First Aid For Dehydration

Dehydration is a common condition that can affect anyone, although small children, pregnant women, older adults and people with chronic conditions are at greater risk. While moderate dehydration can be treated on site with the right first aid, severe dehydration can be potentially life threatening. Knowing how to provide first aid for dehydration is particularly important in remote work sites and mine sites where hot weather conditions lead to faster fluid loss. Dehydration often occurs alongside heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke and heat exhaustion.

What is dehydration?

Dehydration is when the body loses fluids and electrolytes faster than they can be replaced. Left untreated, dehydration can become a serious medical emergency and is potentially life threatening in some cases.

Dehydration can be caused by a range of things, such as sweating excessively while doing physical activity or being exposed to the sun for a long time. Vomiting, diarrhoea and sweating during a fever can lead to dehydration. Certain medications can also cause dehydration.

Dehydration symptoms

The symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration include:

• Headache
• Dry mouth and dry eyes
• Extreme thirst
• Dark urine (urine test strips can be used to test for dehydration)
• Muscle cramps
• Low blood pressure
• Increased heart rate or heart palpitations
• Sunken eyes and pale skin (in young children)

The signs of moderate to severe dehydration include:

• Fainting and fatigue
• Confusion
• Fever and chills
• Unconsciousness

Mild dehydration isn’t always easy to detect. Urine test strips are a valuable tool for testing and monitoring a person’s hydration levels, especially in remote workplaces and mine sites. Testing for dehydration can improve workplace safety by ensuring patients at risk get the right first aid for dehydration sooner.

First aid for dehydration

1. Sit the patient down in a cool area, out of direct sunlight. Reassure them with a calm and steady voice.
2. Restore lost fluids by giving the patient cool water to drink. If available, use Aqualyte tablets or another electrolyte solution to restore the patient’s electrolytes as well as increasing their fluids. In severe cases, patient may need an intravenous drip. IV rehydration should be administered by a trained healthcare worker.
3. Lower the patient’s body temperature by using cold packs on the groin, armpits and neck. Remove any tight clothing.
4. Gently massage or stretch any heat cramps or sore muscles.
5. Monitor the patient’s vitals. If symptoms don’t improve, seek medical advice. If the patient loses consciousness, call 000. Give CPR if necessary.

IV rehydration

In moderate to severe dehydration cases, a patient may require intravenous fluids which are administered through the veins. IV fluids, such as Hartmann’s IV Solution, contain water and electrolytes for effective rehydration. They should be administered by a healthcare professional. Dehydration test strips may be used before administering IV fluids to measure the patient’s fluid and electrolyte levels.

Dehydration and heat stroke

Dehydration is often accompanied by heat stroke or heat exhaustion.
Heatstroke is a medical emergency and can be life threatening. It is caused by prolonged exposure to heat so that the body overheats and can’t maintain a healthy temperature. Usually, the body temperature rises to over 40 degrees celsius. Heatstroke is sometimes called hyperthermia, not to be confused with hypothermia which is extremely low body temperature (read our guide to hypothermia first aid for more information).

Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness. It’s important to treat heat exhaustion and mild dehydration immediately as left untreated they can develop into life-threatening heat stroke.

Heat stroke

Heat stroke symptoms

In addition to dehydration symptoms, a person with heat stroke may exhibit symptoms such as:

• Red, hot skin with no sweat
• High body temperature (over 40 degrees celsius)
• Fast heart rate
• Rapid breathing
• Trouble speaking
• Loss of consciousness

Heat stroke first aid

1. Call 000. Heatstroke requires urgent medical attention.
2. Cool the patient’s body temperature by placing ice packs on the neck, groin and armpits. Create a wind tunnel by hanging wet sheets around the patient and blowing a fan across the surface of the sheets. Reduce your cooling efforts if the person begins shivering.
3. Monitor the patient’s vitals.
4. If the patient becomes unconscious, place them in the recovery position. Prepare to give CPR if necessary. Learn how to use a defibrillator in an emergency.

First aid supplies for dehydration and heat stroke

It is important to have the right supplies to provide first aid for dehydration and heatstroke, especially in warm climates or high risk environments. Hydration is particularly important for mining first aid and remote workplaces, and should be a key component in camping first aid kits. (Also read: What do you need in a camping first aid kit?)

If you need dehydration first aid supplies, LFA First Response can help. We supply a wide range of quality hydration first aid items and hot and cold treatments, suitable for remote workplaces, schools and mine sites. Order online, or contact our friendly customer service team on 1800 681 544.