Outcome of children rehydrated in a hospital ORT corner in Bangladesh: A follow-up study

This prospective follow-up study was carried out during 1996 to identify th e outcome of children rehydrated in the ORT Corner of the Chittagong Medica l College Hospital. In total, 269 children, aged less than five years, who attended the ORT Corner, accompanied by their mothers, for treatment of unc omplicated acute watery diarrhoea with 'no signs of dehydration' and 'some dehydration,' were selected for the study. Mothers of the children were int erviewed at the ORT Corner, and children were followed-up at home on the 5t h post-ORT Corner visit day. The follow-up was completed for 260 cases (96. 7%). At follow-up, 227 cases (87.3%) were found to be cured, and 33 cases ( 12.7%) still had diarrhoea. Of the cured, the mean duration of the episode was 5.84+/-2.34 days (95% CI.5.55-6.13 days). All the cases received oral r ehydration therapy (ORT) after attending the ORT Corner. Eighty-one cases ( 31.2%), however, reconsulted the private doctors. Of those who reconsulted, only 3 (3.7%) received WHO-recommended treatment of acute watery diarrhoea , and the rest 78 (96.3%) received medication. The medication prolonged the episode of diarrhoea significantly (6.22 days vs 5.48 days, p<0.001). None of the cases, who reconsulted the private doctors, revisited the ORT Corne r. Treatment by 'ORS only' was mentioned by 64% of the mothers as the reaso n for non-revisit of the ORT Corner, and 20% of the mothers denied the rece ipt of any advice about when to revisit the ORT Corner which calls for furt her strengthening of communication activities of the ORT Corner.