Oral Versus Intravenous Rehydration for Treating Dehydration Due to Gastroenteritis in Children

• 2006

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• Lisa Hartling; Steven Bellemare; Natasha Wiebe; Kelly Russell; Terry Klassen; William Craig
PMID: 16856044DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd004390.pub2

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This article compares oral and intravenous rehydration for children with dehydration from gastroenteritis. It describes that both methods are effective, but oral rehydration is cheaper and less invasive. Some doctors prefer intravenous therapy due to its rapid effect. The study found no major differences in outcomes between the two methods, though oral rehydration had a slightly higher failure rate requiring a switch to intravenous therapy. Oral treatment may lead to paralytic ileus, while intravenous treatment can cause phlebitis. Overall, it suggests starting with oral rehydration for mild cases and using IV if needed.

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Tags

Focus Area: Everyday Emergency

Audience: Physicians

Emergency Management Stage: Response

Keywords: Administration, Oral; Dehydration; Fluid Therapy; Gastroenteritis; Infusions, Intravenous; Rehydration Solutions

Institutions: Dalhousie University; University of Alberta; Alberta Health Services

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