If your baby is dehydrated – take immediate action!

[4 March 2010 - 10h04]

Infants are very easily and seriously affected by dehydration. And yet – and this is a considerable aggravating factor – they are also unaware of the sensation of thirst! This means that they are unable to “ask for a drink” by crying, for example. But there are some very simple precautions you can take to prevent your baby becoming dehydrated.

As your baby doesn’t understand that he’s thirsty, make sure you regularly offer him some water in his bottle. Every hour, for example, and more often if you are in a particularly hot environment. If he needs it, he will drink it, and if he’s not thirsty he will simply moves his lips away from the teat.

This elementary precaution is especially necessary when in a confined space such as a car or pram. And when travelling by car, avoid travelling long distances without a break. If you have a long way to go, stop every hour to give your baby a breather, in all senses of the word.

Is your baby sleepy or overexcited? Do his eyes seem sunken? Is his skin dry and hot after a period of excessive sweating? Does he have a fever? These are all tell-tale signs that should alert you to the possibility of dehydration. And if this happens, you must get in touch with the emergency services immediately because dehydration in a child is a medical emergency that can take over in a matter of minutes. If treatment comes too late, his condition can rapidly develop into a coma… and in the best of cases, it will leave behind some irreversible after effects.

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