Aim: To estimate the incidence of hyponatraemic dehydration in neonates and children. Material & Methods: The study was done in Department of Pediatrics, Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi, India which provides tertiary level clinical care. A total of 100 Children including neonates are enrolled in the study. Results: It was found that 65% of the males were having acute gastroenteritis while it was 35% in female subjects. The data also reveals that higher incidence of acute gastroenteritis was noted between 6 to 24 months of age while the lower incidence was found in the subjects above 36 months of age. The number of episodes of loose stools were correlating with the extent of dehydration. Higher the episodes the severe were the dehydration. Conclusion: The clinical impression of the type of dehydration and electrolyte disturbances was fairly consistent with serum electrolytes values. This suggest that routine estimation of serum electrolytes is not necessary however it is necessary whenever electrolyte imbalance is suspected on clinical grounds and in cases which do not respond satisfactorily with routine fluid electrolyte therapy.

Aim: To estimate the incidence of hyponatraemic dehydration in neonates and children. Material & Methods: The study was done in Department of Pediatrics, Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi, India which provides tertiary level clinical care. A total of 100 Children including neonates are enrolled in the study. Results: It was found that 65% of the males were having acute gastroenteritis while it was 35% in female subjects. The data also reveals that higher incidence of acute gastroenteritis was noted between 6 to 24 months of age while the lower incidence was found in the subjects above 36 months of age. The number of episodes of loose stools were correlating with the extent of dehydration. Higher the episodes the severe were the dehydration. Conclusion: The clinical impression of the type of dehydration and electrolyte disturbances was fairly consistent with serum electrolytes values. This suggest that routine estimation of serum electrolytes is not necessary however it is necessary whenever electrolyte imbalance is suspected on clinical grounds and in cases which do not respond satisfactorily with routine fluid electrolyte therapy.