Dehydration in Adults Treatment

Self-Care at Home

Try to get people who are dehydrated (even those who have been vomiting) to take in fluids in the following ways:

• Sip small amounts of water.
  
  
• Drink carbohydrate/electrolyte-containing drinks. Good choices are sports drinks such as Gatorade or prepared replacement solutions (Pedialyte is one example).
  
  
• Suck on popsicles made from juices and sports drinks.
  
  
• Suck on ice chips.
  
  
• Sip through a straw (works well for someone who has had jaw surgery or mouth sores).

Try to cool the person, if there has been heat exposure or if the person has an elevated temperature, in the following ways:

• Remove any excess clothing and loosen other clothing.
  
  
• Air-conditioned areas are best for helping return body temperatures to normal and break the heat exposure cycle.
  
  
• If air conditioning is not available, increase cooling by evaporation by placing the person near fans or in the shade, if outside. Place a wet towel around the person.
  
  
• If available, use a spray bottle or misters to spray luke-warm water on exposed skin surfaces to help with cooling by evaporation.
  
  
• Avoid exposing skin to excessive cold, such as ice packs or ice water. This can cause the blood vessels in the skin to constrict and will decrease rather than increase heat loss. Exposure to excessive cold can also cause shivering, which will increase body temperature—the opposite effect you're trying to achieve.