DEHYDRATION AND PANCREATITIS IN A CHILD LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS FOR 2 DAYS

An 8-year-old boy became lost while hiking in the Sierra Nevada Mounta ins of northern California in August 1994. He was found 2 days later, at which time he was dehydrated and admitted to the hospital for rehyd ration. After admission, he was found to also have mild pancreatitis. Although trauma could not be ruled out as the cause of the pancreatiti s, the stress associated with being lost is felt to be an equally like ly etiology.