One of the main causes of dehydration is overexposure to the Sun. Athletes, or anyone who spend long hours in the Sun, or places of high temperature, run the risk of dehydration. Newborn infants and people over the age of 60 are especially susceptible to dehydration.

Dehydration is basically caused when the body loses water content and essential body salts such as sodium , potassium, calcium bicarbonate, and phosphate. Water makes up about 60% of a man's weight and 50% of a woman's weight. This proportion has to be kept within a very narrow limit to maintain a proper balance in the cells and body tissue.

Apart from overexposure to the Sun's heat dehydration might also be caused by:

• Persistent vomiting
• Diarrhea
• High fever
• May be drug induced. This mainly comes from the use of diuretics which cause depletion of body fluids and electrolytes.

Whatever the cause of the dehydration, it can get very serious if not treated as soon as possible. Preliminary methods of treatment are included on this site, but it is strongly advised that you seek medical help if you observe the symptoms in yourself or someone else.

              

   

©Copyright 1998 Elizabeth Beckett, Holly Bernitt, and Vishwa Chandra.