Reducing the incidence of neonatal hypernatraemic dehydration

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood Vol. 93; no. 9; p. 811
• Main Authors: Leven, L V A, Macdonald, P D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 01.09.2008; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Anthropometry; Births; Body Weight - physiology; Breast Feeding; Breastfeeding & lactation; Dehydration; Dehydration (Physiology); Dehydration - etiology; Dehydration - prevention & control; Diseases; Humans; Hypernatremia; Hypernatremia - complications; Hypernatremia - prevention & control; Infant; Infant Care - methods; Infant, Newborn; Infants (Newborn); Mothers; Neonatal diseases; Neonates; Prevention; Weight Loss - physiology; Young Children
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.2008.143370

Data are available to allow thresholds to be set for intervention and support. 4 5 We have previously demonstrated that introducing such a weight-monitoring policy does not adversely affect the number of mothers breast feeding and suggested that identifying and addressing problems at an earlier stage would encourage mothers to continue breast feeding who might otherwise have given up. 6 Iyer's work supports this, demonstrating an increase in the rate of breast feeding at final discharge among their cases of hypernatraemic dehydration.