Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health
practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to
have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your
family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available
over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician. 
Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes
only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical
care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should
be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

 

While
dehydration often occurs as a result of diarrhea and/or vomiting, it
can also occur due to injuries involving burns or blood loss.  Then
there’s the issue of simply failing to drink enough water.  The
following are all signs of dehydration, but keep in mind that all do not
have to be present.  A person can be severely dehydrated without having
experienced diarrhea or vomiting.

Signs:

  • Fluid output
    • Watery stools
    • Diarrhea
    • Little urine or dark yellow urine
  • More than normal thirst
  • Rapid, weak pulse
  • Skin and mucosa
    • Dry mouth and tongue
    • Sunken fontanelles (soft spots on a baby’s head)
    • Sunken or dry eyes
    • Flushed, dry skin
    • Skin that does not spring back immediately when pinched
  • Altered mental state
    • Lethargy
    • Irritability, confusion

If someone has two or more signs of dehydration, it is important to restore fluids as soon as possible.
Fluids can be restored through several means:

  • Oral rehydration solution
  • Subcutaneously (hypodermoclysis)
  • Rectally (enema bag)
  • Intravenously

Oral rehydration solution and subcutaneous and rectal administration of
fluids have been addressed in previous posts.  All of these methods are
easy to learn and can be performed by people without medical training. 
One just needs the supplies.

One reason diarrhea and dehydration kill so many children in third world
countries is that the children are also deficient in zinc. 
Fortunately, zinc deficiency is not an issue for most people in the US. 
Balanced diets with adequate meat and legume consumption should provide
the body with plenty of zinc. 

Links to related posts:
Oral Rehydration Solution
Hypodermoclysis
Enema Bags for Rehydration
Zinc
Burns