title: Life-threatening hypernatremic dehydration in a 7-week-old exclusively breastfed infant as a cause of a decline in breastmilk volume and parental language barriers in a North African family.
abstract: Breast-feeding is regarded as the most appropriate source of nutrition for healthy, full-term newborns and infants. Here, we present the case of a full-term, seven week old male infant who was exclusively breast-fed but who developed severe hypernatremic dehydration as a result of declined breast milk volume that was not recognized by the parents. In order to prevent serious therapy-associated side effects due to rapid rehydration, we performed a rehydration regime providing a slow decrease of serum sodium levels by carefully infusing hypertonic saline solution. Following this approach, the patient could be discharged without any noticeable disorder. As the incidence of breast-feeding associated hypernatremic dehydration in the developed countries is increasing, strategies of prevention are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, Department of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care, University of Cologne, Germany. Marc.Boensch@uk-koeln.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boensch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oberthuer
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eifinger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Roth
mesh_terms: D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000208:ethnology; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003681:Dehydration / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003906:Developing Countries; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D006955:Hypernatremia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D007223:Infant; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008893:Milk Ejection; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis; D020225:Sagittal Sinus Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic; D012964:Sodium