children s health issues
Dehydration in Children
Treatment of Dehydration in Children
Replacement of lost fluids Dehydration is treated with fluids containing electrolytes, such as sodium and chloride. If dehydration is mild, fluids are generally given by mouth. Special oral rehydration solutions are available but are not always necessary for children who have had only mild diarrhea or vomiting. Treatment of dehydration in children of any age who are vomiting is more effective if the child is first given small, frequent sips of fluids about every 10 minutes. The amount of fluid can slowly be increased and given at less frequent intervals if the child can keep the fluid down without vomiting. If diarrhea is the only symptom, larger amounts of fluid can be given less often. If children have both vomiting and diarrhea, they are given small, frequent sips of fluids containing electrolytes. If this treatment increases the diarrhea, children may need to be hospitalized for fluids given by vein (intravenously). Infants and children who are unable to take in any fluids, or who develop listlessness and other serious signs of dehydration, may require more intensive treatment with fluids and electrolytes given intravenously or electrolyte solutions given through a thin plastic tube (nasogastric tube) that is passed through the nose and down the throat until it reaches the stomach or small intestine. In infants, dehydration is treated by encouraging an infant to drink fluids that contain electrolytes. Breast milk contains all the fluids and electrolytes an infant needs and is the best treatment when possible. If an infant is not breastfeeding, oral rehydration solution (ORS) should be given. ORS contains specific amounts of sugars and electrolytes. ORS can be bought as powders that are mixed with water or as premixed liquids at drug or grocery stores without a prescription. The amount of ORS to give a child in a 24-hour period depends on the child’s weight, but generally should be about 1½ to 2½ ounces of ORS for each pound the child weighs (100 to 165 milliliters per kilogram). Thus, a 20-pound infant should drink 30 to 50 ounces total over 24 hours (a 10-kilogram infant should drink 1,000 to 1,650 milliliters total over 24 hours). Children older than 1 year may try small sips of clear broths or soups, clear sodas, gelatin, or juice diluted to half-strength with water, or popsicles. Plain water, undiluted juice, or sports drinks are not ideal for treating dehydration at any age because the salt content of water is too low and because juice has a high sugar content and ingredients that irritate the digestive tract. ORS is an alternative, particularly for moderate dehydration. If children are able to tolerate fluids for 12 to 24 hours, they may resume their normal diet. 