Diarrhea, vomiting or gastritis in children may lead to electrolyte imbalance and severe dehydration. To avoid it, you need to give your toddler the right amount of fluids.

During severe diarrhea or vomiting, your baby loses electrolytes found in the blood, plasma, and fluids that surround and fill the body's cells. They are necessary for proper functioning, and their deficiency may have a negative effect on he alth.

This will be useful to you

What are the electrolytes for:

  • oxygenation and nourishment of every cell of the organism
  • transport of electrical and nerve impulses between cells
  • participation in the distribution and absorption of water in the body
  • maintaining tension in cell membranes
  • maintaining proper contractility of skeletal muscles and the heart muscle
  • pumping and blood flow
  • maintaining acid-base balance in the body

Dehydration can take place in three different stages.

Slightly dehydrated symptoms:

  • increased thirst
  • lower urine volume
  • dark yellow urine color, pungent smell
  • bloated stomach
  • lack of appetite
  • not feeling like having fun, being annoyed, tearful
  • dry mouth mucosa

Symptoms of moderate dehydration (in addition to the above):

  • baby is restless and agitated
  • sunken eyeballs
  • no tears
  • dry mouth and tongue
  • increased heart rate
  • inelasticity of the skin - a fold is formed when the skin is pinched, which slowly disappears
  • prolonged capillary recurrence - after a 5-second pressing of the fingernail placed at the level of the heart - the color of the surrounding skin should return to normal within 1.5 seconds. If it lasts longer, it indicates a circulatory disorder
  • sweating reduction
  • fever

Symptoms of severe dehydration (in addition to the above):

  • no tears
  • very sunken eyeballs
  • very dry mouth and tongue
  • the child is incapable of drinking
  • skin fold stretches very slowly
  • drop in blood pressure
  • tongue swelling
  • convulsions
  • very serious condition of the child - "overflowing" hands and loss of consciousness
  • coma

How to prevent dehydration in children

To avoid dehydration, give your baby plenty of fluids. All of them should have the appropriate osmolarity. Therefore, you should avoid giving carbonated drinks, juices or broth, because the water contained in it, instead of into the body, penetrates into the intestinal lumen and is excreted from the body. Oral rehydration fluids such as ORSALIT®DRINK will be the best in this case. In addition to water, it contains glucose and electrolytes, and its composition complies with the ESPGHAN recommendations.ORSALITE®DRINKdoes not contain any allergenic substances (gluten, milk protein, lactose), therefore it is also safe for allergy sufferers. You can buy it at any pharmacy without a prescription. It is available in convenient bottles and requires no preparation. Its great advantage is its taste - sweet, strawberry. It's best to give your child a chilled drink and make sure that he sips it in small sips.

Drinks given to your child must not be too cold or too hot. The best ones are those with room temperature. Warm fluids can worsen symptoms, and cold fluids will make the body defend itself against the cold by using the energy that is needed to fight infection. During dehydration, in addition to drinking fluids, one should not forget about a proper diet. It's best to give your baby foods that contain a lot of water, such as fruits and vegetables. The menu should also include complex carbohydrates - i.e. potatoes, rice, bread, cereals, lean meat and yoghurts.

Dehydrationin children is very fast. In extreme cases, it can lead to fainting, coma and even death. Therefore, if the symptoms persist, but they worsen, see a doctor as soon as possible.

Partners

Category:

Gastrology