When is toddler dehydrated

Safety and Prevention. Family Life. Health Issues. Tips and Tools. Our Mission. Find a Pediatrician. Text Size. Page Content. Mild to Moderate Dehydration: Plays less than usual Urinates less frequently for infants, fewer than six wet diapers per day Parched, dry mouth Fewer tears when crying Sunken soft spot of the head in an infant or toddler Stools will be loose if dehydration is caused by diarrhea ; if dehydration is due to other fluid loss vomiting, lack of fluid intake , there will be decreased bowel movements.

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. If your child refuses water or oral rehydration fluids, try diluted apple juice.

You can also give your child their usual milk. Do not give drinks that are high in sugar e. If your baby is under six months old, they should always be seen by a doctor if they are dehydrated. For babies over six months:. For older children over 10 kg who are dehydrated, give at least one cup mL of water or oral rehydration solution to drink, every hour for four hours. Give them more than this to drink if they are vomiting or have diarrhoea. Your child may want to drink it all at once or drink smaller sips frequently.

Babies and young children are at greater risk of becoming dehydrated. If your child is under six months of age or has a chronic long-term illness, see your GP if you think your child is dehydrated.

If your child shows signs of severe dehydration or you are concerned for any reason, see your GP or go to your closest hospital emergency department. If your child is unwell, they may need medical treatment to help replace lost fluids. This can involve using a feeding tube that goes into the stomach via the nose, or fluids given directly into a vein through a drip intravenous or IV therapy. Making sure your child drinks enough water each day can help prevent dehydration.

Providing extra drinks of water in hot weather, during and after exercise and during illness is particularly important. Should my child drink sports drinks when playing sports to prevent dehydration? Sports drinks are not recommended for hydration, as there is often a high sugar content. Drinks that are high in sugar can make dehydration worse. During sports, children can drink water or oral rehydration solutions.

Sometimes people you care for do not have a sense of how much they're drinking. If you're being sick or have diarrhoea and are losing too much fluid, you need to put back the sugar, salts and minerals that your body has lost. Your pharmacist can recommend oral rehydration sachets. These are powders that you mix with water and then drink. It's quite common for young children to become dehydrated. It can be serious if it's not dealt with quickly. Once the dehydration has been treated, your child will need to maintain their fluid levels.