Formula Dilution: A Dangerous Cost Cutting Measure

Written By:
Paulette Campbell RN-BC, BSN, MJ
Certified Legal Nurse Consultant

The current economic crisis has caused parents to think outside the box. For some, they have felt the need to extend their formula to decrease the costs associated with purchasing more. This is most often done by adding more water to the formula, but is extremely dangerous.

Babies do not require water in the way that adults do. Excessive water for an infant can lead to malnourishment and significant drop off in weight. Symptoms are preceded by rapid decline in serum sodium which causes major disturbances in the central nervous symptoms. Other symptoms that can be seen are irritability, sluggishness, hypothermia and facial swelling. If symptoms are not noticed then the infant will likely experience seizures. Physiologically, infants have immature renal function and they are not able to get rid of the excess water which leads to a build up of fluid in the cells.

Water intoxication can be difficult to treat and can lead to death. Those infants who are able to survive are at risk for long-term health effects. Treatment initially involves treating the most immediate life threatening symptoms. Some infants have breathing difficulty and therefore require oxygen and breathing support. Infants who present with seizures are treated with anti-seizure medications (typically administered by IV). Lab tests are usually run to analyze serum sodium and urine specific gravity. Radiological tests can include CT scans to look for swelling in the brain. Once the diagnosis of water intoxication is made, normal saline fluid is delivered by IV in order to restore the normal sodium balance in the cells.

Case review for these types of cases should include a review of lab and radiological testing. Our medical legal consultants at Medical Jurisprudence, Inc are prepared to perform such a case review for you. Contact our office today to find out how these solutions and more can make a difference for your practice today.

The Importance of Medical Exhibits

Written By:
Paulette Campbell
RN-BC, BSN, MJ
Certified Legal Nurse Consultant

Studies have shown that about 70% of juries are visual learners and 20% are auditory learners. If you are not using these forms of communication to speak to you audience, you can be ignoring about 80% of... [More]

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