[The theoretical and practical aspects of oral rehydration in acute diarrhea in children. I].

The present paper, starting from recent data in the literature and the author's experience, shows the impact of acute diarrheic disease (ADD) on the infantile mortality and morbidity and reports also (in the first part) on those characteristics of the infant and small child which favour the ADD. The second section discusses the transport of water and electrolytes at the level of the intestinal mucosa with the regulation mechanisms involved and the pathogenic types of ADD. The last part gives a summary presentation of dehydration and of other complications of diarrheic disorders important for the therapy of oral rehydration.