A 6-month-old infant has a 3-day history of watery diarrhoea and presents with restlessness, eagerness to drink, a depressed fontanel, tachycardia, normal pulses and sunken eyes. W... A 6-month-old infant has a 3-day history of watery diarrhoea and presents with restlessness, eagerness to drink, a depressed fontanel, tachycardia, normal pulses and sunken eyes. What would be the expected percentage of dehydration?
Understand the Problem
The question describes a 6-month-old infant presenting with signs of dehydration due to watery diarrhea. We need to estimate the percentage of dehydration based on the provided clinical signs: restlessness, eagerness to drink, depressed fontanel, tachycardia, normal pulses, and sunken eyes.
Answer
Approximately 10% dehydration.
Based on the signs and symptoms, the infant is likely experiencing moderate dehydration, which typically corresponds to 5-10% dehydration. Given the sunken eyes, depressed fontanel, restlessness, eagerness to drink and tachycardia, a reasonable estimate would be around 10%.
Answer for screen readers
Based on the signs and symptoms, the infant is likely experiencing moderate dehydration, which typically corresponds to 5-10% dehydration. Given the sunken eyes, depressed fontanel, restlessness, eagerness to drink and tachycardia, a reasonable estimate would be around 10%.
More Information
Estimating dehydration percentage in infants involves assessing clinical signs. Sunken fontanels and eyes are indicative of fluid loss. Tachycardia (increased heart rate) is the body's attempt to compensate for reduced blood volume. The infant's eagerness to drink is a physiological response to thirst, indicating dehydration.
Tips
A common mistake is to underestimate the degree of dehydration based on a single sign. It's important to consider the constellation of symptoms. Normal pulses can be misleading in early dehydration.
Sources
- Pediatric Dehydration - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Dehydration in Children - Pediatrics - Merck Manuals - merckmanuals.com
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