Recognizing the Signs: How to Identify Dehydration in Adults and Kids

Maybe you just finished playing an outdoor sport, or you’ve been enjoying the beach or lake with friends and family, and that familiar sensation starts to appear — undeniable thirst. Feeling thirsty is the body’s natural way of signaling that it’s getting closer to dehydration.

Keep reading to learn more about dehydration, including causes and risk factors, signs in adults, children and older adults, how to prevent it and when to visit your doctor.

Dehydration 101: What to Know

Dehydration occurs when your body uses or loses more water than it takes in. Without enough water and other minerals, your body can’t function properly. While mild dehydration can usually be treated by drinking water or electrolyte beverages, such as sports drinks, severe cases of dehydration can lead to serious complications, including heat cramps, heatstroke, low blood volume, electrolyte imbalances, kidney stones or kidney failure.

Causes and Risk Factors of Dehydration

Besides not drinking enough water and other fluids, causes and risk factors of dehydration include:

• Consuming too much alcohol
• Diarrhea
• Excessive sweating
• Having a fever
• Having diabetes
• Taking diuretic medications
• Urinating too much
• Vomiting

While anyone can become dehydrated, signs often show up differently in children, adults and older adults.

Identifying the Signs of Dehydration

When it comes to spotting dehydration early, it’s important to remember that signs vary by age and even by person. Let’s take a closer look at common signs of dehydration in children, adults and older adults.

Dehydration in Children

Infants and young children are at a greater risk of becoming dehydrated due to diarrhea and vomiting, higher metabolic rates and an inability to communicate when they need water. Since infants and young children have immature kidneys, they’re more likely to lose fluids much faster. Common signs of dehydration in children include:

• A sunken soft spot on the top of their head
• Being drowsy or irritable
• Dry skin or mouth
• Fewer than six wet diapers per day for infants and no wet diapers for eight hours for toddlers
• Little or no tears when they cry
• Rapid heart rate
• Sunken eyes

Dehydration in Adults

Signs of dehydration in adults include:

• Constipation
• Dark-colored urine
• Dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Elevated heart rate
• Fatigue
• Having a headache
• Muscle cramps
• Urinated less frequently

Dehydration in Older Adults

In addition to those associated with adults, signs of dehydration in older people include confusion, difficulty maintaining blood pressure (especially when standing) and irritability. Seek medical attention right away if an older adult can’t keep fluids down, faints or experiences diarrhea or vomiting for over 24 hours.

Older adults are more prone to dehydration for several reasons. As you get older, your brain’s ability to signal thirst weakens, so you may not feel thirsty even when your body is becoming dehydrated. Another reason is that older people have less total body water due to reduced muscle mass and smaller water reserves. Declining kidney function is one of the leading causes of dehydration in older adults. Over time, your kidneys’ ability to conserve water and filter waste lessens, leading to increased fluid loss during urination.

Preventing Dehydration

The best way to prevent dehydration is to drink plenty of fluids, especially if you’re active. However, water isn’t the only way to rehydrate. Electrolyte drinks are an effective way to replenish your body by providing water and essential electrolytes such as sodium and potassium. It’s also important to know that roughly 20% of your daily water intake comes from the foods you eat. Water-rich foods include:

• Apples
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Oranges
• Pears
• Strawberries
• Watermelon

We also encourage you to limit the number of dehydrating beverages you consume. Alcohol, highly caffeinated beverages and sodas act as diuretics, meaning they increase the production of urine, which could lead to dehydration.

When It’s Time to Visit Your Doctor

In severe cases, dehydration can warrant a visit to the emergency room. Seek immediate medical help if you or a loved one experiences confusion, fainting, a racing heart, seizures, an inability to keep fluids down or a fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.

Keeping You Hydrated and Healthy at Every Age

Our compassionate care teams are always here to help if you or a family member needs care quickly for dehydration. Use On My Way to streamline your registration at one of our urgent care centers, or for dehydration emergencies, visit your nearest AdventHealth emergency room for the prompt care you need.