[Acute infantile diarrhea. Nursing treatment]

Acute diarrhea is a common cause of sickness and hospitalization of children throughout the world. Handling children who have acute gastroenteritis includes the use of oral rehydration solutions combined with a timely reintroduction to a complete regular diet, which satisfies the energy and nutritional requirements according to the age and nutritional history of the patient under care. Children who suffer severe diarrheas might require hospitalization, but the majority of these cases can be treated in outpatient clinics or at home. For very few cases it is necessary to resort to the use of intravenous serum therapy. Parents should be aware of the risks which gastroenteritis poses for their children, and be familiar with the use of oral rehydration solutions. These solutions should be kept on hand in all homes which have children in them. Nursing personnel's role in teaching parents about how to deal with acute diarrhea or gastroenteritis van be the key to prevention and precocious, timely treatment of complications due to acute diarrhea in children.