Treatment of Dehydration in Children

Care at Home

Pedialyte, electrolyte and rehydralyte

Dehydration is caused mainly by diarrhea or vomiting in which body loses minerals and fluids
Pedialyte is available in liquid, suspension or powder form for minerals and fluid balance
Balance of body fluid and minerals is necessary for proper functioning of body. Pedialyte have adequate quantity of fluid which will help to maintain body functioning.
The liquid form pedialyte can be directly given to the child or if it is available in suspension shake it before giving to your child. If pedialye or rehydralyte is in powder form then you need to make it in liquid form by addition of water. The quantity of water is to be added is directed on the sachet.
You will get these products in the medicines or grocery shop

Oral rehydration liquid

At home you can make oral rehydration liquid by adding half a teaspoon of salt, half teaspoon of potassium chloride, four tablespoon of sugar, and half teaspoon of baking soda.
All these are mixed in one liter of water and many times in a day
This oral rehydration liquid will balance the minerals and fluid balance in the body

If you provide oral rehydration liquid and pedialye in correct amount time to time then it will decrease the frequency of the vomiting and you can gradually start other food products like rice, potatoes fruits like apple, banana etc. Slowly you start his/her regular diet which will help to reduce the weakness caused due to dehydration.

If your child is more than two years old then you can give him/her flat soda, soups containing more amounts of water and Gatorade

At the time of dehydration avoid breast feeding or other milk for two or three days. In such condition your child may not be able to digest the milk and it will enhance dehydration so best option is stop giving milk.

Medical treatment

Mild dehydration

Medical treatment depends on the severe of the dehydration. In mild dehydration child can lose three to five percent of total body weight. If you are giving treatment just after mild dehydration the doctor can advice you to give oral rehydration fluid or pedialyte.
If doctor does not find any danger of infection or other problems then you can take care of baby by providing some drugs which will help to stop dehydration

Moderate dehydration

In this condition child can lose five to ten percent of the total body weight
Oral rehydration fluid can cover the dehydration but if doctor finds any complication like infection or food poising then drugs against infection can be provided to stop dehydration. If there is no any improvement is seen in the health of child then you will again need to visit to the doctor

Severe dehydration

In severe dehydration your child may loose ten to fifteen percent of the body weight
In severe dehydration your child may be hospitalized under observation of the doctors
stool and blood tests are taken to find out exact cause of dehydration
if any infection is seen in the report then according to that anti-bacterial or anti-viral drugs are provided to stop and spreading of the infection in the body