What is Dehydration?
Dehydration occurs when the amount of water leaving the body is greater than the amount being taken in. The body is very dynamic and always changing. This is especially true with water levels in the body. We lose water routinely when:
we breathe and humidified air leaves the body;
we sweat to cool the body; and
we urinate or have a bowel movement to rid the body of waste products.
In a normal day, a person has to drink a significant amount of water to replace this routine loss.
Nursing Care dehydration in children
- Calculate appropriateness of ordered IV fluids
- Close Monitoring input and output(uring,vonmiting,sweating)
- Assess for degree of dehydration or overhydration
- Check fluids and electrolytes level are replaced appropriately
- Sodium replacement should always be included in fluid volume replacement
- Offer small frequent meals after loose stools to prevent dehydration
