THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF THE PHYSICIAN IN CAUSING HYPERNATREMIA IN INFANTS DEHYDRATED FROM DIARRHEA

[摘要] THE OBSERVED incidence of hypernatremia in dehydrated infants has been much higher during the past decade than ever before. It therefore behooves us to see whether this increase is real, and whether current feeding or therapeutic practices are contributing to the problem. The greater hazard to life and health found accompanying this type of dehydration, over the more usual type (where concentration of sodium in the plasma is within the normal range), gives heightened stimulus to this quest.The paper appearing in this issue of Pediatrics by Colle et al. presents data on one aspect of pediatric management that seems clearly implicated, namely, the administration of feedings containing large amounts of solutes to infants who have diarrheal disease.

[学科分类] 儿科学