Abstract

The present study was intended to Investigates the Management of Dehydration in mothers of children aged 0-5 years attending IWC at the Soppo Integrated Health Centre. Specific objectives were to assess the mother’s knowledge on dehydration, the mother’s knowledge on the manifestations of dehydration, to identify the consequences/complications of dehydration, and to identify the various home remedies in the management and prevention of dehydration in children. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design.

Questionnaires were used to measure the research items which were administered to 40 mothers at the Soppo Integrated Health Centre Buea. Respondents were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The descriptive analysis in particular frequencies, percentages, and averages was used to analyze the data

The findings of the study indicated that mothers lacked knowledge on the management of dehydration in the Soppo Integrated Health Centre.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Dehydration is a negative fluid balance that may be caused by numerous disease entities. Diarrhea illness, exercise, high environmental temperatures are the most common etiologies. Worldwide, dehydration is secondary to diarrhea illness which is the leading cause of infant and child mortality (Leannox, 2008).

Dehydration is a common complication of illnesses that are commonly observed in pediatric patients presenting to the emergency department. Early recognition and intervention are important to reduce the risk of progression to hypovolemic shock that may end in organ failure (Keetey et al 2015).

According to tabler’s cyclopedia medical dictionary (1968), dehydration is the removal of water from a substance. This is a condition resulting from excessive loss of body fluid. It occurs when the output of fluid exceeds fluid intake due to fluid deprivation, excessive loss of fluid, reduction in the total quantity of electrolytes (Tabler’s 1968, 16th edition).

Water is a vital component of all living cells and extracellular fluid. It acts as a solvent, regulates body temperature, aids in food digestion and helps regulate the acid-base balance in healthy adults with normal body mass index (BMI). Water counts for 70% of body fluid as little as 3% of their body weight from water depletion. (Rosenberge 2010).

Dehydration involves the excess loss of water and other body fluids, decreased intake, increased output, shift of fluids, and capillary leakage of fluids. Dehydration remains a leading cause of death in developing countries. In the United States, annually there are about 220,000 hospitalizations for children less than five years of age due to dehydration (Chen 2011).

According to WHO, 3-4 million people die worldwide each year due to dehydration, and 1.5million of this population are children under the age of 5years due to diarrhea which kills AIDS, Malaria, and Measles. U.S.A study in 1987 estimated the incidence of dehydration at 3.21 per thousand among the hospitalized elderly with no infection and 11.6 per thousand among those with infection.

Over the decades, 1996-2000 the rate of dehydration-related hospitalization in the US increased by 40.4% (Begum et al 2006). 86% of less developed countries experience a very high rate of mortality of both young and old related to dehydration. In the developing world like Africa, 24000 children under the age of five die every day from preventable causes like diarrhea contracted from unclean water (UNHDR, 2006).

According to Cameroon’s Ministry of Health, nearly 50% of childhood deaths result directly or indirectly from diarrhea in children less than 5 years of age who experience an average of four to six episodes of diarrhea a year. In Cameroon precisely in Yaounde within the period of January 2006 and December 31st, 2012, 817 deaths of children were recorded as resulting from diarrhea diseases (Paul, 2012) University of Yaounde.

1.2 Statement of Problem

Diarrhea disease leads to dehydration which is one of the leading causes of infant and child mortality and morbidity in children under five years of age. The study sought to examine the relationship between diarrhea episodes and the action taken for these episodes by the mothers to manage and prevent them from an occurrence.

1.3 Research Questions

1. What knowledge do the mothers have concerning dehydration?
2. Do the mothers have knowledge of dehydration?
3. What are the manifestations and complications of dehydration of children from 0-5?
4. Identifying the various ways of preventing, treating dehydration of children from 0-5 years?.
5. What is the various home management of dehydration in children from 0-5years?