Parameters

Definitions

Some/severe dehydration

Defined by “Dhaka methods” of assessment of dehydration, which is almost similar to WHO method and approved by WHO [32].

Severe wasting

<−3 Z score of weight for height of median value of the WHO [33].

Hypoxaemia

If SPO₂ without O₂ is <90% [26].

Hypoglycemia

Blood glucose <3 mmol/l measured by a bedside glucose test [13]

Hypernatremia

If serum sodium level is >150 mmol/L [34]

Hyponatremia

If serum sodium level is <135 mmol/L [34]

Leucocytosis

Leucocyte count that exceeds the reference range for age [34]

Neutrophilia

Neutrophil count that exceeds the reference range for age [34]

Sepsis

Presence of inflammation [abnormal WBC count (>12 × 10⁹/l or, <4 ×10⁹/l or, band and neutrophil ratio ≥ 0.1) plus presence or presumed presence of infection with thermo-instability (hypo ≤ 35.0˚C) or hyperthermia (≥38.5˚C)], tachycardia (>2 SD above the normal value for age) in the absence of clinical dehydration or after correction of dehydration [22,35].

Severe sepsis

Sepsis plus signs of poor peripheral perfusions (absent peripheral pulses or capillary refilling time ≥ 2 s or hypotension) [22,35]

Pneumonia

Defined by WHO guideline of acute respiratory tract infection [26] or presence of lobar or patchy consolidation

Urinary tract infection

If the culture shows >100,000 colonies of a single pathogen, the child is considered to have UTI [34]