When dehydrated the skin is grayish, mucous membranes dry; the urine production and release is reduced, crying with no tears; large fontanel sinks down, respiratory and heart rates are high. In addition, the child looks sluggish and sick for a long time. Healthy baby urinates 6-8 times a day, discharges the intestine 2-3 times a day. Based on the norms, you can monitor the water balance in the baby’s body.

Call pediatrician if:

• Baby does not urinate for 6-8 hours
• vomiting continues for 12 hours
• liquid stool at least 8 times in 8 hours
• mouth mucosa is dry, crying without tears (do not forget that newborns do not have tears when crying)
• baby is inconsolable crying, seems unusually sluggish and sleepy
• large fontanel is fused

The pediatrician is likely to recommend the drugs containing electrolytes. The child is given to drink such solution in small doses, but frequent. You have to know that water containing some glucose and minerals is absorbed better. Besides, the baby has lost necessary minerals and nutrients along with the great water quantity he has lost. In more serious cases the hospitalization is required. There will be injected solutions intravenously in order to substitute the lost fluid, minerals and nutrients.