Oral rehydration therapy and early refeeding in the management of childhood gastroenteritis

Acute gastroenteritis continues to be associated with substantial morbidity in developed countries and has a significant mortality in developing countries [1]. The average child younger than five years of age experiences 2.2 diarrheal episodes per year in industrialized countries [2], and this rate in developing countries is significantly higher. Treatment from resulting dehydration accounts for an estimated 220,000 hospitalizations per year in the United States [3], with comparable rates in Canada. Worldwide, acute gastroenteritis accounts for 1.5 to 2.5 million deaths annually [4][5]. Prolonged diarrhea and malnutrition are primary causes of morbidity and mortality in Canadian native populations.