Signs of mild dehydration in an infant include a dry mouth, few or no tears when crying, crankiness or irritability and no wet diapers for three hours or more.

Your child may be seriously dehydrated if you notice any of the following signs: his eyes and cheeks seem sunken, he is unusually inactive or sleepy, his mouth and tongue are very dry or his skin feels dry and wrinkled. If you gently pinch the skin on the back of a dehydrated child's hand, it flattens slowly when released.

As dehydration progresses in an infant, the pulse rate becomes fast and weak, the hands and feet feel cool and look blotchy, breathing seems rapid and deep and the child may become disoriented and even develop muscle cramps and uncontrollable muscle contractions. The soft spot, or fontanelle, on the infant's head may also feel sunken.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.