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A SURVEY OF DIARRHŒAL DISEASE IN MALNOURISHED ABORIGINAL CHILDREN
Author(s) -
Walker A. C.,
Harry J. G.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1972.tb107983.x
Subject(s) - malnutrition , medicine , incidence (geometry) , pediatrics , diarrhea , disease , retrospective cohort study , diarrheal disease , environmental health , surgery , physics , optics
A retrospective survey of 230 Aboriginal children admitted to hospital in one year is presented. Malnutrition was common; more than two‐thirds were under 80% of the expected weight for their ages, and 7% were marasmic. The difficulties of assessing dehydration in malnourished children are discussed. There was a high incidence of hypokalæmia and the ECG appears to be a valuable aid in its detection. Lactose intolerance occurred in almost one‐quarter of all children and required careful management. Stress is laid on the multifactorial nature of diarrhoea in these children.