Pathway Background and Objectives
Acute gastroenteritis in children is most commonly caused by viral pathogens, accounting for 1.7 million Emergency Department visits and 200,000 hospitalizations annually. Complications of gastroenteritis, include dehydration and/or electrolyte abnormalities and acid base disturbance. Often, oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is an effective treatment, and it is a less invasive alternative to intravenous rehydration.
Additionally, caregivers can be educated on its use at home for ongoing rehydration. Ondansetron, when indicated as an anti-emetic, can help a child to avoid admission if administered promptly. There are many interventions that should not be routine when caring for a child with gastroenteritis. These include laboratory studies such as serum electrolytes and stool studies, and treatments such as restrictive diets and antidiarrheal medications.
The specific objectives of this pathway are to:
- Standardize care of patients who present with gastroenteritis and dehydration
- Improve the classification of dehydration as mild, moderate, or severe
- Standardize use of ondansetron in appropriate patients
- Increase the use of ORT when appropriate, and improve caregiver education on ORT administration
- Decrease time to regular diet
- Decrease unnecessary treatments and laboratory studies (e.g. electrolytes, stool studies, antidiarrheal medications, antibiotics)