Acute and persistent diarrhea.
Socially disadvantaged Indigenous infants and children living in western industrialized countries experience high rates of infectious diarrhea, no more so than Aboriginal children from remote and rural regions of Northern Australia. Diarrheal disease, poor nutrition, and intestinal enteropathy reflect household crowding, inadequate water and poor sanitation and hygiene. Acute episodes of watery diarrhea are often best managed by oral glucose-electrolyte solutions with continuation of breastfeeding and early reintroduction of feeding. Selective use of lactose-free milk formula, short-term zinc supplementation and antibiotics may be necessary for ill children with poor nutrition, persistent symptoms, or dysentery. Education, high standards of environmental hygiene, breastfeeding, and immunization with newly licensed rotavirus vaccines are all needed to reduce the unacceptably high burden of diarrheal disease encountered in young children from Indigenous communities.
Grimwood
Keith
K
Queensland Paediatric Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Queensland Children's Medical Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Herston Road, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland 4029, Australia. keith_grimwood@health.qld.gov.au
Forbes
David A
DA
D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D000208:Acute Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D000081034:Indigenous Peoples / Q000706:statistics & numerical data