A 4-week-old male presenting with forceful emesis, good appetite, and decreased skin turgor likely has what condition?

The symptoms presented in this case strongly suggest pyloric stenosis, which is a condition commonly seen in infants typically between 2 to 8 weeks of age. The key features include projectile vomiting, which is often described as forceful and occurring shortly after feeding, as well as signs of dehydration, such as decreased skin turgor.

In pyloric stenosis, the pylorus, the opening from the stomach into the small intestine, becomes hyperplastic and narrowed, which obstructs the passage of food. The infant may have a good appetite initially because they continue to feel hungry despite not being able to keep the food down. This condition often results in electrolyte imbalances and dehydration due to the continuous vomiting.

While gastroesophageal reflux disease can cause vomiting in infants, the vomiting is typically not as forceful and is associated with other symptoms like poor weight gain or irritability, rather than dehydration. Intestinal obstruction can lead to vomiting as well, but it’s often accompanied by abdominal distension and alterations in bowel movements, which are not indicated in this case. Infection may cause vomiting but would usually present with other systemic signs such as fever or lethargy.

Thus, the classic presentation of forceful emesis, good appetite, and decreased skin t