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Oral Rehydration

Andrew McBride, MD, CAQSM Reviewed 05/2023
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is a clinically useful, cost-effective, and safe technique to treat mild and moderate dehydration.

  • ORT is as effective as IV hydration and the treatment...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Vomiting: duration and amount

  • Diarrhea: duration and amount

  • Exercise: intensity and duration

  • Fever

  • Weight loss: amount

  • Frequency and volume of urination

  • Exposure to others with diarrheal il...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Whole-body sweat losses are decreased in children compared to adults, necessitating age-related rehydration plans (1)[A]

  • The composition of ORS according to WHO and UNICEF re...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Primarily outpatient

  • Designed to be administered by family members in pediatric populations

DIET

  • For breastfeeding infants, continue nursing. For bottle-fed infants,...

REFERENCES

1
McDermott  B, Anderson  S, Armstrong  L, et al. National Athletic Trainers’ Association position statement: fluid replacement for the physically active. J Athl Trai...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Guarino  A, Ashkenazi  S, Gendrel  D, et al. European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition/European Society for Pediatric Inf...

CODES

ICD10

  • E86.0 Dehydration

  • A09 Infectious gastroenteritis and colitis, unspecified

  • K52.9 Noninfective gastroenteritis and colitis, unspecified

SNOMED

  • 34095006 dehydration (disorder)

  • 12463005 Infectious g...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • ORT is as effective (and less costly) than IV hydration for mild and moderate dehydration.

  • Individualized fluid management plans should be created for physically active people of all ag...

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