Why the children are more prone to be dehydrated compared to adults.

 

• Dehydrations reduction of body water level in the extracellular compartment sometimes accompanied with intracellular compartment due to excessive water loss or lack of water intake.

 

• The signs of dehydration are;
• Decrease skin turgor.
• Dry lips & tongue.
• Decrease blood pressure.
• Increase heart rate & pulse .
• Sunken eyeballs.
• Sunken fontanelle (infants).

 

• The symptoms of dehydration are;
• Dry throat and mouth.
• Difficulty in speech.
• Decrease urine output.
• Lethargy.
• Weight loss.

• Compared to adults children are more prone to get dehydrated. There are few reasons.

 

§  Absolute volume of water in ICF is child < adult
§  Water distribution

     TBW                     ICF                          ECF

 Adult                       55%- 60%                       2/3                       1/3 à 1/7 exchangeable

Children                  65%- 70%                        ½                          1/2 à 1/2 exchangeable

 

• As the above the percentage of water in ICF & ECF are more compared to total volume.
• But the exchangeable quarter is higher (1/2) in children compared to1/7 in adults.
• So the water content in ECF rapidly falls down in dehydration state followed by ICF.
• Therefore in a dehydration state the volume of water a children loose is more compared to the TBW.
• Next reason is inability to secrete sufficient ADH & aldosterone due to less efficiency of infant kidneys.
• This causes depression water reabsorption in kidney.
• This will aggravate the dehydrate state.