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Acute gastroenteritis — DCH MCQ

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HardCommon childhood illnessesAcute gastroenteritisDCH

A 19-month-old boy has diarrhoea and vomiting for 18 hours. He is alert but has dry mucous membranes, reduced tears and capillary refill of 3 seconds; his mother reports no wet nappies for 10 hours. What is the most important red flag?

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Correct answer: B — Reduced urine output with prolonged capillary refill

Reduced urine output plus delayed capillary refill indicates clinically significant dehydration and need for urgent assessment or supervised rehydration. Nursery exposure and mild fever can occur in uncomplicated viral gastroenteritis. The clinical pearl is that hydration status is judged from behaviour, perfusion and urine output rather than stool frequency alone.

Reference: NICE CG84