Fluid and electrolyte therapy in children.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of the clerkship, the student should, for a patient of any size with normal renal function, be able to: 1. Write maintenance fluid orders. 2. Estimate deficits of volume, sodium and potassium and write orders for IV therapy of uncomplicated isonatremic dehydration. 3. Estimate deficits of volume, sodium and potassium and write IV therapy orders for patients with hyponatremic or hypernatremic dehydration. 4. Know the applicable principles included in the handout and supplemental reading and apply them to the management of acutely contracted blood volume. 5. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) by designing a treatment plan to manage, at home, a child with moderate dehydration due to an acute diarrheal illness. Learning Activities: 1. Example case studies 1 hour 2. Patient care activities 3. Independent study: a. Essential reading (1) Handout (2) Bernstein D and Shelov SP (ed): Pediatrics, 1st ed., 1996, pp. 78-90 (Parenteral Fluid and Electrolyte Therapy). b. Supplemental reading (1) Segar WE, Parenteral fluid therapy, Curr Probs Peds, vol 3, 1973 (2) Santosham M and Greenbough WB, Oral rehydration therapy: a global perspective, J Peds, 1991(suppl); 118:S44-S51 (3) Any recent edition of The Harriet Lane Handbook