Impact of an early weighing policy on neonatal hypernatraemic dehydration and breast feeding

Aims:To ascertain the effect of a policy of early weighing on the detection and severity of neonatal hypernatraemic dehydration (NHD) and on breastfeeding rates in the short and medium term.Methods:A policy of weighing infants at 72–96 h was introduced from 1 July 2004. Two time periods were studied...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of disease in childhood 2008-04, Vol.93 (4), p.297-299
Main Authors: Iyer, N P, Srinivasan, R, Evans, K, Ward, L, Cheung, W-Y, Matthes, J W A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age
Age Factors
Analysis
Anthropometry - methods
Audit departments
Babies
Biological and medical sciences
Birth size
Birth weight
Body Weight
Breast feeding
Breast Feeding - statistics & numerical data
Breastfeeding & lactation
Child Health
Dehydration
Dehydration - diagnosis
Dehydration - etiology
Diagnosis
Diseases
Female
General aspects
Government regulation
Health aspects
Health policy
Health screening
Hospitals
Humans
Hypernatremia - complications
Hypernatremia - diagnosis
Infant Care - methods
Infant, Newborn
Infants (Newborn)
Laws, regulations and rules
Male
Measurement
Medical policy
Medical sciences
Medical screening
Miscellaneous
Mothers
Neonatal diseases
Neonates
Newborn babies
Pregnancy
Prevention and actions
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Referral
Risk factors
Sodium
Surveillance
Wales
Weight Loss
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Summary:Aims:To ascertain the effect of a policy of early weighing on the detection and severity of neonatal hypernatraemic dehydration (NHD) and on breastfeeding rates in the short and medium term.Methods:A policy of weighing infants at 72–96 h was introduced from 1 July 2004. Two time periods were studied: pre-policy and post-policy (18 months each). Babies 145 mmol/l were identified. Age, plasma sodium concentration, percentage loss of body weight at presentation, breastfeeding rates at discharge and at 8 weeks, and complications due to hypernatraemia or its management were compared between the two groups.Results:60 cases of NHD were identified: 23 before and 37 after introduction of the policy. After the policy, there was earlier recognition of NHD (median 3 vs 6 days), lower percentage weight loss (11% vs 15%), smaller increase in sodium (147 vs 150 mmol/l), and higher breastfeeding rate at discharge (73% vs 22%) and 8 weeks (57% vs 22%). All the differences were significant (p
ISSN:0003-9888
1468-2044
DOI:10.1136/adc.2006.108415