BACKGROUND Shock is one of the most common paediatric emergencies with significant mortality if not recognized and treated early. There are five major categories of shock, of which septic shock is increasing in incidence, the world over. This study aims to describe the aetiology and outcome of shock in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a retrospective descriptive study conducted in a tertiary care hospital. 70 children who were admitted over a 2-year period with a diagnosis of shock were included in the study. The clinical details were collected from the case records and entered in a proforma. RESULTS 50% of children with shock were in the 1-5 years age group. The commonest type of shock was septic shock (68.5%), then hypovolemic shock (21.5%), cardiogenic shock (7.2%) and distributive shock (2.8%). The overall mortality rate was 28.5%. However, when cardiogenic shock was considered alone, the mortality was 60% and in septic shock, it was 35%. CONCLUSION Septic shock is the commonest cause of shock in children followed by hypovolemic shock. Septic shock and cardiogenic shock are associated with high mortality.