Severe Dehydration Symptoms

One of the most common and immediate repercussions of a dearth in the required amount of fluid in the body, for it to carry out its normal functions, is what is known as dehydration. This condition sets in when certain factors cause the body to lose more fluid than it receives. If this loss is not replenished soon, then matters may worsen leading to critical consequences. Mild or even moderate cases of dehydration may be treated and managed by increasing fluid intake. However, this does not help when the case progresses to a severe stage and immediate medical treatment becomes a necessity.

How to Recognize Severe Dehydration

Dry and sticky mouth is one of the earliest signs of mild to moderate dehydration. Accompanying this, there might occur sleepiness or unusual tiredness and thirst. Older children and teens might not have any urination for eight hours or more, and infants may have less than six wet diapers a day. Dehydration may even cause a symptom of decrease tearing while crying. Headache, dizziness and weakness in the muscles could be the other symptoms.

Now, speaking of severe dehydration symptoms, the affected person would experience extreme thirst and may have irritability and confusion. Children would feel more sleepy than usual. Mouth, skin and the mucous membranes would get intensely dry and the dehydrated person would cease to sweat. One of the classic signs of severe dehydration is no urine output and whatever that may be produced, would be dark yellow or amber in color. Eyes may be sunken and heartbeats may get rapid. One simple way to detect the onset of severe dehydration is to pinch the skin into a fold. If the skin does not bounce back to its place, then it lacks elasticity, which is again one more common symptom of lack of fluid in the body. Fever and in most critical cases, unconsciousness may set in. Mothers may identify dehydration in their infants by touching their fontanels. This is the soft spot on the top of a baby's head. In case of severe dehydration, this spot will be sunken.

Treatment Methods

As mentioned earlier, severe dehydration is a medical emergency. Replacing lost fluids and electrolytes in the body is the only effective treatment for this condition. The cause, age and severity of the condition decides the best treatment approach. While mild dehydration can be managed by taking oral rehydration solution, breast feeding and avoiding certain foods and drinks, severe cases require immediate treatment at the hospital. There, the patient would be intravenously given salts and fluids, rather than the mouth. As the intravenous method replenish the lost fluids much more quickly than oral solutions, it is considered the best way to treat severe dehydration.

Adding plenty of fluids and foods high in water such as fruits and vegetables to the diet is the best way to keep dehydration at bay. However, in conditions such as illness and workouts, one may have to take more fluids than usual. Needless to say, staying in hot and humid environment and even in cold weather also demands the increase of fluid intake.