[Severe hypernatremia due to sea water ingestion in a child].

Abstract

Drowning in sea water is an unusual cause of severe hypernatremia. We report the case of a 3.5-year-old boy who died 11h after drowning in sea water, with a serum sodium level of 178 mmoL/L. In this case, hypernatremia was aggravated by diarrhea and hyperglycemia with glycosuria. Usually, correction of acute hypernatremia must be quick and early, aiming at a reduction of serum sodium concentration of up to 1-2 mmoL per liter per hour.

• Authors: G Hubert, J-M Liet, F Barrière, N Joram
• Journal: Archives de pediatrie : organe officiel de la Societe francaise de pediatrie (Arch Pediatr) Vol. 22 Issue 1 Pg. 39-42 (Jan 2015) ISSN: 1769-664X [Electronic] France
• Vernacular Title: Hypernatrémie majeure par intoxication à l'eau de mer chez un enfant.
• PMID: 25282459 (Publication Type: Case Reports, English Abstract, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Brain Death
• Child, Preschool
• Fatal Outcome
• Humans
• Hypernatremia (etiology)
• Male
• Near Drowning (complications)
• Seawater (adverse effects)
• Severity of Illness Index