| Level of Dehydration | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimal or none (less than 3% loss of body weight) |
Mild to moderate (between 3%-9% loss of body weight) |
Severe (over 9% loss of body weight) |
|
| Mental status | Well; alert | Normal; fatigued or restless, irritable | Apathetic, lethargic, difficult to wake, unconscious |
| Thirst | Drinks normally; might refuse some liquids | Thirsty; eager to drink | Drinks poorly; unable to drink; vomits most liquids |
| Heart rate | Normal | Normal to increased | Increased heart rate with weak pulses |
| Quality of pulses | Normal | Normal to decreased | Weak or thready pulses, or pulses you are unable to feel |
| Breathing | Normal | Normal; fast | Deep |
|
Soft spot on the front of the head in babies(called the fontanel) |
Normal | Normal to slightly sunken | Sunken |
| Eyes | Normal | Slightly sunken | Deeply sunken |
| Tears | Present | Decreased | Absent (cries without tears) |
| Mouth and tongue | Moist | Dry | Parched, Dry, Sticky |
| Skin folds (gently pinch your child’s skin on their abdomen, hold it for a few seconds and then let it go to see how long it takes to return to the normal position) |
Instantly returns to normal | Returns to normal in less than 2 seconds | Either remains wrinkled or returns to normal in over 2 seconds |
| Capillary refillbriefly press on your child’s skin so that it blanches or turns white, and see how long it takes to return to normal | Normal | Prolonged | Prolonged; minimal |
| Extremities | Warm | Cool | Cold; mottled; cyanotic |
| Urine output | Normal to decreased | Decreased |
Minimal |
|
As a reminder, this information should not be relied on as medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice of your child’s pediatrician.
Published by: KidsGrowth.com
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