Validation of a Dehydration Scoring System

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Objectives:

Objective 1: Validity; Objective 2: Reliability; Objective 3: To obtain preliminary data in determining the effectiveness of the Dehydration Scoring System in predicting resource utilization and disposition.

Study Design:

This will be a prospective study of patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with clinical signs of dehydration. All previously healthy children aged 1 month (mo) up to 16 years of (yo) age with vomiting, diarrhea, or poor oral (PO) intake from presumed gastroenteritis will be eligible for inclusion after obtaining informed consent and assent if applicable. Exclusion criteria will include a history of cardiac or renal disease, diabetes mellitus (DM), malnutrition or failure to thrive (FTT), and any malabsorptive disorder or short gut syndrome . Children will further be excluded if they are clinically unstable, requiring immediate life saving interventions or if no parent or legal guardian is available for consent.