Low Potassium (ER)

“If your child
is not responding well to the treatment for diarrhea and vomiting
and you’ve given him a day or two of clear liquids… bring
him on back and have him looked at.” Kathleen Nelson,
Professor of Pediatrics.

For the last few days, 1-year-old Trashaun has been listless …sick
to his stomach… and he’s had diarrhea.

“He’s usually a pretty active guy?” asks Dr.
Nelson, “Uh Huh,” answers Trashaun’s mother,
Stephnie Binion.

If it were just a stomach virus, it should be gone by now… but
Trashaun seems as sick as ever. It will take x-rays and a blood
test to find out why…

“What you see is large dilated loops of bowel,” says
Dr. Nelson, pointing to the x-ray.

Dilated… because material is moving too slowly through
the bowels.

A blood test shows Trashaun’s potassium levels are about
75-percent of what they should be.

“And potassium is an important electrolyte because it has
to do with muscle contraction,” says Dr. Nelson.

His muscles are weak, including the involuntary digestion muscles… all
because his potassium levels are low.

“And that probably is responsible for not much contraction
of his intestine,” says Dr. Nelson, “So that the intestines
are just sort of sitting there not moving the fluid and the stool
along very well.”

The stomach virus caused vomiting and diarrhea, which in turn
caused the low potassium level…

The treatment: fluids enriched with potassium … and a
night in the hospital for observation.

“I think that’s probably a good thing,” says Dr.
Nelson, talking to Mrs. Binion, “(To) make sure he’s
on the road to recovery before we send him out of here.”

Potassium and sodium team up to balance the body’s water levels, and
kidneys work to regulate the amount of potassium in the body. According to
experts at the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, the following
are some of the common causes of low potassium:

• Severe diarrhea
• Poor diabetic control
• Low-calorie diets (less than 800 calories per day)
• Chronic alcoholism
• Hard exercise
• Certain diuretics and laxatives

In addition to aiding in the prevention of diarrhea and stomachaches,
potassium is also important in the function of the heart and nervous system.
Besides giving your child a potassium supplement his/her doctor may subscribe,
consider feeding your child the following potassium-rich foods compiled
by experts at the American Heart Association:

• Dried fruits – raisins, prunes, apricots, dates, etc.
• Fresh fruits – bananas, strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe,
  oranges, etc. 
• Fresh vegetables – beets, greens, spinach, peas, tomatoes,
  mushrooms, etc. 
• Dried vegetables – beans, peas, etc. 
• Fresh meats – turkey, fish, beef, etc. 
• Fresh juices – orange, prune, etc. 
• Canned juices – grapefruit,
  prune, apricot, etc.

CSU
Cooperative Extension
American Heart Association
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Keep Kids Healthy