Appropriate and timely fluid and blood management of acutely ill children is a critical and essential area of care. The last review and update of WHO guidelines including fluid management in acutely ill children, occurred in 2016 – six years ago. The 2016 ETAT GDG identified several important questions that were not addressed at that time and additional questions have been raised during the 2022 WHO Wasting guideline process. Furthermore, the 2016 ETAT guideline did not include guidance for care of children up to 12 years of age and the role of blood transfusion was not reviewed. This guideline development process will develop a standard guideline and aims to reflect the most current evidence. Recommendations will be developed on fluid and blood management in acutely ill children, including children with comorbidities, shock, anaemia, wasting with or without nutritional oedema with or without anaemia. The recommendations are intended to provide technical support to Member States on developing and implementing national programmes for appropriate fluid and blood management in acutely ill children aged 2 months to 12 years. The guideline is intended for a wide audience, including health care workers (health professionals including doctors, nurses, intensivists/critical care staff, ambulance staff), policy-makers, their expert advisers and technical/ programme staff at organizations involved in the management of acutely ill children, or developing programmes and policies to manage acutely ill children. The end-users for this guideline will be health care workers / professionals, national and local policymakers, implementers and managers of national and local programs, non-governmental and other organizations and professional societies that develop or implement evidence-based policies, regulations and best practices to best manage fluids and blood in acutely ill children aged 2 months to 12 years. Recommendations will be reflected in WHO tools such as the Pocket Book of Hospital Care for Children.
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