07. Assessment of dehydration
07. Assessment of dehydration
Last update: 2022-09-14
Overview
- Patients with diarrhoea, especially children, can lose a lot of fluid from their bodies and suffer dehydration.
- Dehydration can cause very severe illness and sometimes death, especially in association with acute watery diarrhoea and cholera.
How to assess whether a patient has dehydration, and its extent
Dehydration stage | Signs | Treatment |
---|---|---|
No dehydration | Skin recovers its shape normally when pinched; thirst has subsided; urine has been passed; the pulse is strong. | Oral rehydration solution (ORS) at home; zinc supplements for children up to 15 years of age. |
Moderate dehydration | Restlessness and irritability; sunken eyes, dry mouth and tongue, increased thirst; skin recovers its normal shape slowly when pinched; reduced urine; decreased tears; depressed fontanels (soft membranes on head) in infants. | ORS and very close surveillance; zinc supplements for children up to 15 years of age. |
Severe dehydration | Lethargy or unconsciousness; very dry mouth and tongue; skin recovers shape very slowly when pinched (“tenting”); weak or absent pulse; low blood pressure; minimal or no urine. | In a health facility or in a hospital: IV therapy plus antibiotics plus ORS; zinc supplements for children up to 15 years of age. |
After the assessment, and according to the degree of dehydration, the following actions should be taken:
Signs of dehydration
- Sunken eyes
- Dry mouth
- Lethargic/weak
- Skin pinch returns slowly
- Little or no urine