Sneh Children Hospital

Dehydration in Babies: Symptoms, Causes, and Prevention

Dehydration in infants is not normal. If it is not addressed quickly then it can quickly become a serious concern. Fortunately, it can be addressed using simple remedies. However, it is essential to consult the best pediatrician in Ahmedabad to get the detail of hydration level.  

What is the Dehydration?

Dehydration refers to the level of the fluids in the body to perform all the functions normally. Since the body of the baby is small, the lack of fluid becomes a serious concern very quickly. 

We all know that water is the main need of our body to control temperature, maintain organs and tissues’ health, and carry out all the body functions. Every day baby loses water through frequent urination, crying, sweating, bowel moment, and breathing. It is replaced by what babies eat and drink. If babies do not replace lost fluids, they are getting dehydrated.  

What are the symptoms that tell that baby is dehydrated?

Symptoms of dehydration basically depend upon the level of water loss in babies. However, the most common sign of it includes:

  • Dry and Wrinkly skin
  • Cool and discolored hands and feet
  • Sunken eyes
  • Rapid breathing
  • Not more than six wet diapers in a day
  • No wet diapers for eight hours
  • Dry lips and tongue

What are the causes of dehydration?

There is a number of causes that can dehydration in infant and babies which includes:

  • Breastfeeding issue: Sometimes breastfeed babies do not get enough supply of breastmilk or do not latch correctly or not breastfeeding too often.
  • Bottle-feeding problem: Bottle-fed babies do not bottle feed too often or not take enough or do not pump breast milk at each feeding. 
  • Diarrhea: The baby having diarrhea decreases losing the significant amount of water intake with each bowel moment.
  • Higher exposure to heat: High temperatures or spending too much time outdoors in the summer can evaporate water intake from the body.
  • Denied to eat: Babies having health issues refuse breastmilk or bottled milk. Repeated vomiting quickly losing the water intake from the body.  

How to prevent your baby from getting dehydrated?

You can not prevent your little one from getting a little dehydrated but you can prevent your little it getting too serious. Remember that due to the tiny stomach of babies, they can drink a few tablespoons of milk at a time. So they need frequent feeding. Thus, you should keep a track record of how much milk your little one is getting at a time. 

Also, keep the track of how much your baby urinates and poops that is another good indication of water going in. Keep an eye on your baby’s poop. very watery or explosive poop might be the indicator of diarrhea and consequently loss of water.       

When to call the doctor?

Dehydration can be usually treated at home but require consulting the best pediatric doctor in Ahmedabad for severe causes:

  • Has no urination for more than eight hours
  • Has increased diarrhea
  • Sleeping more and doing fewer activities
  • Has increased vomiting

The bottom line:

Dehydration is the sign that indicated less water intake in the body which can occur quickly and can be dangerous if it is not addressed timely. Therefore, it is important to contact the pediatrician in Ahmedabad if severe dehydration is noticed.

Dr. Khanjan Shah

Dr. Khanjan Shah

Dr. Khanjan Shah, M.D. in Pediatrics with a Fellowship in Pediatric Critical Care, is the author of this article. He ensures that all information provided from Sneh Children Hospital is backed by thorough research conducted by himself and other specialists, guaranteeing authenticity and reliability.