I.

INTRODUCTION

Acute gastroenteritis is an inflammation of stomach and intestines. It is a

diarrheal disease of rapid onset, with or without accompanying symptoms, signs,
such as nausea, vomiting, fever, or abdominal pain.It usually is of acute onset,
normally lasting fewer than 10 days and self-limiting. Sometimes it is referred to
simply as 'gastro'. It is often called the stomach flu or gastric flu even though it is
not related to influenza. If inflammation is limited to the stomach, the term gastritis
is used, and if the small bowel alone is affected it is enteritis. As such, this has a
relationship on the concept fluids and electrolyte. Because dehydration the most
common complication of gastroenteritis if not treated or no immediate intervention
done it could lead to shock and eventually can lead to death.

Acute gastroenteritis is a common cause of morbidity and mortality

worldwide. Conservative estimates put diarrhea in the top 5 causes of deaths
worldwide, with most occurring in young children in non-industrialized countries. In
industrialized countries, diarrheal diseases are a significant cause for morbidity
across all age groups. Etiologies include bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins, and
drugs. Viruses are responsible for a significant percentage of cases affecting
patients of all ages. Viral gastroenteritis ranges from a self-limited watery diarrheal
illness (usually <1 wk) associated with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, anorexia,
malaise, or fever, to severe dehydration resulting in hospitalization or even death.
(http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/acute gastroenteritis)

II. ETIOLOGY AND RISK FACTORS

Common causes are:

• Viruses.
• Food or water contaminated by bacteria or parasites.
• Reaction to a new food. Young children may develop signs and
symptoms for this reason. Infants who are breast-fed may even react
to a change in their mothers' diets.
• Side effect from medications.

Etiologies:
• 70-85 of AGE in developed countries are due to viruses
• Rotavirus accounts for 1/3 of all pediatric AGE hospitalizations
• Most common bacterial causes: Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella,
E. coli, Yersinia, and C. difficile (iatrogenic)
• Parasitic agents (e.g. Giardia) cause less than 10% of cases

Reasons for early medical evaluation of children with acute diarrhea:

• young age (<6mo or <8kg)

 • prematurity, chronic medical condition, concurrent illness
• temperature >37.9 if <3 mo, or >38.9 in 336mo
• visible blood in stool
• high output
• persistent emesis
• caregiver report of signs of dehydration
• change in mental status (including irritability, apathy or lethargy)
• suboptimal response to oral rehydration attempts

III. INCIDENCE AND PREVALENCE

This condition can affect people of all ages. However, those who are very old
or very young are at a higher risk for more serious complications and death. It is
estimated that approximately 10,000 young children die each year due to this
condition and the complications that it causes.

Statistics Worldwide:

• diarrheal disease is leading cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality

• 1.5 (3-5) billion episodes annually in children < 5yo
• 1.5-2.5million deaths annually in children <5yo

(Centers for Disease Control, 2003)

IV. RATIONALE FOR CHOSOSING THE CASE

We chose the case of a patient with acute gastroenteritis because we want to

extend our knowledge when it comes to this disease. Although it is not new for us,
we are challenged to study further for this case, because we want to know how the
client cope up on his or her situation, the healing process he or she was going
through etc., also to have a knowledge on what specific interventions that was
needed by our client for him or her to achieve her optimum wellness and hopefully
bringing back his or her body’s homeostasis, at the same time, the self-esteem and
confidence in appropriate manner.

V. SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

The study that we chose has significance, since today, we cannot stop the
factors that made us into illness. Also, lifestyle related diseases and communicable
disease are prevalent which includes acute gastroenteritis which is very
preventable.

VI. SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

 The scope of the study were the gathering of data on the patient at the same
time, on her significant others. Building rapport and then interviewing them related
to the incidence happened or history taking and reviewing of client’s chart. The
limitation of this study was it is centered only on client’s case.