Fluid replacement
Replace fluid by mouth.
Usse small amounts of clear fluids especially if it is difficult to keep water down because of vomiting.
Clear fluids include:
water,
clear broths,
popsicles,
Jell-O
Other replacement fluids that may contain electrolytes (Pedialyte, Gatorade, Powerade, etc.)
If this fails, intravenous fluid (IV).
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Infants
Infants and small children who are dehydrated shouldn't be given large amounts of water alone as the main replacement fluid. This is because it can dilute the already low level of minerals in their body too much and lead to other problems.
Instead, they should be given diluted squash or a rehydration solution (available from pharmacies). You might find a teaspoon or syringe can be helpful for getting fluid into a young child.
If left untreated, severe dehydration can be serious and cause fits (seizures), brain damage and death.
Read more about treating dehydration
See your GP if your symptoms continue, despite drinking plenty of fluids, or if you think your baby or toddler is dehydrated.
If your GP suspects dehydration, you may have a blood test or a urine test to check the balance of salts (sodium and potassium) in your body.
Contact your GP, out-of-hours service or NHS 24 111 service straight away if you have any of the following symptoms:
- extreme thirst
- feeling unusually tired (lethargic) or confused
- not passing urine for eight hours
- rapid heartbeat
- dizziness when you stand up that doesn't go away after a few seconds
You should also contact your GP if your baby has had six or more episodes of diarrhoea in the past 24 hours, or if they have vomited three times or more in the past 24 hours.