential minerals, sugar, and electrolytes from the body. If the baby is mildly dehydrated, take steps to rehydrate.
These steps include giving your baby plenty of fluids. A few sips may not be enough. Try to give him something to drink every 15 minutes or so. You may want to set a timer for this. If your baby only takes a tablespoon of liquid at a time and refuses to take more, try giving him fluids every 5 minutes instead of 15. You can mix a little salt or sugar as diluted juice to add a little flavor. for the baby to drink.
Continue this until the baby is sufficiently recovered and feeling better. Then you can increase the duration of fluid administration. The best thing you can do to rehydrate your baby quickly is to continue breastfeeding. Breast milk is great for your baby, as it also contains water. It is very helpful in overcoming the baby’s dehydration symptoms, as breast milk contains everything the baby needs, including things that will help boost the baby’s immune system.
For older solid-eating babies, give plenty of fluids and small amounts of foods that contain fiber and fat. These will increase stool bulk and help reduce symptoms of diarrhea. Giving yogurt is also a good idea, as it is good for digestion. It is best to avoid antidiarrheal medications for babies under one year of age because they can hinder the body’s natural process of eliminating bacteria and viruses.