oa Professional Nursing Today - Gastroenteritis in children : mother and child health

Abstract

Diarrhoea is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. It causes the death of about two million children under the age of five years each year. Acute gastroenteritis results from infection of the gastrointestinal tract most commonly with a virus, the most frequent being rotavirus. Campylobacter and Salmonella are the most common bacterial pathogens; Cryptosporidium and Giardia are the most common parasites that can cause diarrhoea. Chronic diarrhoea suggests a noninfective cause such as inflammatory bowel disease or coeliac disease.