What is dehydration, and what are the first signs of dehydration?

Dehydration is total body fluid loss. This can come about
from intense exercise and sweating or commonly arises from intractable nausea and
vomiting or diarrhea. If the dehydration is from exercise, first signs and symptoms
could include copious amounts of sweat, intense thirst, intense body heat. Later signs
and symptoms could be fatigue, muscle cramps and disorientation. Heat stroke can also
occur if the person is exercising or if they are outside in the hot
sun.

If the dehydration is caused by repeated episodes of
vomiting or diarrhea, the first signs and symptoms could be intense fatigue and muscle
weakness. Hypotension can also be present.

When someone is
dehydrated, an area of concern is the loss of electrolytes such as sodium, potassium,
chloride, calcium, and others. Loss of these ions is what causes the fatigue, muscle
weakness, and disorientation.