Slide 4
Recognising dehydration and why it is importantHere is a baby of about 10 months old who has had severe watery
diarrhoea since yesterday.
Q. What do you notice about her eyes?
A. Her eyes are sunken, and they are half closed. These are important
clinical signs of dehydration. The eyes sink back into their sockets because the -behind them
has lost water, and has become smaller.
Q. How badly dehydrated do you think this child is? Do you think the dehydration
is mild, moderate, or severe?
A. Sunken eyes show that the dehydration is moderate or severe. If you find she
is in coma, or not fully conscious, then the dehydration is severe. You should
try to recognise and treat dehydration before it is as bad as this.
Q. What do you notice about the child's nutritional state? How does that help you?
A. She looks well-nourished. That is good for her, but it does not help you to
diagnose dehydration. It can be more difficult to diagnose dehydration in fat babies,
and also in very thin ones.
Figure 2 - Dehydration in children
