Linking To Google Search: The Pediatric Clinical Dehydration Scale

Posted on February 5, 2026 by Tom Wade MD

Today, I review, link to, and post the results of the Google Search: The Pediatric Clinical Dehydration Scale.

All that follows is from the above resource.

Assessing Dehydration - Don't Forget the Bubbles

The Pediatric Clinical Dehydration Scale (CDS) is a validated, 4-point, 8-range clinical tool used to assess dehydration severity in children with gastroenteritis. It categorizes dehydration into three levels based on clinical signs—appearance, eyes, mouth, and tears—ranging from 0 (no dehydration) to 1-4 (some, 3-6%) and 5-8 (moderate/severe, >6%).

Primary Care NotebookPrimary Care Notebook +5
Key Components and Scoring (0-8 scale):
  • 0-1: No significant dehydration (<3% weight loss).
  • 1-4: Some dehydration (3-6% weight loss).
  • 5-8: Moderate to severe dehydration (>6% weight loss).
    Primary Care NotebookPrimary Care Notebook +2
Clinical Indicators (Each scored 0, 1, or 2):
  1. Appearance: Normal (0), Thirsty/Restless (1), Lethargic/Comatose (2).
  2. Eyes: Normal (0), Slightly Sunken (1), Deeply Sunken (2).
  3. Mucous Membranes (Mouth/Tongue): Moist (0), Sticky/Dry (1), Parched (2).
  4. Tears: Present (0), Decreased (1), Absent (2).
    National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov)National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov) +4
Management Guidelines:
  • 0-1 (No/Mild): Continue normal diet, encourage fluids.
  • 2-3 (Some): Oral rehydration therapy (ORT).
  • ≥4 (Moderate/Severe): Consider IV fluids and close monitoring.
    MDCalcMDCalc
The CDS is a quick, reliable, and validated tool for rapid, bedside assessment of pediatric dehydration in acute settings.

AAPAAP +2

Clinical dehydration scale – for children

Primary Care Notebook
https://primarycarenotebook.com › … › Infectious disease
Jan 1, 2018 — Clinical dehydration scale for children 1 month to 3 years assesses dehydration level from none to moderate/severe via a simple scoring …

Dehydration: Assessing Kids Accurately (DHAKA) Score

MDCalc
https://www.mdcalc.com › calc › dehydration-assessing…
The Dehydration: Assessing Kids Accurately (DHAKA) Score classifies dehydration in children <5 years with acute diarrhea.

Diagnosis and Management of Dehydration in Children

American Academy of Family Physicians
https://www.aafp.org › pubs › afp › issues
by AMY CANAVAN2009Cited by 91 — Clinical dehydration scales based on a combination of physical examination findings are the most specific and sensitive tools for accurately …Read more

Validation of the Clinical Dehydration Scale for Children With Acute Gastroenteritis

National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov)

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › …

by RD Goldman2008Cited by 146 — The scoring system was valuable in predicting a longer length of stay and the need for intravenous fluid rehydration for children with symptoms of acute …Read more

Pediatric Dehydration Clinical Pathway

https://www.ohsu.edu › sites › default › files › D..

PDF
Point values are added up to obtain a final score. Zero indicates no dehydration; 1-4 mild dehydration; 5-8 indicates moderate to severe dehydration. Adapted …Read more

Validation of the Clinical Dehydration Scale for Children … 

AAP

https://publications.aap.org › pediatrics › article › Valid…

by RD Goldman2008Cited by 146 — The scoring system was valuable in predicting a longer length of stay and the need for intravenous fluid rehydration for children with symptoms of acute …Read more

Assessing Dehydration 

Don’t Forget the Bubbles

https://dontforgetthebubbles.com › View All

by A Tagg — The Clinical Dehydration scale was developed using a cohort of 137 children with gastroenteritis and has undergone limited prospective external …Read more

Pediatric Dehydration – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf – NIH

National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › books › NBK436022

by SF Daley2024Cited by 14 — Signs and symptoms depend upon the patient’s degree of dehydration, whether mild (3% to 5%), moderate (6% to 10%), or severe (more than 10%).Read more

The University of Texas Medical Branch

https://www.utmb.edu › CoreV2 › Fluids › Fluids9

Clinical Assessment of Dehydration · A 10 kg child who is 5% dehydrated will weigh 9.5 kg. · A 10 kg child who is 10% dehydrated will weigh 9 kg. · A 5 kg child …Read more

Clinical Practice Guidelines : Dehydration

The Royal Children’s Hospital

https://www.rch.org.au › clinicalguide › guideline_index

by MRCH Portal — Children with mild dehydration have no clinical signs. They may have increased thirst and/or reduced urine output; More numerous/pronounced signs indicate …Read more

This entry was posted in American Academy Of Family Physicians, American Academy Of Pediatrics, Don't Forget The Bubbles, Google Search, Pediatric Clinical Dehydration Scale (CDS), Royal Children's Hospital Of Melbourne, StatPearls. Bookmark the permalink.