Edema, Pediatric

Stephanie Clark, MD, MPH and Rebecca L. Ruebner, MD, MSCE Reviewed 10/2018

BASICS

DESCRIPTION

Presence of abnormal amount of fluid in the interstitial spaces of the body; usually secondary to low albumin, obstruction of venous or lymphatic channels, or trauma

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

A...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

Is the edema localized or generalized?
- Localized edema more suggestive of trauma, infection, allergy, or lymphatic obstruction
- Generalized edema more suggestive of congestive heart fail...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

Moisturize skin.
Avoid pressure sores.
Decrease sodium intake: Amount is age-dependent, but typical goal is <2,000 mg of sodium intake per day for older children.
Active or p...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

Determined based on the underlying cause of edema

DIET

Patients with edema due to salt and water retention may benefit from a sodium-restricted d...

ADDITIONAL READING

Braamskamp MJ, Dolman KM, Tabbers MM. Clinical practice. Protein-losing enteropathy in children. Eur J Pediatr. 2010;169(10):1179–1185. [View Abstract on OvidInsights]
Hisano S...

CODES

ICD9

782.3 Edema
995.1 Angioneurotic edema, not elsewhere classified

ICD10

R60.9 Edema, unspecified
R60.0 Localized edema
R60.1 Generalized edema
T78.3XXA Angioneurotic edema, initial encounter

SNOMED

26...

FAQ

Q: At what level of serum albumin does edema occur?
A: Edema is generally associated with serum albumin <2.5 g/dL.
Q: How does angioedema present differently from other forms of edema?
A: Angioede...

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