How much diarrhea before dehydration

Kids also can get dehydrated in hot weather or when they are very active. Treatment for dehydration depends on how severe it is. Kids with mild dehydration can get extra liquids at home. Kids with more severe dehydration may need treatment in the ER or hospital. Mild dehydration is treated with oral by mouth rehydration. This usually includes giving oral rehydration solution such as Pedialyte, Enfalyte, or a store brand. It has the right amounts of water, sugar, and salt to help with dehydration.

You can buy it without a prescription at drugstores or supermarkets. The American Heart Association lists dehydration as a cause of low blood pressure. Drinking water helps balance blood pressure. Men in a study on dehydration reported they felt fatigue, lethargy, and tiredness.

These symptoms may be due to low blood pressure caused by dehydration. Being properly hydrated helps raise energy levels. A study found that women being just 1. Headache pain may be linked to low blood pressure due to water loss.

Drinking water may help raise blood pressure and ease symptoms. Dehydration can cause nausea and dizziness. The nausea may lead to vomiting. This makes you lose even more water, worsening symptoms. Nausea may also be linked to low blood pressure caused by dehydration. Severe dehydration can lead to fainting. You may feel lightheaded or faint when you stand up suddenly after sitting or lying down.

These symptoms may happen when dehydration lowers your blood volume and blood pressure. Dehydration can lead to a pounding heart. A fast heartbeat and quick breathing may be a sign of severe dehydration. Water loss leads to lower blood volume. This makes the heart work harder to move blood throughout your body.

Getting hydrated raises blood volume and returns your heart rate to normal. Your brain is more than 70 percent water. Research on men in their 20s found that dehydration slows some types of brain function. It can affect alertness, concentration and memory. Study participants made more mistakes on vision and memory tests when they were dehydrated. Another study showed that even slight dehydration can cause driving mistakes. Diarrhea--loose, watery stools occurring more than three times in one day--is a common problem that usually lasts a day or two and goes away on its own without any special treatment.

However, prolonged diarrhea can be a sign of other problems. Diarrhea can cause dehydration, which means the body lacks enough fluid to function properly. Dehydration is particularly dangerous in children and the elderly, and it must be treated promptly to avoid serious health problems. Dehydration is discussed below. People of all ages can get diarrhea. The average adult has a bout of diarrhea about four times a year. What Causes Diarrhea? Diarrhea may be caused by a temporary problem, like an infection, or a chronic problem, like an intestinal disease.

A few of the more common causes of diarrhea are. Some people develop diarrhea after stomach surgery or removal of the gallbladder. The reason may be a change in how quickly food moves through the digestive system after stomach surgery or an increase in bile in the colon that can occur after gallbladder surgery.

In many cases, the cause of diarrhea cannot be found. As long as diarrhea goes away on its own, an extensive search for the cause is not usually necessary. People who visit foreign countries are at risk for traveler's diarrhea, which is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or, sometimes, parasites. Traveler's diarrhea is a particular problem for people visiting developing countries.

What Are the Symptoms? Diarrhea may be accompanied by cramping abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, or an urgent need to use the bathroom. Depending on the cause, a person may have a fever or bloody stools. Diarrhea can be either acute or chronic. The acute form, which lasts less than 3 weeks, is usually related to a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection.

Chronic diarrhea lasts more than 3 weeks and is usually related to functional disorders like irritable bowel syndrome or diseases like celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease. Diarrhea in Children Children can have acute short-term or chronic long-term forms of diarrhea.

Causes include bacteria, viruses, parasites, medications, functional disorders, and food sensitivities. Infection with the rotavirus is the most common cause of acute childhood diarrhea.

Rotavirus diarrhea usually resolves in 5 to 8 days. Medications to treat diarrhea in adults can be dangerous to children and should be given only under a doctor's guidance. Diarrhea can be dangerous in newborns and infants. In small children, severe diarrhea lasting just a day or two can lead to dehydration. Because a child can die from dehydration within a few days, the main treatment for diarrhea in children is rehydration.

Rehydration is discussed below. Take your child to the doctor if any of the following symptoms appear:. What Is Dehydration? General signs of dehydration include: Thirst Less frequent urination Dry skin Fatigue Light-headedness Dark colored urine Signs of dehydration in children include:.

If you suspect that you or your child is dehydrated, call the doctor immediately. Severe dehydration may require hospitalization. When Should a Doctor Be Consulted?

Although usually not harmful, diarrhea can become dangerous or signal a more serious problem. You should see the doctor if:. If your child has diarrhea, do not hesitate to call the doctor for advice. Diarrhea can be dangerous in children if too much fluid is lost and not replaced quickly.

What Tests Might the Doctor Do? Diagnostic tests to find the cause of diarrhea include the following:. What Is the Treatment? In most cases, replacing lost fluid to prevent dehydration is the only treatment necessary.

See "Preventing Dehydration" below. Medicines that stop diarrhea may be helpful in some cases, but they are not recommended for people whose diarrhea is from a bacterial infection or parasite--stopping the diarrhea traps the organism in the intestines, prolonging the problem. Instead, doctors usually prescribe antibiotics.

Viral causes are either treated with medication or left to run their course, depending on the severity and type of the virus. Preventing Dehydration Dehydration occurs when the body has lost too much fluid and electrolytes the salts potassium and sodium. The fluid and electrolytes lost during diarrhea need to be replaced promptly--the body cannot function properly without them.

Dehydration is particularly dangerous for children, who can die from it within a matter of days. Although water is extremely important in preventing dehydration, it does not contain electrolytes. Miller HJ. Dehydration in the older adult. Journal of Gerontological Nursing.

Heat and athletes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Treatment of hypovolemia dehydration in children. Sterns RH. Etiology, clinical manifestations and diagnosis of volume depletion in adults.

Marx JA, et al. Heat-related emergencies. Freedman S. Oral rehydration therapy.