What is oral rehydration
therapy?
Oral rehydration therapy is a way to help
your child when he or she has vomiting or
diarrhea. This therapy has 3 simple rules:
Rule 1. Give your child a
special liquid called an oral electrolyte
solution to prevent serious
dehydration.(Dehydration happens when your
child's body loses water and too many
salts.)
Rule 2. Feed your child healthy,
good foods to help him or her heal.
Rule 3. Know how to decide when
your child is not getting better.
What is an oral
electrolyte solution?
An oral electrolyte solution is a
liquid that has exactly the right amount
of water, sugar, and salts. You can buy
this solution in most drugstores in
different forms:
- drinks, such as Pedialyte
- freezies, such as Pediapops
- a powder that you must mix with
water, such as Gastrolyte
Warning:You
must mix the powders exactly as the
instructions on the package say. This
means you must use measuring spoons and
measuring cups to measure the powder and
the liquid. *Not following
these instructions may harm your child.
Rule 1. GIVE
YOUR CHILD AN ORAL ELECTROLYTE SOLUTION.
As soon as your child starts vomiting
or having diarrhea, give your child oral
electrolyte solution. For the first 6
hours make sure your child gets at least
the right amount for his or her age.
|
Age |
Amount |
|
less than 6 months old |
60
to 90 mL every hour
60 to 90 mL is the same amount as 12
to 18 teaspoons
OR 2 to 3 ounces
If you are breastfeeding, do not
stop. Feed your child for a shorter
time and more often. Breast milk is
the best liquid for your child.
|
|
6
months to 2 years old |
90
to 125 mL every hour
90 to 125 mL is the same amount as 18
to 25 teaspoons
OR 3 to 4 ounces
If you are breastfeeding, do not
stop. Feed your child for a shorter
time and more often. Breast milk is
the best liquid for your child.
|
|
2
years or older |
125 to 250 mL every hour
125 to 250 mL is the same amount as 4
to 8 ounces
OR 1/2 cup to 1 cup
|
Hints:
- If your child is vomiting, use a
teaspoon or syringe to give regular sips
of liquid. Give your child 5 mL of
liquid, which is 1 teaspoon, every 1 to
5 minutes.
- Do not let your child take a large
drink, even if he or she is very
thirsty. Large drinks may make your
child's vomiting worse.
- When your child starts to feel
better, you can give larger drinks, but
less often. Make sure that your child
keeps getting at least the amount of
liquid he or she needs for his or her
age.
- After 1 day, or 24 hours, give your
child the oral electrolyte solution only
after each watery diarrhea.
- Do not give your child liquids that
have lots of sugar, such as apple juice,
Kool-Aid, and soft drinks. Sugar will
make your child's diarrhea worse.
- Always start by giving regular small
sips of the oral electrolyte solution.
This will help your child get used to
the salty taste of this drink, which is
likely new. This will take time.
Rule 2. FEED
YOUR CHILD HEALTHY, GOOD FOODS TO HELP HIM
OR HER HEAL.
Feeding your child healthy, good food,
milk, or formula will help fight your
child's infection. It will also help to
heal his or her stomach and intestines and
prevent loss of weight.
ONLY if your child is vomiting, stop
giving him or her food, milk, and formula
for 6 to 12 hours. But do not stop
breastfeeding. Breast milk is the best
food for your child.
If your child has diarrhea, do not stop
feeding your child.
Every 3 to 4 hours, give your child
small amounts of food that your child
likes.
Starchy foods such as bread, cereals,
pasta, and rice, and fresh fruits and
vegetables are the best foods to give your
child. Do not give foods that your child
has never eaten just because they are on
the list of good foods.
Do not give foods that have lots of
sugar or fat.
Here is a list of the good foods that
you should feed your child. Do not feed
your child foods that are on the list of
bad foods.
Good Foods
Do feed your child:
- breast milk, regular milk with no
water added, or formula
- starchy foods, such as rice,
potatoes, noodles, toast, and crackers
- cereals, such as rice or wheat
cereal, and oatmeal
- protein, such as boiled or baked
meat, fish, and chicken, and soya and
eggs
- vegetables with no added butter
- fruits not packed in syrup
- soup
Bad Foods
Do not feed your child
- grape juice, apple juice, orange
juice, soft drinks, or ginger ale
- ice cream or sherbet
- sweetened cereals
- fatty foods such as french fries,
hamburgers, and butter
- spicy foods
Rule 3. KNOW
HOW TO DECIDE WHEN YOUR CHILD IS NOT
GETTING BETTER.
Go to your doctor or to the hospital if
your child has ANY of the
WARNING SIGNS on this list:
- not willing to drink
- no tears when crying
- vomiting often for more than 4 to 6
hours
- sunken eyes
- more than 6 large, watery diarrheas
in 1 day
- stomach pain that is severe and does
not stop
- less than 4 wet diapers in 1 day
- fast breathing
- dry skin, mouth, and tongue
- very sleepy or very fussy
- cool or grayish skin
- severe head or neck pain
- green vomit
- blood in the vomit or diarrhea
- bringing the knees up to stomach and
crying
- fever over 39ºC, or 102.2ºF, for
longer than 12 hours
- sunken fontanelle (the soft spot on
your child's head if he or
- she is less than 18 months old)
