Days ago we talked about one of the greatest precautions that parents should have in summer: go to the pool with young children.
Another of the great threats of summer, especially on the hottest days is dehydration, excessive loss of body fluids. Young babies are especially vulnerable to suffer because the percentage of water in their body is higher and their balance is weaker.
In addition to the heat, summer is conducive to food poisoning that can cause vomiting, diarrhea and as a result a great loss of water.
A baby of months does not tell us "I'm thirsty", so the main thing is to know how to identify the signs of dehydration in a child.
The symptoms of dehydration are:
When the baby suffers a loss (for no apparent reason) of about 5% of its weight.
When you have the fontanelles (soft areas of the head) sunk
When you urinate less than usual.
When he makes very dry and hard bowel movements.
When it presents very dry and pale skin (somewhat grayish), sunken eyes and dry mouth.
When it is less active than usual.
Before any of these symptoms you should see a doctor to assess the dehydration status of the baby. It has been shown that oral rehydration with serum is equal to or more effective than intravenous, but in any case it will be the pediatrician who indicates it.
However, what can we do to prevent dehydration in babies:
If you breastfeed it is not necessary to offer water. You should increase the frequency in the shots in case of extreme heat since the breast milk itself provides water, salts and the necessary nutrients to avoid dehydration.
If the baby takes a bottle, be careful with the proportions in the preparation of the formulas and reinforce with mineral water in small quantities between the shots.
Keep the skin hydrated during the summer to create a protective barrier and prevent moisture loss.
If the baby has already started with complementary feeding, offer fruits and vegetables (which can be taken according to their stage of growth) as they contain a large amount of water.
Do not subject it to sudden temperature changes or offer cold liquids.
Avoid exposing the baby to the sun in the central hours of the day.
Dress it with light clothes.
