Diarrhea subsidizes significantly to the childhood morbidity and mortality, under-five, globally. In a tertiary care hospital in Ujjain, a cross-sectional study was carried out, from July 2015 to June 2016. Following children aged 1 month to 12 years having "some dehydration" and "dehydration" as per World Health Organization classification, were entitled toinclude in the study. Supplementary signs and symptoms used to measure severe dehydration were capillary refill time, urine output, and abnormal respiratory pattern. A survey was administered to recognise risk factors for severe dehydration, which was the main outcome. To detect independent risk factors for severe dehydration, multivariate logistic regression modeling was used. This study involved 332 children, with mean ± standard deviation age of 25.62 ± 31.85 months; out of which, 70% (95% [CI] 65 to 75) were analysed to have severe dehydration. The independent risk factors for severe dehydration were: history of not receiving oral rehydration solution before hospitalization (AOR 1.34, 95%CI 1.01 to 1.78; p = 0.038), child not exclusive breastfed in the first six months of life (AOR 5.67, 95%CI 2.51 to 12.78; p < 0.001), history of not getting oral zinc before hospitalization (AOR 2.66, 95%CI 1.68 to 4.21; p < 0.001) and living in congested conditions (AOR 5.52, 95%CI 2.19 to 13.93; p < 0.001). The study recognised many risk factors related with severe childhood dehydration; a lot of of them are adaptable though known and effective public health interventions.

Source: Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jan 18;17(2):616.