Economic barriers to the use of oral rehydration therapy. A case report
A. Meyers, B. Siegel and R. Vinci
Department of Pediatrics, Boston City Hospital, MA 02118.
Diarrheal dehydration is a highly prevalent condition among young children
and is readily prevented and treated with oral rehydration therapy. We
report a death due to hypernatremic dehydration caused by rotavirus
diarrhea of a 9-month-old infant whose mother attempted to purchase oral
glucose-electrolyte solution in a pharmacy but was unable to afford it.
While efforts such as the National ORT Project should help to promote the
proper at-home treatment of this condition, we conclude that oral
rehydration therapy will not be used optimally by the parents of children
living in poverty until the economic barriers to its use are removed.
