BACKGROUND: The human body is made up of about 73 percent water, making it a critical element of the body; proper hydration is a must to allow proper function. Dehydration occurs when more water is leaving the body than entering, but water is lost on a regular basis through the skin when we perspire, urinate, when we rid our body of waste products and through the air we exhale. The most common reasons for dehydration occur when a person is experiencing diarrhea or vomiting, has been severely burnt, or has diabetes. Infants and children are more susceptible to dehydration due to their smaller bodies and higher turnover rate of water and electrolytes. The most common reason for dehydration in children is the stomach flu. Nearly 1.5 million kids visit emergency rooms around the United States every year for dehydration. (SOURCE: MedicineNet.com)SYMPTOMS: Symptoms of dehydration in children that parents should be aware of include: excessive tiredness, restlessness, irritability, increased thirst, dry mouth or tongue, frequent urination, weight loss, sunken eyes, and can not produce tears when crying. A nation wide survey shows that every three in five parents need to know more information about child dehydration. (SOURCE: emedicinehealth.com)
TREATMENT: The treatment for mild dehydration is simply drinking more fluids, but it's not good to drink a large amount of fluids at one time. Instead drink steadily small amounts all day long. Electrolyte solutions or freezer pops are also recommended for children. For severe dehydration hospitalization is usually required, where the child is usually hooked up to intravenous fluids for several hours. A new treatment used for children is a direct injection of fluids into the child's back right under the skin. This allows the child to receive fluids quicker than a traditional I.V, called Hylenex. (SOURCE: emedicinehealth.com)
ABOUT HYLENEX: Hylenex is a subcutaneous fluid injection that works by making the tissue below the skin more permeable and able to absorb fluids more easily, allowing the fluids enter the blood vessels more quickly. Once Hylenex has been injected into the skin subcutaneous fluids can be injected into that same area. Young patients who go in for I.V. rehydration have to be poked more than once to get the needle into the vein, making it traumatizing for the child. Hylenex is a simple, one-time procedure that doesn't require injection into a vein. With Hylenex, special precautions are taken for infants and young children so that they are not over hydrated, by controlling the rate and total volume of the infusion. In some cases decreased blood volume can be an issue.
For More Information, Contact:
Maricar Cabral
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital
mcabral@mhs.net
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