After long working days, many of us choose to vacation on the sea coast. After all, it is the bright, warm sun and healing sea water that have a positive effect on our body, help restore strength and replenish energy. We all know that sea water has a lot of useful properties. It has a beneficial effect on the general condition, as well as on the skin and hair. Speaking about the exceptional benefits of sea water, it is worth mentioning the dangers that it poses. Next, we will consider how dangerous sea water is for the body, especially for children. What to do if sea water poisoning occurs. And also what symptoms can occur and what is the treatment.
Properties of sea water
A few words about the composition of sea water. As we know, it is s alty-bitter in taste. This is because a liter of water contains approximately 35 grams of various s alts. Sea water contains a large number of useful trace elements. Here is a list of just a few, of which there are more:
- 27, 27 grams of table s alt.
- 3, 8 grams of magnesium chloride.
- 1.7 grams of magnesium sulfate.
- 1, 3 grams of potassium sulfate.
- 0.8 gramscalcium sulfate.
Studies have shown that sea water contains almost all chemical elements from the periodic table.
Why is it impossible to drink sea water, what is its danger? And why can it harm the human body?
Why you shouldn't drink sea water
From the above, we learned that sea water contains a large amount of different s alts. In just a liter of sea water there is a daily norm of the required amount of s alt for a person. As you know, the liquid that enters the human body is necessarily processed by the kidneys. This is a kind of filter of our body.
If you drink water with such a concentration of s alts and various chemical compounds, our kidneys need to work several times more, and this is a huge burden on the body. As a result, stones can form, various diseases can occur, and in some cases it can even lead to death. Our body simply may not have enough water to remove excess s alts. The result is dehydration. Therefore, it is necessary to know the signs of sea water poisoning. Since small children often rest on the sea, we must know how to act if a child is poisoned by sea water, to notice the first symptoms. Next, consider why such poisonings happen.
Causes of sea water poisoning
Sea water poisoning can occur for several reasons:
- Water has a large number of pathogenic microbes.
- Finding garbage, waste, and animals in the water.
- Nearby industrial production.
Of course, do not forget that there may be unhe althy people next to you in the same water.
All of these factors can cause sea water poisoning. Small children are especially susceptible to the influence of these factors, since they have not yet formed immunity, and children are often brought to the sea coast after they have suffered illnesses, and therefore their body is weakened. Therefore, sea water poisoning in a child is quite possible.
How can you get poisoned by sea water
There are several ways of seawater poisoning:
- When swallowed while swimming or diving.
- Drinking water from shallow wells.
- Sea water in food, drinks.
- Failure to follow the rules of personal hygiene after taking a sea bath.
Children's mucous membranes and immune system are very sensitive to climate change. Therefore, when staying at sea, a child may react sharply to the effect of a saturated saline solution on the mucous membranes. For this reason, the child should not be in the water for a long time.
What are the symptoms of sea water poisoning
If seawater poisoning occurs, the symptoms will be:
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Abdominal pain.
- Diarrhea.
All these signs tell us that the intestines and stomach are irritated. Additional symptoms may also appear, such as:
- Convulsions.
- The body temperature has risen to high levels.
- Weakness.
- Sudden decrease or increase in blood pressure.
- Disorders in the work of the cardiovascular system.
- Puffiness.
- Unclear mind.
These are signals that a very serious infection has entered the body.
In childhood, if seawater poisoning occurs, the child's symptoms are very similar to adults, however, a number of other infections and conditions can join the poisoning at sea, for example, such as:
- Enteroviral enteritis.
- Child can easily overheat or get sunstroke.
- Due to the imperfect thermoregulation system, the child's body goes through the acclimatization period much more difficult.
Sea water, especially with a large number of pathogenic organisms, may be one of the factors that will contribute to the development of these conditions in a child.
In children, it is most often a rotavirus or enterovirus infection.
Who is most susceptible to seawater poisoning
It is possible to identify categories of people who are most at risk of getting seawater poisoning:
- Persons on a starvation diet.
- If there are active motor loads for a long time.
- When taking certain medications.
- Prolonged use of ecstasy.
This behavior is typical of young people, the younger generation. You have to be very careful on the water. The body may not be able to withstand overhydration. At the same time, the brain, organs, and heart may not be able to cope with excess fluid.
And of course, it is worth remembering that children are also at risk.
When you need to hurry to the doctor
Usually, seawater poisoning is rare. If, nevertheless, you have the above symptoms in a mild form, then following a diet and drinking plain clean water will be enough, but if the condition does not improve and some symptoms persist, you must rush to the doctor. Namely:
- Vomiting does not stop during the day.
- Diarrhea is frequent and profuse.
- Urine darkened.
- Skin rash appeared.
- Impaired breathing.
- Difficulty swallowing.
- Swelling has appeared.
In any case, it is necessary to see a doctor if the child is under 3 years old, even with mild symptoms of intoxication.
How to treat sea water poisoning
Treatment for this type of poisoning depends on its severity. So, with mild nausea and weakness, it is enough to increase the amount of fresh water in the diet. It will remove toxins, and in a day it will become much easier.
If there is diarrhea or vomiting, then it is necessary to use not only fresh water for treatment. You will have to connect to therapy drugs that will not allow dehydration, suchlike:
- Rehydron.
- Hydrovit.
Also, in order to remove toxins, we use:
- Activated carbon.
- "Smektu".
- Enterosgel.
- Polysorb.
At elevated temperatures use:
- Paracetamol.
- Analgin.
If new symptoms appear, but the condition does not improve, and home remedies do not help, you should urgently see a doctor. He will prescribe antibiotics. You cannot choose such drugs on your own, since an incorrectly selected antibiotic will only weaken the body, but will not defeat the infection.
How to treat a child with sea water poisoning
If a child has been poisoned by sea water, treatment will also depend on the severity of intoxication.
At the first symptoms of poisoning, it is necessary to give the child more fresh and purified water to drink. You can add activated charcoal. If the child has swallowed water and is sick, then the first thing to do is to induce vomiting.
Did the baby have a fever in addition to diarrhea and vomiting? Here we are already talking about rotavirus intoxication or enterovirus infection. In this case, only a doctor should prescribe treatment. There is no point in inducing vomiting here, it is better to call a doctor urgently.
It is worth noting what drugs can be used in the treatment of children and what is the therapy in case of sea poisoningwater:
- Regidron will help restore the water balance. It can be replaced with the following solution: one teaspoon of s alt and five teaspoons of sugar per liter of water. You can also use still mineral water.
- If nevertheless it is a rotavirus infection, then Tsitovir is widely used. An antibiotic should only be prescribed by a doctor.
- It's good to use Smecta. It helps to remove toxins and contribute to the normalization of the stool. It can be used between medications.
- Paracetamol will help lower the fever. It is not safe to use Aspirin for this in children.
- It is necessary to follow the diet for some time, and in the first days it is recommended not to eat any food, but to drink as much as possible.
How to avoid sea water poisoning
In order to prevent seawater poisoning, the symptoms and treatment should be familiar to you (for first aid to yourself or loved ones), and you must also adhere to some rules of being at sea:
- Swim only on clean beaches. Avoid places near industrial plants.
- The accumulation of a large number of algae also carries a danger. Especially don't let children swim there.
- Don't overeat before going to the beach.
- Be sure to have clean drinking water and a hat with you.
- The first-aid kit should always contain drugs such as activated charcoal, Enterosorbent, Enterofuril, as well as Ranitidine, Omeprazole.
Sea water poisoning- a very rare occurrence. You should know the measure in everything. Be attentive to your children. And then the life-giving sea water, which stores a sea of useful microelements, will bring a lot of benefits to your body. At the first sign of poisoning, especially if it is a small child, you should definitely call a doctor so as not to miss a more serious infection.
