Dehydration in children can be a very serious side effect of numerous illnesses, including diarrhea and vomiting. This side effect occurs when fluids are lost from the body and are not replenished. Severe dehydration is a life-threatening emergency. At the earliest signs of dehydration a child's doctor should be contacted. Typically, a child can be given an electrolyte solution but depending on the stage of dehydration, intravenous fluid administration may be necessary.
Oral Symptoms
The mouth of a dehydrated child is dry and often sticky. The lips can become dry as well. Children may report being thirsty too.
Urination
Reduced or a lack of urination is a prominent sign of dehydration. Children still in diapers may go several hours between diaper changes. The Mayo Clinic points out that fewer than six wet diapers in a day for infants and eight hours or more without urinating in older children suggests dehydration. The urine that does appear may be darker than usual and have a stronger odor.
Visible Signs
A child suffering from dehydration can have sunken eyes that may include darkening of the skin beneath the eye. Should she cry, there may be no tears. The National Institutes of Health points out that infants may have a sunken fontanel.
Other Bodily Signs
As dehydration gets worse, the child may become lethargic or in severe cases, the child may become comatose. The Mayo Clinic suggests the child's muscles may weaken. He may also develop a headache. Severely dehydrated children will not to sweat, and the skin will shrivel.
Behavioral Signs
A child with moderate to severe dehydration may be delirious or confused. She may have slurred speech. In serious cases, she may lose consciousness. Younger children are likely to be overly fussy due to dehydration.
