With a couple weeks of summer still to come and outdoor activities becoming more prevalent, it is crucial to stay hydrated. Understanding the importance of hydration, the causes and symptoms of dehydration and learning how to prevent becoming dehydrated are extremely important, especially for children.
Medical journals say dehydration means losing more fluids than what the body consumes. More than half of the human body weight is made up of water, and it is the essential fluid for survival.
Water is your body’s principal chemical component and makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to cells, and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues. It promotes a healthy immune system, weight and digestive track.
Dehydration occurs when your body does not have the necessary amounts of water for all parts of the body to function properly. Dehydration can be mild, moderate or severe, depending on the amount of water that has been lost. In children, dehydration can happen quickly. It is also important to note that children do not always recognize the signs of and symptoms of dehydration.
The cause of dehydration is simply the lack of water in the body. The body loses water by going to the bathroom, sweating and breathing. Dehydration can be caused by things such as a fever or excessive exercise. Excessive amounts of exercise can cause you to lose more water through the sweat glands. This rapid loss of fluids without replenishment causes you to become dehydrated.
Dehydration can be a serious condition if left untreated. The body relies on fluids to keep us active, healthy and full of energy. Some signs of mild or moderate dehydration may include being more thirsty than usual, having a sticky mouth, and producing darker yellow urine. All of these symptoms could be signs that the body is not getting the adequate amount of water necessary to function properly.
It is also important to know that children lose large amounts of water and salts through fever (more water evaporates from the body when body temperature is increased), diarrhea, vomiting or long periods of exercise with excessive sweating. Some illnesses might also prevent them from taking fluids by mouth. If they are unable to adequately replace the fluid that has been lost, kids can become dehydrated.
Dehydration is a very treatable condition. The main goal is to replace lost fluids so that your body can return to its normal, functional level. Water or sport drinks that contain electrolytes are the best fluids to consume. If you experience some of the more severe symptoms of dehydration this could require fluid treatments at a hospital or emergency department.
The simplest way to prevent dehydration is to drink a lot of water each day. The Institute of Medicine says an adequate intake for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day. For women, they recommend 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of fluids a day.
Another suggestion is to drink on a schedule. For example, when you wake up in the morning have a glass of water with your breakfast. At lunchtime have another glass of water, followed by another at dinner time. If you get thirsty in between, you can have a small glass of water to ensure you are getting a good amount of water each day.
If you have specific questions about the right amount of water to consume, please talk to your primary care physician. Eskenazi Health Center offers a network of primary care physicians. To find a physician, please call Eskenazi Health at 317-880-5555.
Nydia Nuñez-Estrada, M.D.
Family Medicine
Eskenazi Health Center North Arlington