Metabolic Acidosis in Young Children with Pre-Existing Infection

If your child is ill with an infection, there may be a variety of health complications that will arise in direct response to the medical risk. In some children, the simply presence of a disease or illness may lead to the development of secondary health complications. As a parent, therefore, it is important to become familiar with the secondary health complications that may arise out of your child's current illness.

A secondary complication that is more commonly seen in many children with infection is the development of a severe non-respiratory complication known as metabolic acidosis. In very sick children, the development of this condition is quite common and is often the underlying health condition that leads to hospital admission.

When a sick child loses a significant amount of bicarbonate in the system, it is not uncommon for complications such as metabolic acidosis to set in. When bicarbonate loss is significant, your child's natural physiology will excrete additional carbon dioxide into the lungs, resulting in the development of metabolic acidosis. Without proper treatment, your child may develop even greater health complications including cerebral vasodilatation, complications with blood pressure, cerebral edema, vasoconstriction around the lungs and even respiratory distress and hypertension.

If your child suffers from the development of metabolic acidosis, secondary to an infection, the primary focus of care will involve that which will stabilize the acidosis and balance electrolytes. Decreasing risks for sepsis, hypoxia and asphyxia will be of primary concern. Often, this will require hospital admission. In children with severe complications, the use of sodium bicarbonate therapy will be initiated.