Slide 8 - Acute Diarrhoeal Diseases - Clinical Features and Management

Acute Diarrhoeal Diseases - Clinical Features and Management

Slide 8 - The importance of the glucose in the solution is shown here.

The importance of the glucose in the solution is shown here. It enhances the absorption of sodium and water in the intestine so that, even though the ingestion, of isotonic saline alone can worsen diarrhoea, when glucose is present electrolytes and water are absorbed and dehydration is corrected.
TABLE 1. ASSESSMENT OF DEHYDRATION AND FLUID DEFICIT*

Signs and symptoms	Mild dehydration	Moderate dehydration	Severe dehydration
General appearance and condition - infants and young children	Thirsty; alert; restless	Thirsty; restless, or lethargic but irritable when touched	Drowsy; limp, cold, sweaty, cyanotic extremities; may be comatose
- older children and adults	Thirsty; alert; restless	Thirsty; alert; giddiness with postural changes	Usually conscious; apprehensive; cold, sweaty cyanotic extremities; wrinkled skin of fingers and toes; muscle cramps
Radial pulse	Normal rate and volume	Rapid and weak	Rapid, feeble, sometimes impalpable
Respiration	Normal	Deep, may be rapid	Deep and rapid
Anterior fontanelle	Normal	Sunken	Very sunken
Systolic blood pressure	Normal	Normal - low	Less than 10,7 kPa (80mmHg); may be unrecordable
Skin elasticity	Pinch retracts immediately	Pinch retracts slowly	Pinch retracts very slowly (>2 seconds)
Eyes	Normal	Sunken	Deeply sunken
Tears	Present	Absent	Absent
Mucous membranes	Moist	Dry	Very dry
Urine flow	Normal	Reduced amount and dark	None passed for several hours; empty bladder
% body weight loss	4-5%	6-9%	10%, or more

*Source: A Manual for the Treatment of Acute Diarrhoea, unpublished document WHO/CDD/SER/80.2(1980)