Nurses should advise parents of
this window of opportunity
and encourage them to offer fluids and snacks as soon as a child is thirsty and hungry.
The assessment of a young child’s hydration should focus on whether the mucous membranes (lips and tongue) are moist (NICE 2013).
Indications of serious illness associated with dehydration in infants include dry mucous membranes, increased heart rate,weak pulse, prolonged capillary refill time,reduced urine output, and a history of not feeding (RCN 2013b).