Clinical features
The presenting symptoms include poor feeding, vomiting and fever, which may be followed by diarrhoea. Often the stools are watery and frequent - 10 to 20 times per day - and of large volume in viral diarrhoea. The presentation of blood, mucus and frequent small motions is suggestive of a bacterial cause.
As the condition progresses there is increasing anorexia, vomiting and diarrhoea. The infant becomes lethargic and there may be signs of dehydration with a possible accompanying acidosis.
Related pages
- Clinical assessment of child with gastroenteritis
- Clinical features suggestive of hypernatraemic dehydration
- Possible indicators of a condition other than gastroenteritis affecting a child with diarrhoea and vomiting
- Failure to feed in neonates
- Vomiting in neonates
- Vomiting in infancy
- Vomiting in older children
- Diarrhoea and vomiting in infants and children
- Fever
- Symptoms and signs of clinical dehydration related to childhood gastroenteritis
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