title: Waiting room oral rehydration in the paediatric emergency department.
abstract: Oral rehydration is well established in the treatment of acute gastroenteritis, however it is profoundly underutilised as a treatment in the hospital setting. We introduced a protocol of waiting room oral rehydration for children presenting to the Paediatric Emergency Department with vomiting and/or diarrhoea. These children were given oral rehydration from the time of triage prior to medical assessment. During the study period, 251 children presented 269 times with vomiting and/or diarrhoea, of which 205 (76%) were diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis. A similar period 1 year previously was used as comparison, during which 129 children were diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis. During the study period, 58 children (28%) were given intravenous fluids and 47 (23%) were admitted, compared with 72 (56%) given intravenous fluids and 42 (32%) admitted in the comparison group. This protocol is now part of our routine management of children presenting with symptoms of acute gastroenteritis. Waiting room oral rehydration is a simple yet successful intervention that can be implemented in any Emergency Department.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Emergency Department, National Children's Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24. jcraven@ausdoctors.net
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Craven
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000628:therapy*; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014839:Vomiting