Diarrhea and Dehydration

10. Book Review

SECTION I - DIARRHEAL ILLNESSES

1. What clinical features characterize the different types of diarrhea, and what are the most frequent etiological agents for each type?
2. What are the fundamental components of the treatment of diarrhea?
3. Why is nutrition important in the treatment of diarrhea?
4. What steps do the IMCI guidelines recommend for treating diarrhea without blood in the stools and for dysentery?
5. What treatment is indicated for the various agents responsible for bloody diarrhea?
6. What are the causes of persistent diarrhea and what is the treatment?
7. What are the characteristics of epidemic cholera, and what is the appropriate approach to managing an outbreak in an emergency setting?

SECTION II - DIARRHEA IN THE INFANT 0 TO 2 MONTHS OF AGE

1. How should diarrhea be treated in the infant 0 to 2 months?
2. What is the approach to managing persistent diarrhea in this age group?
3. What is the treatment for bloody diarrhea in this age group?

SECTION III - DEHYDRATION

1. What physiological and clinical features differentiate isotonic and hypotonic dehydration from hypertonic dehydration?
2. What is the physiological basis of oral rehydration therapy (ORT)?
3. How should ORT be administered, and what supplies are needed to implement ORT?
4. What are the advantages and contraindications of ORT?
5. What variables do the IMCI guidelines use to classify dehydrated children and to determine their treatment?
6. What is the appropriate approach to managing severe dehydration in children?