Most childhood diarrhea is caused by viruses and clears in a few days. Children don't die of the germ — they die of dehydration, and the treatment that prevents it is a Rs 20 sachet of ORS.
Doing it right
- Mix one full sachet in the exact amount of clean water printed on it — never half-guess
- Give small sips constantly — a spoonful every minute beats a glass every hour, especially if the child vomits
- Keep feeding. Continue breastfeeding and normal food; starving a child with diarrhea is harmful
- Add zinc (10–20 mg daily for 10–14 days) — it shortens this episode and helps prevent the next one
What NOT to do
Anti-diarrhea pills (loperamide) are dangerous for children. Antibiotics do nothing for most watery diarrhea — they're reserved for dysentery (blood in stool) or cholera, on a doctor's advice.
Go to a clinic or hospital if
- Blood in the stool, or high fever
- The child is drinking poorly, very thirsty, or lethargic
- Sunken eyes, dry mouth, crying without tears, or fewer wet nappies
- Vomiting everything, or diarrhea lasting more than 3 days
Source: WHO — Diarrhoeal disease. This article is general guidance, not a diagnosis.