Glucose polymers in diarrhoea--risk of hypernatraemia

An infant girl with congenital heart disease was fed glucose polymers as dietary supplements. During an attack of gastroenteritis with severe diarrhoea she developed hypernatraemic dehydration, probably due to the high osmotic load of the glucose polymers. This case illustrates the importance of giving adequate amounts of free water to a child on glucose polymers, especially during excessive fluid loss.