Maintenance requirements
Maintenance fluid volume requirements based on body weight are as follows:
| Volume per day | Volume per hour |
0–10 | 100 ml/kg | 4 ml/kg per hour |
10–20 | 1000 ml + 50 ml/kg for each kg > 10 | 40 ml + 2 ml/(kg > 10) |
20+ | 1500 ml + 20 ml/kg for each kg > 20 | 60 ml + 1 ml/(kg > 20) |
More accurate estimations of the maintenance requirements can be made if the surface area is known; 1500 ml per square metre of surface area is required.
Note:
- this method can be further simplified to provide maintenance ORT at home:
- 1 oz per hour for infants
- 2 oz per hour for toddlers
- 3 oz per hour for older children (2) .
Reference:
- (1) National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) 2009. Diarrhoea and vomiting in children. Diarrhoea and vomiting caused by gastroenteritis: diagnosis, assessment and management in children younger than 5 years
- (2) Canavan A, Arant BS Jr. Diagnosis and management of dehydration in children. Am Fam Physician. 2009;80(7):692-6.
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