Dehydration ..! Do you know about it

Dehydration (dehydration) is a lack of water in the body.

Babies, children and the elderly in particular become dehydrated more quickly.

Dehydration can cause mild or serious complaints.

Mild dehydration symptoms include thirst and headaches.

Severe dehydration symptoms include confusion and a fast, irregular heartbeat.

Consult your doctor or emergency room immediately if you have severe dehydration symptoms.

Drink enough every day to avoid dehydration.

What is Dehydration?

Dehydration is a lack of water in the body. More than half of your body is made up of water. That is why it is important to drink enough every day. Your body normally needs about 1.5 to 2 liters of water (6-8 glasses) a day.

Dehydration in babies, children and the elderly

Babies, children and the elderly are especially at risk of dehydration. Babies under 3 months are most prone to dehydration. Children under 2 years old can become dehydrated within 24 hours. Older children can dry out within 2 to 3 days.

Dehydration symptoms

Dehydration can be mild or severe. The symptoms of dehydration depend on the severity of the situation.

Mild dehydration symptoms are:

-Thirst

-A dry mouth

-No or little urination (for babies and children: no wet diaper for half a day)

-Dark yellow urine

-Headache

-Fatigue or sleepiness

-Reduced skin elasticity

-Muscle cramps

Severe dehydration symptoms are:

-Lethargy

-Confusion

-Drowsiness

-Pass out

-Unconsciousness

-Rapid or irregular breathing

-A fast or irregular heartbeat

-Deep-set eyes

-Cold or clammy limbs

Note: notify your doctor or emergency department immediately if you recognize serious dehydration symptoms in yourself or someone else.

Headache from dehydration

In some people, dehydration can lead to annoying headaches or migraines. Fortunately, you can quickly get rid of the headache if you drink water. Does the headache persist after drinking water? There may be another cause.

Find out about different types of headaches

Dehydration due to diarrhea

With diarrhea, your body loses a lot of moisture, which can cause you to dehydrate. Always make sure you drink enough if you suffer from diarrhea. Especially when you are on holiday in a tropical country, you have more chance of dehydration with diarrhea.

Test dehydration with a skin fold

Did you know that the appearance and texture of your skin can change with dehydration? Your skin consists of about 30% water, which provides firmness and elasticity. Do you want to check the elasticity of your skin? Pull on your skin with your thumb and index finger. If you are sufficiently hydrated, your skin will immediately spring back to its original shape when you let go. When dehydrated, this takes half a second or longer.

Cause of dehydration

Dehydration results from drinking too little, from losing too much fluid or (in many cases) from a combination of both. You can lose a lot of moisture by:

Sweating a lot. You sweat more than usual on hot days and during exercise. A fever can also make you sweat a lot.

Vomiting and / or diarrhea. When you are sick and vomit or have diarrhea, you lose a lot of fluid. Moreover, it is often difficult to keep the drink down.

Pregnancy sickness. Women who have a lot of morning sickness and vomiting during pregnancy can become dehydrated.

Pee a lot. This can be caused by the use of medicines (for example water pills) or by an underlying condition.

Dehydration often has several causes. For example, drinking too little on a hot day or drinking too little when you are sick.

Dehydration treatment

The treatment for dehydration depends on the severity of the situation.

Treatment of mild dehydration symptoms

With mild dehydration symptoms, it helps to drink water to replenish your moisture levels. In addition, it helps to drink something sweet (think of lemonade) or something salty (think of broth). In case of dehydration, there is not only a shortage of moisture, but also a shortage of essential sugars and salts. You can also choose to take ORS (oral rehydration salts). This is a mixture of salts and glucose that you have to dissolve in water. ORS is available without a prescription from pharmacies and chemists.

Treatment of severe dehydration symptoms

Severe dehydration is dangerous and can even lead to coma. Therefore, consult a doctor immediately if you notice severe dehydration symptoms. Severe dehydration may require hospital treatment. Then fluid with a special composition is administered via an infusion.

Prevent dehydration

You can do this to prevent yourself or someone else from becoming dehydrated:

Drink enough. Your body needs 1.5 to 2 liters of fluid every day. You lose more moisture on hot days and during exercise. Then make sure you drink more. It is best to drink water, coffee or tea without sugar. Even when you are sick, it is important to take in a lot of small amounts of fluids.

Check the color of your urine. The color of your urine should be clear, light or straw yellow. Dark yellow urine indicates dehydration.

Take extra measures on hot days. Do not stay in the sun too long, apply sunscreen regularly, avoid (heavy) exercise and drink enough. For example, take a bottle of water with you when you go out and do not drink alcohol.