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Dehydration home remedies

My daughter keeps throwing up. She's almost 3 years old. It's been 24 hours. How do I keep her from becoming dehydrated?
(27 Dec 2007)

The human body is composed mainly of water and when the amount of water that is consumed is less than the amount of water that is lost from the body, dehydration is most likely to occur. Water is lost from the body routinely during perspiration, urination and also breathing. A substantial intake of water is required daily to maintain the water levels in the body.

Sometimes if the intake of water is low, the body transfers some of the water from the cells into the blood vessels to keep the body functioning properly. But this is only for a short period of time, and continued absence of water will result in dehydration.

The body may become dehydrated due to many reasons. This usually occurs when there is an inadequate intake of water or an excessive loss of water from the body. One cause of excessive water loss could be diarrhea. Huge amounts of water can be flushed out of the body due to diarrhea. Water is also lost from the body during vomiting. Profuse sweating due to a high fever or very hot temperatures can also cause dehydration of the body. The inability of an individual to consume fluids further aggravates this condition. Children are more likely to suffer from dehydration due to conditions which cause diarrhea or vomiting.

The best way to prevent dehydration from occurring is to give your daughter plenty of fluids. You first need to assess the reason why your daughter is vomiting, as she will not be able to keep any of the fluids down. It could be taking place because of something she has eaten, as food allergies are common in children. Presence of bacteria, viruses and parasites in the stomach could also result in vomiting. For such conditions medical treatment is required to prevent further aggravation. You can try making her take a few sips of a solution of lemon juice, water and a bit of salt. This should help to reduce the vomiting. Giving her one teaspoon of ginger juice will also be beneficial. When the vomiting eases slightly, you need to keep giving her fluids such as fruits juices. Oral dehydration solutions are very effective in regulating the electrolyte levels. A glass of warm water with honey will also help to alleviate the vomiting. A mixture of lemon juice and mint juice is also good for preventing vomiting. To prevent dehydration you can also make her sip on some water to which a pinch of salt has been added.

answered by G M on 8 Apr 2010, 4:38:55

Dehydration Home Remedy

Obviously, it is very important to determine what is causing her to throw up. If this continues for another 24 hours, you need to take her to see someone immediately.

Some things that can help are:

Make a tea of peppermint and ginger, both of these are soothing to the stomach and can help stop vomiting. Give her a couple of swallows and then wait 20 minutes to see if she keeps it down, if she does, then give her a couple more swallows. After she has downed one small cup and has kept it down for 30 minutes, give her a few swallows of water mixed with a children's electrolyte. Wait for 20 more minutes and give her some more tea. Alternate the tea and electrolyte mixture for 4 or 5 hours. This will help calm her stomach and get her hydrated. After she has kept the fluids down for the 4 or 5 hours, try giving her a piece of toast or a couple of crackers to see how she does. Keep her diet very simple for a few days. Avoid large meals and spicey or greasy food. A little bit of apple sauce, canned fruit, jello, and mild soup are great until she feels better.

answered by R P on 11 Jan 2008, 1:07:24

Dehydration home remedies

My daughter keeps throwing up. She's almost 3 years old. It's been 24 hours. How do I keep her from becoming dehydrated? (27 Dec 2007)

My daughter keeps throwing up. She's almost 3 years old. It's been 24 hours. How do I keep her from becoming dehydrated?
(27 Dec 2007)