When to Take Your child to the ER for Dehydration

Babies and children are more susceptible to dehydration, which can be caused by not drinking fluids or intense diarrhea, vomiting or fever. When the body doesn't have enough fluids to function properly, it can cause significant damage to your child.

You know your child best, and if you notice something might be wrong, our pediatric ER is here to help.

Types of Dehydration in Children

Each child, as with each case of dehydration, is unique. Dehydration in children can be mild, moderate or severe. In addition to severity, dehydration in children mostly presents itself in three variations:

• Hypotonic/Hyponatremic - loss of electrolytes, which are the salts in your body
• Hypertonic/Hypernatremic - loss of water
• Isotonic/Isonatremic - loss of both water and electrolytes

How to Tell if Your Child is Dehydrated

If your child is experiencing any of the below symptoms, it might be time to consider taking your child to a pediatric ER:

Lethargy

Go to a pediatric emergency room if your child won't speak or respond to your voice or touch. Additionally, your child will appear limp, won't walk or move, and may be too sick to cry or fuss.

Lack of Body Fluid

Symptoms of a reduction of body fluid include dry mouth, decreased urine, sunken eyes, and no tears when crying.

Pale Skin

If your child seems very pale, splotchy or their eyes look sunken in, seek immediate medical attention.

Rapid Heartbeat

If your child's heart beats more than 110 beats per minute, it could be a sign of significant dehydration. Additional symptoms of rapid heartbeat include:

• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Light-headedness
• Sleepiness
• Fainting

Our pediatric ER is close to home and able to treat your child experiencing dehydration. The Children's Hospital at TriStar Centennial strives to beat the national average wait time, so you can get quick access to high-quality, pediatric emergency care.