A 5–month old formula fed infant has been brought with complaints of watery diarrhoea of 2 days duration and irritability of one day duration.He had been receiving WHO ORS at home. Physical examination reveals a markedly irritable child with a rather doughy skin and rapid pulse.The most likely diagnosis is –
High-Yield Explanation
This child has ---> i) Irritability ii) Doughy skin iii) History of ORS taken at home
Irritability and doughy skin is seen in hypernatremic dehydration.
Hypematremic dehydration occurs when fluid is given with more salts.
This child must have taken more ORS than fluid i.e., concentrated ORS.
About hyponatremic dehydration
❑ There is drowsiness (not irritability)
❑ Skin is dry inelastic (not doughy).