Fluid Restriction in
Children with Heart Disease Why is Fluid Intake Limit advised?
Children with significant heart
diseases are prone to develop heart failure.
Heart failure will result in fluid retention which would further
overload the heart and aggravate symptoms of heart failure. Fluid restriction
is an important measure to control heart failure, in addition to drug
treatment.
Fluid restriction is also necessary
for patients after open heart surgery because the kidney and heart function has
not yet recovered. Therefore fluid
restriction is usually more strict in the first few days after an open heart
surgery. How to Limit Fluid Intake?
Based on the patient’s condition
and body weight doctors can calculate the daily upper limit of fluid intake. In accordance with the limit, parents can
derive a balanced feeding schedule based on patient’s feeding habit and food preference. Calculation of Fluid Amount
Fluid includes plain water, milk,
juice and soup. The amount is expressed
in millilitres (ml).
Calculation of Semi-liquid
Semi-liquid food includes congee,
cereal, porridge, ice-ream, jelly etc.
The amount of milk/water added to prepare the cereal is taken as the
amount of liquid to be calculated.
Water Content of Fruits
For fruit with high water
content, it is better to prepare fruit juice and calculate the amount for ease
of calculation. Things to Note during Fluid Restriction
Body Fluid Output
Total fluid output includes
urine, vomitus, and the amount of sweating.
In most cases, urine output constitutes the majority of fluid output. During
hospital stay, use of measuring cups or weighing of diapers would give good
estimation of the urine output.
Low Salt Diet
It is recommended to take food
with low salt content to avoid excessive salt accumulation and thus fluid
retention.
Warning Signs of Fluid Retention
- Significant increase in body weight
- Puffiness of eyelids
- Shortness of breath
- Limbs swelling
- Poor appetite
- Decreased urine output
Dehydration may occur in children when fluid is restricted in addition
to diuretics therapy.
Warning Signs of Dehydration
- Decreased urine output
- Dry and cracked lips
- Sunken eyeballs
Daily weighing of body weight at
home is recommended to assess the hydration state. Whenever there are signs of
fluid retention or dehydration, arrange an earlier follow-up.
|