Clinical Articles
The home management and characteristics of children presenting to hospital with acute gastroenteritis
Damhnat McCann
Nurse Researcher, Education, Staff Development & Research Centre, Royal Children's Hospital, Herston QLD
Helen Longbottom
Senior Lecturer, Centre for General Practice, School of Population Health, University of Queensland, QLD
Michael Nissen
Director of Infectious Diseases, Royal Children's Hospital-Brisbane, Herston QLD
PP: 169
Abstract
Large numbers of Australian children are admitted to hospital with acute gastroenteritis. This study aimed to describe the home management of children with acute gastroenteritis prior to presentation at a paediatric hospital. Parents received inadequate information regarding fluid rehydration, particularly from general practitioners, and there was a lack of parental awareness in relation to ORS usage. Children attending childcare were over represented among the sample. The majority of children were only mildly dehydrated on presentation to hospital. Education programs are needed to increase community awareness of ORS and improve home management of acute gastroenteritis.
Keywords
children, gastroenteritis, oral rehydration solution
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