by Erick Santana, MD
It’s not just vigorous activity in the heat that can cause your child to become dehydrated. Cold and flu season could also put your child at risk -- and it can happen faster than you might think. Vomiting and diarrhea are the most common causes of dehydration in children. Among children in the United States, fluid and electrolyte disturbances from acute gastroenteritis result in 1.5 million outpatient visits, 200,000 hospitalizations and 300 deaths a year.
Hydration is a balance in the amount of water your child takes in and the amount that goes out. Anything that alters this — not drinking fluids during the day, intense sweating, gastrointestinal infections that cause vomiting or diarrhea, or infections that cause fevers — can cause dehydration. The average amount of water your child needs each day to stay hydrated is based on age.
If your child is experiencing any of the above conditions that lead to dehydration, they will need more water than the recommended average.
Young children are especially prone to dehydration. This is because their bodies are less efficient at conserving water than older children and adults. In addition, their small size means that it takes less fluid loss to lead to dehydration. If your child is mildly or moderately dehydrated, they likely will exhibit at least one of these symptoms:
Your child needs to go to an emergency room if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms in addition to the ones listed above:
The main treatment for dehydration is to hydrate, usually with water for children or breast milk or formula for infants. Most kids will be fine with plain water and their regular diet. However, there may be times that your child’s pediatrician recommends oral rehydration therapy (ORT). This treatment uses an electrolyte solution or watered-down juice, and it is administered in small doses every 5 to 10 minutes. Your physician will prescribe the appropriate amounts and timeline for your child. For the first 24 hours, the pediatrician also may recommend your child limit solid foods, especially if the dehydration came from vomiting or diarrhea. You can freeze the liquids as popsicles, however, if your child is asking for something to eat or doesn’t want to drink all the required fluids.
Generally speaking, healthy children who are going about their daily activities do not need to add electrolytes; they consume them in their diet. But the majority of high school students drink sugar-sweetened sports drinks, and powder electrolytes are increasingly popular. An occasional sports drink after a game or practice is one thing, but parents should try to keep their children from making a habit of it.
Modeling behavior is the best way for parents to create good habits in children, and this is especially true with drinking water. You also can encourage hydration by providing fun water bottles or shaped ice cubes, taking water wherever your children go and keeping water where they will see it and remember to drink. Talking to your child about the importance of drinking water instead of soda or other drinks can help if they are older.
Orlando Health is pleased to partner with USA Track & Field (USATF) as Official Medical Network Partner. Through this partnership, Orlando Health will assist USATF to provide medical support to their athletes in our region. Orlando Health, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, is a private, not-for-profit healthcare organization with $9.2 billion of assets under management that serves the southeastern United States and Puerto Rico. Founded more than 100 years ago, the healthcare system is recognized around the world for its trauma care. It is also the site of an Olympic athlete training facility and operator of one of the largest and highest performing clinically integrated networks in the region. For more information, visit http://www.orlandohealth.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X @orlandohealth.