A Study on Diarrheal Diseases in Children Under Five Years of Age

A cross sectional house-to-house survey on diarrheal disease in children less than five-years-of-age was conducted in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The main objective was to determine diarrheal disease morbidity and its relationship with different variable factors and management practices during the episode of diarrhea. The survey population included 1,105 households with 2,005 children under five-years-of-age selected from the entire Eastern Province. The prevalence observed was 7.6% during a two-week period giving an annual incidence of two episodes per child per year. Diarrheal morbidity was less prevalent among with age, water storage, and feeding patterns. Diarrhea morbidity was less prevalent among children receiving breast milk. The majority of cases with diarrhea were treated in health facilities where 27% were given drugs only. A solution containing sugar and salt in addition to home fluids were given to 46.4% while 23% received oral rehydration solution (ORS).