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Dehydration

Dehydration means the body loses more fluid than it takes in, often along with salts. Babies, older people and people who are ill can deteriorate particularly quickly. Small sips and correctly prepared oral rehydration solution (ORS) can help with mild fluid loss, but drowsiness, collapse or no longer passing urine requires urgent care.

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Dehydration means the body loses more fluid than it takes in, often along with salts. Babies, older people and people who are ill can deteriorate particularly quickly. Small sips and correctly prepared oral rehydration solution (ORS) can help with mild fluid loss, but drowsiness, collapse or no longer passing urine requires urgent care.

  • Thirst, a dry or sticky mouth, dry lips, headache and feeling unusually tired or weak.
  • Dark yellow, strong-smelling urine, clearly passing less urine or noticeably fewer wet nappies in a baby.
  • If nauseated, take small sips every few minutes and only increase the amount when you can keep it down.
  • Only mix ORS with the specified amount of safe water; do not add extra sugar, salt, juice or milk.
  • Call the same day if vomiting persists, drinks do not stay down, diarrhoea is very frequent or urine clearly decreases.
  • For urgent GP care outside normal opening hours, call HAP 9252. Call Ambulance 912 only for an immediately life-threatening situation.
  • Being unrousable, severe confusion, a seizure, collapse or signs of shock indicate an immediate threat to life.

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