Dehydration in a 2-year-old with vomiting and diarrhoea
A branching clinical case simulation for a patient presenting with two days of vomiting and diarrhoea. Take a history, examine, investigate, diagnose and treat while the patient responds to every decision, then see the score by clinical domain with the reasoning for each mark.
Year 3easy20 min6 stages
- Patient
- 2 years, male
- Presenting complaint
- Two days of vomiting and diarrhoea
- Decision stages
- History, Examination, Investigations, Diagnosis, Treatment, Monitoring
The presentation
A 2-year-old boy (12 kg) presents with a 2-day history of vomiting and diarrhoea. On arrival, he has sunken eyes, reduced skin turgor and a capillary refill of 3 seconds. He is in the ED of a district general hospital. You are the medical student and must assess and manage him. His temperature is 37.2°C, pulse 130, RR 30, BP 90/60, SpO2 98% on air.
What this case teaches
Assess dehydration and shock in a child; calculate fluid deficit and maintenance by weight; choose oral rehydration versus intravenous fluids; monitor electrolytes and glucose.
How the case unfolds
- 1Focused HistoryHistory
- 2Physical ExaminationExamination
- 3InvestigationsInvestigations
- 4Diagnostic ReasoningDiagnosis
- 5ManagementTreatment
- 6Monitoring and ReassessmentMonitoring
The decisions available at each stage, and what each one costs or earns, appear when you run the case.
Log in to run "Dehydration in a 2-year-old with vomiting and diarrhoea"
A free account opens the simulator: the patient's observations move with your decisions, and every choice is scored and explained.
Taught in
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Educational content for students and clinicians in training. It does not replace professional judgement, local protocols or current prescribing information.