Prevent Dehydration in Your Little One During Mudik

Eid is in sight, of course there are lots of people who want to go home to their hometowns, for parents who want to go home, a few tips for children so they don't get dehydrated when they go home.

According to WHO, dehydration is defined as a condition caused by excessive loss of body water. The most common causes are vomiting and diarrhea. Dehydration is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in infants and children worldwide. Every year around 760,000 children are affected by diarrheal disease worldwide. Most cases of dehydration in children are the result of acute gastroenteritis.

Acute gastroenteritis in the United States is usually contagious. Based on the cause, viral infections, including rotavirus, norovirus, and enterovirus, cause 75 to 90 percent of cases of infectious diarrhea. Bacterial pathogens cause less than 20 percent of cases. Common bacterial culprits include Salmonella, Shigella, and Escherichia coli. About 10 percent of bacterial diseases occur secondary to diarrheagenic Escherichia coli. Parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium account for less than 5 percent of cases.

Various signs and symptoms may appear depending on the degree of dehydration of the patient. Dehydration was categorized as mild (3% to 5%), moderate (6% to 10%), and severe (more than 10%). Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, decreased oral intake, inability to keep up with ongoing fluid losses, decreased urine output, continued lethargy, and hypovolemic shock.
Mild Dehydration, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends oral rehydration for patients with mild dehydration. A breastfed baby should continue to suckle. Liquids with a high sugar content can make diarrhea worse and should be avoided. Children can be fed age-appropriate foods frequently but in small amounts.

Moderate Dehydration, according to The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report recommends giving 50 mL to 100 mL of oral rehydration solution per kilogram of body weight over two to four hours to replace the estimated fluid deficit, with additional oral rehydration solution, which is given to replace lost fluids. ongoing.

Severely Dehydrated Patients who are severely dehydrated may experience altered mental status, lethargy, tachycardia, hypotension, signs of poor perfusion, weak thread pulses, and delayed capillary refill. Intravenous fluids, starting with a 20 ml/kg bolus of normal saline is required. Several boluses may be needed for children in hypovolemic shock. Additional priorities include obtaining glucose, electrolyte, and urinalysis tests.

To prevent dehydration, make sure that there is enough fluid in the body, during sahur and breaking the fast, drink plenty of water according to the child's fluid needs. Increasing fluid intake for each child, parents must have more sensitivity if the child has started asking for a drink continuously. Prepare snacks and drinks during the trip back and forth, prepare practical fruits such as oranges, apples or peer. Stopping when tired during the homecoming trip to rest and eat and drink enough and emptying the bladder is also important during the homecoming trip

Reference:
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4. Tutay GJ, Capraro G, Spirko B, Garb J, Smithline H. Electrolyte profile of pediatric patients with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2013;29(4):465–8.