When you lose more bodily fluid than you take in, through sweating during exposure to heat, or through illness with high fever, diarrhea or vomiting, the result can be dehydration. Children, with their smaller bodies, are at greater risk of dehydration, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Left untreated, dehydration can lead to death. Signs of dehydration in an infant include sunken eyes, crying without tears, listlessness and fewer wet diapers. If your child experiences these symptoms, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Treating the child to prevent dehydration can prevent the serious consequences of this condition.
Step 1
Fill a bottle with rehydration liquid such as Pedialite, or another fluid designed to restore the proper balance of electrolytes to infants. Offer your child the bottle. The Indiana University Emergency Medicine Department recommends you give the baby only 1 to 2 tsp. of fluid every 10 minutes.
Step 2
Offer a larger quantity of the rehydration liquid after four hours if your child doesn't vomit the liquid. If your baby does vomit, wait 20 minutes, then offer more of the liquid. Your goal is to help your child take in more fluid than he loses through diarrhea, vomiting or sweating.
Step 3
Breast-feed or bottle-feed your baby as usual, as long as he keeps the milk down.
Step 4
Monitor your child's fluid intake and output. If he has fewer wet diapers than usual, despite the increased fluid intake, this is a sign your baby may be dehydrated. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Tips and Warnings
- Most infants prefer the taste of unflavored dehydration liquid.
- Never give water to a child younger than 6 months old.
Things You'll Need
- Rehydration fluid
- Bottle
