La gastro-entérite aiguë des nourrissons vue par leurs mères.

Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a frequent disease in infants. Management is based on oral rehydration solution (ORS) and early feeding. This paper investigates the knowledge and vision of infants' mothers about AGE. Mothers knew well the AGE and the related risk of dehydration. They worried facing vomiting and loss of weight, with no systematic monitoring. They saw the GP to get a symptomatic treatment, some advice about management and to be reassured. The medical prescription didn't meet their expectations because of the lack of antiemetic drugs. The preventive action of ORS' was well-known, however some mothers didn't give its benefit to avoid worsening of the disease. They pointed out the difficulties of use. Mothers also perceived AGE as a benign disease but with severe potential. The symptoms they worried about guided their expectations of treatment, and pushed ORS into the background. Keeping mothers informed, improving the ORS' flavor and prescribing only what's necessary could improve the management of infants' AGE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]