“A STUDY OF RISK FACTORS FOR DEHYDRATION AMONG UNDER FIVE CHILDREN”

Aravind Karinagannanavar*, Varshitha T, Bharath S, Dayananda M.

ABSTRACT

Background: World Health Organization ranks diarrheal diseases as the second most common cause of mortality among children under 5 years of age in developing countries. As studies suggests lack of knowledge about breast feeding, malnutrition, unhygienic practices, concurrent infections, overcrowding, inadequate sanitation are the major risk factors causing severe dehydration in diarrhea. Objectives: 1) To study the Socio demographic Prolife of Diarrhea children and type of dehydration.2) To study the risk factors for dehydration among under five children. Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted in Mysore Medical College from April 2014 to October 2014. The data was collected from mothers of 97 children aged 0 to 5 years with diarrhea. Data was collected using a pre designed semi structured questionnaire which contained information regarding socio demographic profile and risk factors like low birth weight, Birth order, lack of immunization, presence of malnutrition, lack of exclusive breastfeeding, severity of the illness and health seeking behavior of the family. Results: In our study majority were less than 2 years, females, birth order 1 and belong to Hindu religion. In the study majority of mothers studied only till primary and from class 3 socio economic status, In the study 33% had grade1 malnutrition followed by grade 2, grade 4, grade 3 malnutrition. 22.7% children were born with low birth weight, 75.3% were exclusively Breast fed, 91.8% were fully immunized, 63.9% parents brought the children to hospital within 3days of illness and about 48.5% had average frequency of 6 to 10 times stools per day. In the study 62.9% not heard about ORS and 95.9% did not know to prepare ORS. In the study it was found that severe dehydration was more common in children with average stool frequency of 6 to 10 times and low birth weight compared to other groups and it was statistically significant. Conclusion: The children with risk factors like presence malnutrition, lack of exclusive breast feeding, lack of immunization were more prone to develop severe dehydration.

Keywords: Risk factors, Dehydration, under five children.