Dehydration

Severe dehydration:

• listlessness (very weak with no energy),
• dry tongue and mouth that is sticky,
• absent tears with crying,
• sunken eyes,
• mottled skin,
• no urination for more than 8 to 10 hours,
• and in babies a sunken fontanele (soft spot on top of the head). Sometimes, in quiet, healthy baby, the fontanele does appear slightly sunken, especially if the baby is in an upright position.

If any of these symptoms of severe dehydration are occurring, the doctor should be contacted immediately.

Mild dehydration:

• may include dry lips with a moist mouth inside,
• fussy behavior, but the child should be able to interact, babble or talk or intermittently play,
• and less urine when the child does urinate. It is often difficult to check urination when a child is having diarrhea.

Children who are mildly dehydrated need to be watched closely and if they can keep some fluids down, tend to do well.