Peds Question

Originally posted by VickyRN

Why is D51/4 (0.225%) NS commonly used for pediatric rehydration rather than NS or LR? Just curious...

It provides a source of carbohydrate calories for those patients with inadequate nutrition and prevents hypoglycemic shock. It also helps pull fluid into the cells quickly, hypertonic.

I thought it was hypotonic. Will check.

I'm just a student so anything I say take with a grain of salt. I think D5 by itself is isotonic and with any additive such as NS.....1/2NS or 1/4NS will make the fluid hypertonic. Is this correct?

D51/4NS is hypotonic or isotonic (depending on which textbook you use and how you interpret the D5W). I say hypotonic because the D5W component is quickly metabolized (within 5 minutes of entering the vein)--leaving behind the 1/4NS which is hypotonic. The hypotonic fluid flows from the vascular space into the cells.

http://www.medslides.com/member/Nephrology/maintenance_fluid.ppt

Here's a Powerpoint download on IV fluids.

"Hypo = H2O" is how I remembered it for a test. I come up with all kinds of corny stuff to remember things for tests and they WORK!!

You want to push water to the cells, you use a hypotonic solution. Just a student here, too. I hope what I am saying is right.

Thanks for the link and memory aids! :)

That's a hypotonic solution. And its generally used for pediatric patients because it can gently rehydrate them without causing rebound electrolyte imbalances.

Peds are a very funny bunch. Its easy to go too far. In emergent situations, we generally use LR in boluses of 20 cc per kilo.

i was partly wrong, hypotonic. :) merry christmas!

Thanks for the info on rehydration of peds! Trying to glean all I can as I churn out my fluid and electrolytes lecture:imbar

Merry Christmas to all the wonderful AllNurses family. You are the best! :kiss