Causes of Dehydration in Children

• Dehydration is most often caused by a viral infection that causes fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and a decreased ability to drink or eat.
  
  
  • Common viral infections causing vomiting and diarrhea include rotavirus, Norwalk virus, and adenovirus.
    
    
  • Sometimes sores in a child's mouth (caused by a virus) make it painful to eat or drink, which helps to cause or worsen dehydration.
  
  
• More serious bacterial infections may make a child less likely to eat and may cause vomiting and diarrhea.
  
  
  • Common bacterial infections include Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, and Clostridium difficile.
  
  
• Parasitic infections such as Giardia lamblia cause the condition known as giardiasis , which can lead to diarrhea and fluid loss.
  
  
• Increased sweating from a very hot environment can cause dehydration.
  
  
• Excessive urination caused by unrecognized or poorly treated diabetes mellitus (not taking insulin) or diabetes insipidus are other causes.
  
  
• Conditions such as cystic fibrosis or celiac sprue do not allow food to be absorbed and can cause dehydration.