title: Hypernatremia in the Neonate: Neonatal Hypernatremia and Hypernatremic Dehydration in Neonates Receiving Exclusive Breastfeeding.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of neonatal hypernatremia and hypernatremic dehydration in neonates receiving exclusive breastfeeding.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Neonatal hypernatremia is a serious condition in the newborn period. We present infants with hypernatremic dehydration due to breast milk (BM) hypernatremia. Hypernatremic dehydration in breast-fed newborns is usually secondary to insufficient lactation. We present the neonatal hypernatremia and hypernatremic dehydration encountered between January and December, 2012, its causes and treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study. We analyzed records of babies admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit who were investigated and found to have hypernatremia and whose mother's BM sodium (BM Na) was done.
  
  
  METHODS
  (1) Babies with serum Na >145 meq/l, (2) euglycemia, (3) normocalcemic, (4) no clinical and lab evidence of sepsis, (5) exclusive breast feeds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neonates not satisfying any mentioned criterion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BM Na correlated strongly with neonatal hypernatremia in exclusively breast-fed babies who did not otherwise have any risk factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated BM Na is an important etiological factor in neonatal hypernatremia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Lata Mangeshkar Hospital, Hingna, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Nilofer Salim
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Mujawar
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Lata Mangeshkar Hospital, Hingna, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Archana Nirmal
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Jaiswal
keywords: Breast milk sodium; exclusive breastfeeding; neonatal hypernatremia