In the UK one in five people get gastroenteritis each year. This illness is also more common in young children, who may present with more than one case a year. Both Norwalk-like viruses and rotavirus are also seasonal, occurring particularly during the Winter season. Nurses can play a substantial role in improving children's performance at school, absentee rates and general wellbeing. This article provides a literature review of the clinical evidence and national guidelines regarding gastroenteritis in school-aged children.

Deborah Louise Duncan - Lecturer in nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queens University Belfast, Belfast