Hypernatremic Dehydration of Infancy

Hypernatremia in Children With Diarrhea

“…Moreover, in winter season, the low humidity in the atmosphere causes marked insensible loss of free water and, simultaneously, intake of plain water is low in patients, especially in young infants, which might contribute to hypernatremia. 2,6 These explanations clarify our observation of higher incidence of hypernatremia in winter and spring seasons. Moreover, our overall observation of a low incidence of hypernatremic dehydration over the years has been reported in earlier studies.…”

“…We also observed that children with hypernatremia frequently presented with fever, cough, and respiratory difficulties on admission, which might have contributed to loss of water (imperceptible loss), essentially electrolyte free, through lungs and skin. 2,6 Like the other studies, 2,12,25 most of the children engaged in this study were young infants; they usually have a larger surface area in relation to height or weight than adults and they lose relatively more water by evaporative loss, thus increasing the chance of hypernatremia. 2,6 Our observation of hyperglycemia in children with hypernatremia could be related to cellular stress consequent to intracellular dehydration, as described previously.…”

Relationship between fluid management, changes in serum sodium and outcome in hypernatraemia associated with gastroenteritis

“…We demonstrate that the majority of critically ill children with moderate to severe hypernatraemia associated with gastroenteritis survive to hospital discharge without major neurological sequelae. The mortality rate of 7% is similar to the mortality rates of 3–13% reported for hypernatraemic gastroenteritis in general paediatric populations 12,15 . Of note, this study population was made up of critically ill children with severe dehydration and profound metabolic acidaemia, requiring large volume rehydration and fluid resuscitation.…”

Use of Only Oral Rehydration Salt Solution for Successful Management of a Young Infant with Serum Sodium of 201 mmol/L in an Urban Diarrhoeal Diseases Hospital, Bangladesh

“…These factors might have an impact on the extreme hyprnatraemia in this case. High fever and fast breathing with pneumonia were responsible for the evaporative loss of water that occured through lungs, skin, and urine in this infant (5,21). Young infants have a larger surface area in relation to height or weight than adults; they lose relatively more water by evaporation, especially when cared for on radiant warmers which may raise the level of hypernatraemic dehydration (5,21).…”