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- When your body loses excess amounts of fluids and electrolytes, you become dehydrated.
- This is usually due to diarrhoea or gastroenteritis, but may also be due to other factors like not drinking enough liquids.
- When a critical amount of fluids and electrolytes are lost, it can be very serious.
- Dehydration can be life-threatening, especially for infants, small children and elderly people.
In children:
- Dry mouth and tongue
- No tears when crying
- Dry diapers for 3 hours or more
- Sunken abdomen, eyes or cheeks
- Fever
- Listlessness or irritability
- Skin that does not flatten when pinched and released
In adults:
- Dry mouth and tongue
- Less frequent urination
- Dark urine
- Dry skin
- Fatigue
- Light headedness
- Prevention is better than cure, so drink plenty of clear liquids like juice, soft drinks and safe, purified water.
- If excess fluid loss is occurring, administer an Oral Electrolyte Replacement Solution such as Rehidrat.
- Rehidrat is a balanced mixture of sugar and salts. When prepared properly, it replaces the electrolytes in the body, and so treats dehydration.
- Make sure Rehidrat is in your medicine cabinet.
Contact a doctor if diarrhoea is accompanied by:
- Signs of dehydration
- Blood in the stools or black stools
- Frequent vomiting
- Severe abdominal pain
- High fever
- No improvement after 24 hours
