Acute Gastroenteritis

Clinical Pathways promote evidence based, safe, and high-value care for patients by providing clinical recommendations and standard processes. They are developed by multidisciplinary committees of subject matter experts, informed by methodical review of available evidence and consensus among committee members.

Clinical Pathway: 

• Acute Gastroenteritis: Diagnostic Algorithm 
• Acute Gastroenteritis: Management Algorithm 
• Acute Gastroenteritis synopsis (provides care standards employed for this clinical pathway) 

Inclusion and exclusion criteria: 

• Inclusion: 
  • Pt > 3 months of age 
  • Diarrhea of recent onset < 7 days 
  • With or without vomiting, fever, nausea, or abdominal pain  

• Exclusion:  
  • Pt < 3 months of age 
  • Immunocompromised 
  • Toxic appearance (consider sepsis) 
  • Vomiting with no diarrhea for > 24 hours 
  • Bilious emesis (consider bowel obstruction)
  • Acute surgical abdomen
  • Head injury
  • Chronic disease (e.g., renal failure, inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease)
  • Admission to intensive care unit 

Committee member involved in the development:

• George Abraham, MD | Emergency Medicine| Committee Chair 
• Chris Day, MD | Infectious Diseases | Committee Member 
• Kristie Marble, DO, FAAP | Hospital Medicine | Committee Member 
• Emily Montgomery, MD | Urgent Care | Committee Member 
• Abiye Okah, MD, FAAP | General Academic Pediatrics | Committee Member 
• Rangaraj Selvarangan, BVSc, PhD, D(ABMM), FIDSA, F(AAM) | Pathology and Laboratory Medicine | Committee Member 

Patient/Family Committee Member:

• Kevin Sullivan| Committee Member

EBP Committee Members:

• Kathleen Berg, MD, FAAP | Hospitalist, Evidence Based Practice 
• Megan Gripka, MT (ASCP) SM | Evidence Based Practice 

Publication Dates:

• Finalized date: 02/2024 
• Next expected revision date: 2027

If you have any questions regarding this content or identify a broken link, please email evidencebasedpractice@cmh.edu.  

These pathways do not establish a standard of care to be followed in every case. It is recognized that each case is different, and those individuals involved in providing health care are expected to use their judgment in determining what is in the best interests of the patient based on the circumstances existing at the time. It is impossible to anticipate all possible situations that may exist and to prepare a pathway for each. Accordingly, these pathways should guide care with the understanding that departures from them may be required at times.