Pilot Clinical Study of Novel Ultrasonic Hydration Monitor for Infants

Findings from a pilot clinical study of a novel Infant Hydration Monitor (IHM) are presented. IHM is a portable device measuring ultrasound velocity (USV) through the leg muscles in young infants to monitor changes of their hydration status. Study in newborns revealed that USV in their muscles is lower than in adults, indicating higher water content in the tissue by an average of 12%. Observed cases of short term changes of USV can be explained by hydration changes during applied hydration therapy or water detention regiments.