Management of acute gastroenteritis in children

Acute gastroenteritis is a common reason for young children to present to a healthcare setting. The management aims are to restore and maintain fluid and electrolyte balance, replace ongoing losses due to diarrhoea and vomiting, and to restore age appropriate nutrition. With the exception of severely dehydrated children, this should be by rapid enteral rehydration over 4 hours with oral rehydration solution, either orally or via nasogastric tube. Probiotics are beneficial in the treatment of acute diarrhoea. The introduction of a rotavirus immunisation should see a significant reduction in diarrhoeal illness in children less than 5 years of age.