Dehydration is a condition that occurs when a person loses more
fluids than he/she takes in. Dehydration isn't as serious a problem for
teens as it can be for babies or young children. But if you ignore your
thirst, dehydration can slow you down.
Our bodies are about two thirds water. When someone gets dehydrated, it
means the amount of water in his or her body has dropped below the level
needed for normal body function. Small decreases don't cause problems,
and in most cases, they go completely unnoticed. But losing larger
amounts of water can sometimes make a person feel quite sick.
One common cause of dehydration in teens is gastrointestinal
illness. When you're flattened by a stomach bug, you lose fluid through
vomiting and diarrhea.
You might also hear that you can get dehydrated from playing sports. In
reality, it's rare to reach a level of even moderate dehydration during
sports or other normal outdoor activity. But if you don't replace fluid
you lose through sweat as you go, you can become dehydrated from lots of
physical activity, especially on a hot day.
Some athletes, such as wrestlers who need to reach a certain weight to
compete, dehydrate themselves on purpose to drop weight quickly before a
big game or event by sweating in saunas or using laxatives or diuretics,
which make a person go to the bathroom more. This practice usually hurts
more than it helps, though. Athletes who do this feel weaker, which
affects performance. They can also have more serious problems, like
abnormalities in the salt and potassium levels in the body. Such changes
can also lead to problems with the heart's rhythm.
Dieting can sap a person's water reserves as well. Beware of diets or
supplements, including laxatives and diuretics that emphasize shedding
"water weight" as a quick way to lose weight. Losing water weight is not
the same thing as losing actual fat.
To counter dehydration, you need to restore the proper balance of
water in your body. First, though, you have to recognize the problem.
Thirst is one indicator of dehydration, but it is not an early warning
sign. By the time you feel thirsty, you might already be dehydrated.
Other symptoms of dehydration include:
►feeling dizzy and lightheaded.
►Having a dry or sticky mouth.
►Producing less urine and darker urine .
As the condition progresses, a person will start to feel much sicker as
more body systems (or organs) are affected by the dehydration.
The easiest way to avoid dehydration is to drink a lot of fluids,
especially on hot, dry, windy days. Water is usually the best choice.
Drinking water does not add calories to your diet and can be great for
your health.
The amount that people need to drink will depend on factors like how
much water they're getting from foods and other liquids and how much
they're sweating from physical exertion.
When you're going to be outside on a warm day, dress appropriately for
your activity. Wear loose-fitting clothes and a hat if you can. That
will keep you cooler and cut down on sweating. If you do find yourself
feeling parched or dizzy, take a break for a few minutes. Sit in the
shade or someplace cool and drink water.
If you're participating in sports or strenuous activities, drink some
fluids before the activity begins. You should also drink at regular
intervals (every 20 minutes or so) during the course of the activity and
after the activity ends. The best time to train or play sports is in the
early morning or late afternoon to avoid the hottest part of the day.
If you have a stomach bug and you're spending too much time getting
acquainted with the toilet, you probably don't feel like eating or
drinking anything. But you still need fluids. Take lots of tiny sips of
fluids. For some people, ice pops may be easier to tolerate.
Staying away from caffeine in coffee, sodas, and tea can also help you
avoid dehydration. Caffeine is a diuretic (it makes you urinate more
frequently than you usually need to).
Some medications can be used in this case as
Hydro-safe
sachets.
Dehydration can usually be treated by drinking fluids. But if you
faint or feel weak or dizzy every time you stand up (even after a couple
of hours) or if you have very little urine output, you should tell an
adult and visit your doctor. The doctor will probably look for a cause
for the dehydration and encourage you to drink more fluids. If you're
more dehydrated than you realized, especially if you can't hold fluids
down because of vomiting, you may need to receive fluids through an IV
to speed up the rehydration process. An IV is an intravenous tube that
goes directly into a vein.
Occasionally, dehydration might be a sign of something more serious,
such as diabetes, so your doctor may run tests to rule out any other
potential problems.
In general, dehydration is preventable. So just keep drinking that H2O
for healthy hydration.
Tetracycline:
Children: 50 mg/ kg body weight/ day, divided into 4 doses for 2 days.
Adults: 500 mg, 4 times a day, for 3 days.
Furazolidone:
Children: 5 mg/ kg body weight/ day, divided into 4 doses for 3 days.
Adults: 100 mg, 4 times a day, for 3 days.
Trimethoprim & Sulphamethoxazole:
All ages: 8 mg of Trimethoprim / kg body weight / day and
40 mg of Sulphamethoxazole / kg of body weight/ day, divided into 2
doses , for 3 days.
Trimethoprim & Sulphamethoxazole: Children:10 mg of Trimethoprim / kg body weight / day and
50 mg of Sulphamethoxazole / kg of body weight/ day, divided into 2
doses , for 5 days. Adults:160 mg of Trimethoprim and 800 mg of Sulphamethoxazole twice
daily, for 5 days.
or
Nalidixic acid:
Children:55 mg / kg body weight / day divided into 4 doses , for 5 days.
Adults:1 g, 3 times a day, for 5 days.
