Warning Signs That Tell Your Toddler Is Dehydrated

While dehydration is usually caused by not drinking enough fluids, there are other factors that can put your toddler at risk, such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, little to no fluid intake while sick, chronic illnesses, and prolonged exposure to hot and humid weather. Dehydration in toddlers can occur slowly or suddenly. If your toddler is sick, monitor him or her closely for signs of dehydration; these signs, however, aren’t always easy to spot. Check for:

1. Dry and/or cracked lips
2. Dark-colored urine
3. Little to no urine in an eight hour period
4. Cold or dry skin
5. Sunken eyes or a sunken soft spot on the head (in babies)
6. Excessive sleepiness
7. Little to no energy
8. Crying without tears
9. More fussiness than usual
10. Fast breathing
11. Rapid heart rate

In severe cases of dehydration, your toddler can become delirious or unconscious. Seek medical attention immediately if your child doesn’t seem to be recovering and/or is becoming more dehydrated, if there is blood in your child’s stool or vomit, if your child refuses to drink or take an oral rehydration solution, if the vomiting or diarrhea is persistent and they cannot drink enough to maintain what is being lost, and if diarrhea lasts more than a few days.