In the summer time we tend to burn the
candle at both ends. Everyone is trying
to get as much fun and recreation in as possible that we sometimes forget to
take care of ourselves. Dehydration is
something that most everyone suffers from on a regular basis.
Symptoms
Mild to moderate dehydration is likely to
cause:
Dry, sticky mouth
Sleepiness or
tiredness — children are likely to be less active than usual
Thirst
Decreased urine
output — fewer than six wet diapers a day for infants and eight hours or more
without urination for older children and teens
Few or no tears
when crying
Muscle weakness
Headache
Dizziness or
lightheadedness
Severe dehydration, a medical emergency,
can cause:
Extreme
fussiness or sleepiness in infants and children; irritability and confusion in
adults
Extreme Thirst
Very dry mouth,
skin and mucous membranes
Lack of sweating
Little or no
urination — any urine that is produced will be dark yellow or amber
Sunken eyes
Shriveled and
dry skin that lacks elasticity and doesn't "bounce back" when pinched
into a fold
In infants,
sunken fontanels — the soft spots on the top of a baby's head
Low blood
pressure
Rapid heartbeat
Fever
In the most
serious cases, delirium or unconsciousness
Unfortunately, thirst isn't always a
reliable gauge of the body's need for water, especially in children and older
adults. A better barometer is the color of your urine: clear or light-colored
urine means you're well hydrated, whereas a dark yellow or amber color usually
signals dehydration. In order to maintain
hydration you should drink ½ your body weight in ounces of water, juice or
decaffeinated tea. Caffeine will
dehydrate you further and hydration drinks are full of sugar….read
labels!! If you are lethargic or suffer
from tension type headaches try hydrating you may surprise yourself, it very
well could be dehydration….Here’s to hydrating!!
