London Drugs

Focus On Health

Childhood Dehydration

Helping Baby Breathe Easier

Heart Attack and Stroke

Planning a Healthy Pregnancy

Goodbye Blemishes

Childhood Dehydration

As soon as your little ones return to school or playschool, the yearly parade of coughs, colds and other infections begins. Not only are older children affected: the bugs they bring home will often be passed to younger siblings, whose systems are less well equipped to handle invading viruses.

Dehydration is a risk for everyone, but particularly so for small children and babies. Read on...

What Causes Dehydration?
Fever, diarrhea and vomiting can cause children to lose abnormally large quantities of water from their bodies - a process known as dehydration.

In the most severe cases, children may not be able to replace this water through normal drinking or eating. This is especially true if fluid losses are so great (as with persistent diarrhea or vomiting) that the child cannot keep up with the loss simply by drinking more often.

Recognizing the Signs
If your baby or child is suffering from mild to moderate dehydration, you may notice one or more of the following symptoms:

a decrease in the amount of urine and/or bright yellow urine (no urination for 6 - 8 hours in children; fewer than six wet diapers in an infant)
dry mouth, tongue or skin
few or no tears when crying
sunken fontanelle (soft spot) on the head of an infant

In the event your little one is dehydrated, provide an oral pediatric electrolyte solution and monitor her closely. If she does not appear to improve, you should seek the advice of a medical professional.

If you notice any of the following symptoms, your child may be severely dehydrated. In this event, you should immediately call an ambulance or take him to the closest emergency centre for appropriate treatment.

inactivity or decreased alertness
weakness or limpness
sunken eyes
excessive sleepiness or disorientation
deep, rapid breathing
no urination for several hours (more than 6 - 8 hours in infants; more than 8 - 10 hours in children)
fast or weakened pulse

Oral Electrolyte Solutions
Pediatric oral electrolyte solutions help to restore your child’s electrolyte balance. Electrolytes are minerals such as sodium and potassium that are critical to life and may be severely depleted through loss of body fluids.

To prevent or treat dehydration during bouts of fever, vomiting or diarrhea, you should encourage your child to sip an oral electrolyte solution as often as possible. (Juices and sodas are not recommended if your child is dehydrated. The sugar may draw water into the intestine, causing diarrhea to worsen.)

Pediatric Electrolyte Solution, available at London Drugs, comes in a variety of appealing flavours, including apple, fruit and grape, as well as flavour-free.