Define Dietary Management for Burns?
Nutritional support is a major part of therapy for a patient with burns in view of the large catabolic losses, essential anabolic demands and to meet personal support needs. Nutritional care plan and outcome is dependent on factors, like
Age - Elderly people, very young children pregnant women and lactating mothers are highly vulnerable.
Health condition - Presence of diabetes, cardiovascular or renal disease complicates the care process.
Severity of burns - The location and severity of the burns and time lapse before treatment
Nutritional support needs are calculated on the basis of body surface area burnt. Second and third degree burns covering 15-20% or more of body surface, or even 10% in children and elderly persons cause extensive fluid loss and therefore require intravenous fluid therapy. Severe burns covering more than 50% of the body surface area are often fatal.