ds (age 7) looks very dehydrated

[dsLooksParched]

Hi,

I wondered if anyone might have any good ideas to help my ds (Age 7), who seems very dehydrated?

It started a couple of weeks ago when I decided to stop giving him cartons of pure fruit juice. He has some decay in his back teeth and I was concerned that the juice was making it worse.

I tried really hard to find a way to get him to drink enough water, but it just wasn't working. His lips became very sore looking, and he was swallowing really oddly. It's as if he has to try hard to swallow, even shutting his eyes to do it and sometimes taking three goes to get it right.

Anyway, about 4 days ago, I gave up and reintroduced the cartons of pure fruit juice and have been pouring them into him, and giving him lots of water and even now ice lollies, and it hasn't solved the problem. He is still swallowing oddly and his lips are still very sore looking.

He says it doesn't bother him and I should just ignore it, but it looks so uncomfortable and I wish I could find a way to get him back to normal. I wondered if anyone might be able to think of anything, maybe that I am missing?

Thanks!

My dd9 had same in June, very thirsty and dry lips, turned out to be diabetes. Get him checked just in case.

Is he weeing frequently and what colour is it?

It does sound odd, though and I'd get it checked. It doesn't sound like dehydration, though, as the symptoms you've noticed are continuing

Gosh, I hadn't though of anything as bad as diabetes. I'm nervous of going to the GP as I know he'll probably use one of those tongue depressors to look at ds's throat, which we both hate. Last time we put off a GP visit because of that, it turned out to be Scarlet Fever, though, and we deeply regretted not having gone. Must be brave!

Thanks for the tips.

Oh and he's not weeing frequently and it's clear, but he does have an odd habit of having leaked a bit at the moment and always having a damp patch on his trousers, which never used to happen. No idea what's going on there either.

Diabetes is not common at all, and thirst can be a symptom of many things, may even just be a phase he's going through. The fact he's not going to bathroom frequently is also good sign.

Thanks, that's good to know.

I'm very thirsty at the moment too, and we do live in an arid area of the UK where drinking enough is a bit of a serious job for everyone. He also had a diarrhoea bug on Monday that just lasted 3 hours, but may have contributed to it. I've had the bug since Sunday, which I reckon is partly why I am very thirsty.

I wondered if you think I ought to be replacing salts, that he might have lost? I have given him a bit of Chorizo, and he's had smoked salmon which is quite salty, and a nice little chicken pie that had 1.1g salt in it, so I don't think he should be short of sodium, but perhaps there are other salts that count?

The swallowing thing can be a bad habit children get - sort of can't do it because they are thinking about it too much. The more difficult it is the more anxious they get about it. Try getting him to focus hard on something else while drinking, like a game or maths puzzle. Try straws or ice pops to suck. And go to GP.

It's not when he's drinking, it's just all the time. I don't think he even notices it. It's just me that notices it. I've just looked and the GP is on holiday until September, but maybe we can see a different one. Thanks!

Sounds like it's just the heat mixed with effects of a tummy bug, maybe a banana for some potassium and fruit juice for sugars lost if you think he needs his electrolytes replaced. My dd had excessive thirst, lost loads of weight, wee'd frequently and was just vaguely ill for a few weeks.

As a guide he should be having 6- 8 cups to drink a day, each cup being about 200ml. If all of those cups are fruit juice that could be an issue? How much does he drink a day?
Easy check for dehydration- if you press your fingernail it turns white. When you let it go the colour should return immediately. If there is a delay its dehydration.
Have you tried diferent flavours of squash, then hes drinking mostly water but they are still very flavoured.
I would look up signs of diabetes just to be sure- very thirsty and hungry, breath smelling like pear drops, weeing frequently, putting on weight.
Also is it possible he has a urine infection? It make just be a bug but if it continues get him checked out at the gp. Does he say he has a sore throat?

Thanks, that's really interesting. I see what you mean about the nail thing. I'll try that.

Today he had three cartons of innocent smoothie which works out as 3 x 180ml. He also had one home made lolly which was half and half water and apple juice and was 90ml.

I tried to convince him to to also drink some water, and I'd say he maybe had another 300ml. It's hard to say though as I'm always plonking glasses of water or dilute apply juice in front of him, and I'm not over particular about checking what happens to them. I'll keep a better look out tomorrow.

He says his throat is not sore, and he has no other symptoms of diabetes.

Thanks for all these suggestions. Having a chat about it like this is so helpful.

If he's drinking that much each day, he's definitely not dehydrated. The chapped lips and the swallowing issue could be two entirely unrelated problems. Just put some lip balm on the lips and ignore the swallowing issue as it may just be a tic which he ends up forgetting about.

I find your method of counting salt intake a little bizarre tbh.

If his lips are sore, he'll probably keep licking them which will make them worse. Get him to rub Vaseline on them instead until they're better.

Blistex is the best for dry lips