Learning Objectives

Diarrheal Illness

• Describe the management of acute diarrhea.
• Identify the clinical indications for antibiotic therapy for diarrheal illness in an acute emergency setting.
• Identify the clinical features of dysentery, the most frequent causative pathogens, and the antibiotics that can be used to treat the infection.
• Use the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines in the treatment of children with diarrhea.

Diarrhea in Infants

• Identify the different types of diarrhea.
• Define treatment for infants 0 to 2 months of age with diarrhea.

Dehydration

• Describe and identify the different types of dehydration.
• Assess the degree of dehydration.
• Describe the physiologic basis of oral rehydration therapy (ORT).
• Explain the characteristics and routes of administration of ORT solutions.
• List the advantages of ORT.
• Define when ORT has failed and when ORT is contraindicated.
• Describe how to give ORT to children with severe dehydration.
• Outline a strategy for setting up an ORT unit at the site of a disaster.