Clinical Correlates of Dehydration
Severity | Fluid Deficit in mL/kg (percent body weight)* | Signs† | |
|---|---|---|---|
Infants | Adolescents | ||
Mild | 50 (5%) | 30 (3%) | Typically minimal findings but may have slightly dry buccal mucous membranes, increased thirst, slightly decreased urine output |
Moderate | 100 (10%) | 50–60 (5–6%) | Dry buccal mucous membranes, tachycardia, little or no urine output, lethargy, sunken eyes and fontanelles, loss of skin turgor |
Severe | 150 (15%) | 70–90 (7–9%) | Same as moderate plus a rapid, thready pulse; no tears; cyanosis; rapid breathing; delayed capillary refill; hypotension; mottled skin; coma |
* Standard estimates for children between infancy and adolescence have not been established. For children between these age ranges, clinicians must estimate values between those for infants and those for adolescents based on clinical judgment. | |||
† These findings are for patients with a serum sodium level in the normal range; clinical manifestations may differ with hypernatremia and hyponatremia. | |||