Background: Hypernatremic dehydration is well described in exclusively breastfed neonates, although life-threatening complications are rarely reported.
Materials and methods: The present article describes a case of severe hypernatremic dehydration in a previously healthy term neonate. Other published cases of severe complications of hypernatremic dehydration are discussed.
Results: The exclusively breastfed neonate described had severe hypernatremic dehydration because of inadequate milk intake, with disseminated intravascular coagulation and right lower limb gangrene that required amputation of all five toes and surgical debridement of the metatarsals. The usual etiology of hypernatremic dehydration in this age group is insufficient breast milk intake. Here, the infant's mother was treated for bipolar disorder with lamotrigine 250 mg orally once daily, aripiprazole 15 mg orally once daily, and sertraline 100 mg orally once daily.
Conclusions: Awareness of these complications should prompt close follow-up of the infant with poor weight gain. The role of maternal medication as a risk factor for hypernatremic dehydration among exclusively breastfed infants needs to be further explored.
Keywords: aripiprazole; breastfeeding; gangrene; hypernatremia; lamotrigine; sertraline.