Gastroenteritis
From Ganfyd
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Contents |
Introduction
Gastroenteritis commonly causes diarrhoea and vomiting.
Aetiology
Wide range of causes possible, but most commonly infection - see Enteric pathogens.
Clinical
Investigations
Blood tests
Radiology
Treatment
Medical
Clinical Evidence has a chapter on gastroenteritis in children. It considers oral rehydration solutions as being ‘beneficial’ (as effective as iv fluids). It also considers the following ‘likely to be beneficial:
- Lactose-free feeds (reduces duration of diarrhoea)
- Loperamide (reduces duration of diarrhoea, but adverse effects unclear)
- Nasogastric rehydration (as effective as iv fluids)
Finally it reports clear fluids (other than oral rehydration solutions) as having ‘unknown effectiveness’.
