Introduction: Acute diarrhoea is defined as an abnormally frequent discharge of semisolid or fluid faecal matter from bowel, lasting less than 14 days. Enteropathogens that cause diarrhoea may affect physiology of gut in different ways. By modifying equilibrium of water and electrolytes, they can induce different types of diarrhoea. The aim of this study was to assess prescribing pattern of antibiotics, rehydration therapy, zinc and Probiotics in diarrhoea in children below 5 years of age and to see incidence of antibiotic associated diarrhoea. Materials and methods: This was a prospective observational and analytical study which was carried out in paediatrics department after obtaining permission from Institutional Ethics Committee. About 100 prescriptions were analysed during the study period of 2 months. All the patients of age between 0- 5 years suffering from any type of diarrhoea and who were prescribed different drugs were included in the study. Patients were grouped into those, receiving rehydration therapy with zinc and Probiotics, only rehydration therapy and antibiotics, only rehydration therapy, only antibiotics and only zinc and Probiotics. Results depicted in the form of tables and Figures. Microsoft word and excel are used to generate figures and tables. Observations and Results: Out of 100 children with diarrhoea, 60 received both rehydration therapy, zinc and Probiotics, 20 received only rehydration therapy and 10 received only antibiotics and 5 received rehydration therapy and antibiotics and 5 received only zinc and Probiotics, findings of this study showed that prescriptions of antibiotics in diarrhoea were adhering to the guidelines. All prescriptions of zinc salts were considered as rational as per IAP and WHO guidelines. Conclusion: Findings of this study suggested that a relatively rational approach to oral rehydration therapy, antimicrobials and zinc salts, some of the recommendations that may be made based on this study include reducing polypharmacy and empirical prescribing, use of routine examination and culture of stool and precise reporting of adverse drug reactions.

Keywords: Antibiotics; Probiotics; Zinc; rehydration therapy; Antibiotic associated diarrhoea.