Oral rehydration of infants with acute diarrhoeal dehydration: a practical method

Previous studies demonstrated the efficacy of oral glucose/electrolytes solution (GES) in rehydration of moderately dehydrated infants; the importance of providing one volume (200 ml) of solute-free water for every two volumes (400 ml) of GES ingested was also stressed. In this study we investigated a variation of our previous method intended to make it simpler and more practical. The entire calculated volume of GES was administered as rapidly as possible followed by a volume of free water equal to one-half the volume of GES ingested. In total 50 children (25 girls), aged 10 days to 24 months, with diarrhoeal dehydration were studied; the mean degree of dehydration was 7.2% of body weight. Hypernatraemia present on admission was corrected within a few hours, as was severe metabolic acidosis. Vomiting rapidly diminished or disappeared following onset of therapy and the mean rate of ingestion of fluids was high, 28 ml/kg/h, allowing for rapid rehydration; the mean time required for rehydration was 7.9 h (range 2.3-17). The described method offers simplicity and practicality, while still providing free water to correct or prevent hypernatraemia.