ABSTRACT

Dehydration from diarrhea leads to a loss of vital electrolytes in the body. The prevalence of electrolytes deficiency and its outcomes due to diarrhea among children under five in Mwanza, Tanzania was not clearly known, thus this study was performed to determine this statistic. A cohort study was conducted among 66 children less than five years old suffering from diarrhea attended and admitted to health centers in Mwanza, Tanzania. Vein puncture was performed to obtain peripheral blood, processed, and analyzed for two major electrolytes, Potassium and Sodium. This study was conducted because the loss of vital electrolytes (sodium and potassium) from diarrhea can be fatal if poorly treated. The median age of study participants was 1 year, ranged from 0.6 to 3 years. The prevalence of electrolytes deficiency in the cohort was determined to be 54.5%. Sodium deficiency (Hyponatremia) was the most prevalent (37.9%). After medication and oral rehydration therapy, all of the diarrheagenic children recovered, and those with electrolytes deficiency had their electrolytes balanced. Proper medication with oral rehydration therapy ensures complete recovery from diarrhea and electrolytes balance.