Fluid & Electrolytes Flashcards
How does calculation of F&E in peds differ from adults?Why?
Calculations are weight based.
The younger an infant, the more their body composition is made up of fluid.
Plus, the needs of an 16 yr old are not the same as 1 month old newborn.
What do we mean by maintenance fluid?
The required amount of fluid needed for someone to maintain there functioning.
- generally what they are at all the time
- when things like fever, diarrhea, or metabolic processes increase this.
- this can alter much faster in infants.
What are the proportions of fluid in the infants intracellular and extracellular compartment?
Why can this be an issue?
Half of the fluid is in intracellular. Half in extracellular.
Adults typically have more fluid in the intracellular compartment where the fluid is protected. Infants have half of their fluid in that extracellular space which means they automatically expose more fluid to changes bc of the location the fluid is in. So when a change like fever, vomiting, or diarrhea takes place - that fluid will be lost and thus expose the infant to all sorts of fluid issues.
What is the issue with metabolic changes in infants?
If the metabolic rate is increased then this requires more glucose, oxygen, and water to be used up. And since the liver is immature and fat cells aren’t as much, their cells can die.
T/F
Fluid replacement containing electrolytes is not necessary for children
False. Electrolytes should be included.
How are children more at risk for cerebral edema and neuro effects?
Due to water being able to flow freely across the blood brain barrier & their fluid compartments being different from ours.
Size of GI tract in infants compared to adults? How does this have an effect?
GI tract in infants is larger than in the adult. This can increase their fluid loss.
When infants are cold, will they shiver?
How should you regulate their temp?
NO! They have non-shivering thermogenesis. And so they’ll increase metabolism (which leads to cells dying since they don’t have the glucose & fat reserve).
Keep them warm but don’t let them overheat.
How does an infant’s body surface affect their loss of fluids?
Increase in insensible loss from sweating.
Can infant kidneys preserve fluids?
No. Adult kidneys can concentrate urine to do that but infants can’t.
How much do fluid needs go up for infants when having a fever?
7 cc/kg/24 hrs for each degree above 99F
Why check input and output when dealing with anything that can effect infant hydration?
Input and output can help you keep track of when exactly there is a imbalance taking place. If the output isn’t matching the input, then something is likely wrong.
- it can also be used to determine if the imbalance is getting better
Why check fontanel for hydration status?
The fontanel will concave and sink in if dehydrated
What will skin turgor be like if an infant is dehydrated?
The skin on the abdomen does not retract back when pulled or pinched up. If they are hydrated, the skin will go back down.
Why is weight a good method for checking hydration and fluid balance?
By checking the weight over a short period of intervals, an infant may gain weight from fluid accumulation. They may lose weight too if the excess of fluid improves.
Amount of weight that is acceptable for infant in 24 hrs to fluctuate?
Young child?
Older adolescent?
Up to …
50 grams in infants
200 grams in child
500 grams in adolescent
all within 24 hrs.
How long should a cap refill be in infants?
Still less than 2 seconds. If longer, you have a perfusion issue and can be related to fluid balance.
How are tears a good assessment of hydration status?
Mucous membranes?
Well if an infant’s not able to cry, that means there’s no available fluid for it.
Mucous membranes may be dry as well.
What may pulse and bp look like if an infant is dehydrated?
Their blood pressure actually may appear fine but if accompanied by tachycardia (+160) , then you know that that is an effort to compensate and keep the blood pressure normal.
- If you see the HR is up, you need to find a solution before the compensation stops working and the blood pressure drops.
Whenever there are signs of dehydration through any of the hydration assessments (turgor, bp, hr, membranes, etc) .. what should we be asking ourselves next?
1) Are we not giving them enough fluid to meet their maintenance?
OR
2) Are they actually losing too much fluid somehow? (fever, diarrhea, vomiting, etc)
And.. 3) How soon will they stop compensating? Bc things will go to shit a lot quicker in an infant & it can be life threatening when that happens.
What is Fluid Volume Deficit?
FVD - This is really the end product of dehydration through things like
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- polyuria (too much urine)
- Hemorrhage
- or other Iatrogenic causes
[But don’t worry about the difference between this and dehydration. They’re one in the same for now. Focus on the causes.]