Dehydration Signs and Symptoms

It may be hard to believe, but while you are standing on the sidelines bundled in a sweater on a crisp fall day watching your child running up and down the soccer field, she may become dehydrated.

Dehydration can begin when an athlete loses as little as 1 percent of body weight. In a 70-pound child, that is less than 1 pound of weight lost through sweat. As little as a 2% decrease in body weight from fluid loss (e.g. 1.2 lb for a 60-lb athlete) can lead to a significant decrease in muscular strength and stamina.

If your child tires easily and repeatedly in practice and appears irritable, and her performance suddenly declines, dehydration, and/or inadequate calorie intake may be the cause.

The following are also signs that your child is dehydrated:

• Dry lips and tongue

• Sunken eyes

• Bright colored or dark urine, or urine with a strong odor

• Infrequent urination

• Small volume of urine

• Apathy or lack of energy

The progressive effects of dehydration are serious. As a child becomes dehydrated, heart rate increases, blood flow to the skin decreases, and a body temperature can rise steadily to dangerous levels. To avoid a potentially life-threatening medical emergency, parents and coaches need to be familiar with the symptoms of and treatment for heat-related illnesses.