After long working days, many of us choose to relax on the coast. After all, it is the bright, warm sun and the healing sea water that have a positive effect on our body, help to restore strength and replenish the supply of energy. We all know that sea water has a large number of beneficial properties. 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 what is dangerous sea water for the body, especially children. What to do if seawater poisoning has occurred. As well as what symptoms may occur and what is the treatment.
Properties of sea water
A few words about the composition of sea water. As we know, it tastes salty and bitter. This is because a liter of water contains approximately 35 grams of various salts. Sea water contains a large number of useful trace elements. Here is a list of just a few of which are most:
- 27.27 grams of table salt.
- 3.8 grams of magnesium chloride.
- 1.7 grams of magnesium sulfate.
- 1.3 grams of potassium sulfate.
- 0.8 grams of calcium sulfate.
Studies have shown that in sea water contains almost all the chemical elements from the periodic table.
Why can not you drink sea water, what is its danger? And why can it harm the human body?
Why you can not drink sea water
From the foregoing, we learned that sea water contains a large number of different salts. Just a liter of sea water has a daily rate of the required amount of salt for a person. As you know, the fluid 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 salts 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 may simply not have enough water to remove excess salts. As a result, dehydration. Therefore, it is necessary to know the signs of seawater poisoning. Since young children often relax on the sea, we must know how to act if a child has poisoned with sea water, notice the first symptoms. Next, consider why such poisoning happens.
Causes of water poisoning at sea
Seawater poisoning can occur for several reasons:
- Water has a large number of pathogenic microbes.
- The presence in the water of garbage, waste, as well as animals.
- Nearby industrial production.
Of course, do not forget that next to you in the same water can be unhealthy people.
All of these factors can cause sea water poisoning. Young children are particularly affected by these factors, since they have not yet formed immunity, and often children are brought to the sea coast after diseases, and therefore their body is weakened. Therefore, poisoning with sea water in a child is quite possible.
How can you be poisoned by sea water
There are several ways of poisoning with sea water:
- If swallowed while swimming or diving.
- Drinking water from shallow wells.
- The ingress of sea water into food, drinks.
- Non-observance of personal hygiene after taking baths.
In children, the mucous membranes and the immune system are very sensitive to climate change. Therefore, when staying at sea, the child can react sharply to the influence of saturated saline 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 there is poisoning with sea water, the symptoms will be as follows:
- Nausea.
- Vomiting
- Stomach ache.
- Diarrhea.
All these signs tell us that the intestines and stomach are irritated. Additional symptoms may appear, such as:
- Cramps.
- Body temperature increased to high rates.
- Weakness.
- A sharp decrease or increase in blood pressure.
- Violations of the cardiovascular system.
- Swelling.
- Confusion of consciousness.
These are signals that a very serious infection has entered the body.
In childhood, if poisoning occurs with sea water, the symptoms in a child are very similar to adults, however, at the sea, a number of other infections and conditions can join the poisoning, for example, such as:
- Enterovirus enteritis.
- A child can easily overheat or get a sunstroke.
- Due to the imperfect system of thermoregulation, the child’s body goes through a period of acclimatization much more difficult.
Sea water, especially with a large number of pathogenic organisms, can become one of the factors that will contribute to the development of these conditions in a child.
In children, this is most often a rotavirus or enterovirus infection.
Who is most likely to be poisoned by sea water
We can distinguish the categories of people who are most at risk of poisoning with sea water:
- Persons on a starvation diet.
- If there are active motor loads for a long time.
- When using certain medications.
- Long-term use of ecstasy.
This behavior is characteristic of young people, the younger generation. You must be very careful on the water. The body may not withstand hyperhydration. In this case, the brain, organs, heart can not cope with excess fluid.
And of course, it is worth remembering that children are also at risk.
When to hurry to the doctor
Usually, sea water poisoning is a rare occurrence. If you nevertheless 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 need to hurry to the doctor. Namely:
- Vomiting does not stop during the day.
- Diarrhea is frequent and plentiful.
- Urine darkened.
- There was a skin rash.
- Impaired breathing.
- Difficulty swallowing.
- Swelling appeared.
In any case, you should consult a doctor if the child is less than 3 years old, even with mild symptoms of intoxication.
How to treat seawater poisoning
The treatment of 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 drugs that will not allow dehydration, such as:
Also, in order to remove toxins, we use:
- Activated carbon.
- "Smectu."
- Enterosgel.
- Polysorb.
At elevated temperatures, we use:
If new symptoms appear, while the condition does not improve, and home remedies do not help, you must urgently consult a doctor. He will prescribe antibiotic therapy. You can’t 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 there is a poisoning with sea water in a child, treatment will also depend on the severity of intoxication.
At the first symptoms of poisoning, it is necessary to give the child more to drink fresh and purified water. Activated carbon can be added. If a child has choked on water and is sick, then the first thing to do is to induce vomiting.
Has the child a fever in addition to diarrhea and vomiting? Here we are talking about rotavirus intoxication or enterovirus infection. In this case, only a doctor should prescribe treatment. It makes no sense to induce vomiting; it is better to urgently call a doctor.
It is worth noting which drugs can be used in the treatment of children and what is the therapy in case of poisoning with sea water:
- Regidron will help restore water balance. It can be replaced with the following solution: one teaspoon of salt and five teaspoons of sugar per liter of water. You can also use mineral water without gas.
- If this is still a rotavirus infection, then Cytovir is widely used. An antibiotic should be prescribed only by a doctor.
- It’s good to use Smecta. It helps remove toxins and helps normalize stool. It can be used between doses.
- Paracetamol will help lower fever. It is not safe to use Aspirin for this in children.
- It is necessary to follow a diet for a while, and in the early days it is recommended not to eat any food, but to drink as much as possible.
How to avoid seawater poisoning
In order to prevent poisoning with sea water, the symptoms and treatment should be familiar to you (for first aid to yourself or loved ones), and you must also follow some rules of staying at sea:
- Swim only on clean beaches. Avoid places near industrial plants.
- The accumulation of large quantities of algae also carries a danger. Especially do not allow children to swim there.
- Do not overeat before going to the beach.
- Be sure to have clean drinking water and a hat with you.
- In the medicine cabinet should always be such drugs as activated charcoal, Enterosorbent, Enterofuril, as well as Ranitidine, Omeprazole.
Seawater poisoning is a very rare occurrence. You should know the measure in everything. Be mindful of your children. And then the life-giving sea water, which stores in itself a sea of useful trace elements, will bring many benefits to your body. At the first signs of poisoning, especially if it is a small child, you should definitely call a doctor so as not to miss a more serious infection.