How to give children ORS correctly

Oresol (ORS) is widely used, especially for children. Whenever children have diarrhea, fever, vomiting... parents often use ORS to replenish water and electrolytes.

Oresol (ORS) is widely used, especially for children. Whenever children have diarrhea, fever, vomiting... parents often use ORS to replenish water and electrolytes. However, if this medicine is used incorrectly, it will cause many serious consequences for children.

How to mix ORS correctly

ORS is a special mixture of dry salts that, when dissolved in clean water, can be drunk to replenish water and electrolytes for the body. The ORS packets commonly sold in pharmacies are manufactured according to UNICEF's formula, containing 27.9g of medicine to be mixed with 1 liter of boiled water to cool.

In addition, there are many formulas with different commercial names. Many people prefer to use the orange-flavored ORS, a packet containing 5.63g mixed with 200ml of cold water or hydride tablets... Each ORS packet according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards includes 3.5g of NaCl, 1.6g of KCl, 2.5g of NaHCO3 (in humid tropical countries like Vietnam, NaHCO3 can be damaged by moisture absorption, so it is replaced by 2.9g of trisodium citrate) and 20g of glucose.

If this medicine is used incorrectly it can cause many serious consequences for children.

Currently, in WHO guidelines, the new ORS packet has low osmotic pressure with the same ingredients as the regular ORS packet but with changed content so that when mixed with water, it has a lower concentration of sugar and salt (each packet has 2.6g NaCl, 1.5g KCl, 13.5g glucose).

Using the new ORS has been shown to be effective in shortening the duration of diarrhea and reducing the need for intravenous fluids in patients with diarrhea. Studies have shown that using the new low-density ORS solution reduces the number of children requiring intravenous fluids by 33%, reduces the amount of stool excreted by 20%, and reduces the number of children vomiting by 30%.

Notes when mixing ORS for children to drink

Use boiled and cooled water to mix according to the instructions on the product packaging. Do not mix with milk, mineral water, soup, fruit juice or soft drinks... and absolutely do not add sugar.

The entire ORS packet must be mixed with water. Stir well until the powder is completely dissolved in the water. Do not divide it into smaller doses, because if the salt is too diluted, it will not be rehydrated enough, and if the sugar is too diluted, it will be poorly absorbed.

If the mixture is too thick for children, it will not be good because excess salt causes salt poisoning, cell damage due to severe increased blood osmolarity, and excess sugar can cause diarrhea.

Incorrect mixing will make diarrhea worse. Even more dangerous is ORS poisoning, which can leave irreversible neurological sequelae, and even worse, can cause death.

The mixed solution should only be consumed on the same day. Any remaining solution should be discarded the next day because the mixed solution is a good environment for microorganisms to grow, including pathogenic microorganisms.

When to use ORS solution for children?

Children who are dehydrated and lose electrolytes due to diarrhea, prolonged vomiting, and high fever need to drink ORS solution. The correct dosage should be used so that after drinking, it will have the effect of rehydrating and replenishing electrolytes, making the child alert and active again.

Dosage for infants: 50ml/time, 2-3 times/day; children from 2-6 years old: 100ml/time, 2-3 times/day; children from 6-12 years old: 150ml/time, 2-3 times/day. Children over 12 years old: drink on demand (give the child a drink when thirsty).

For young children, give small sips of water frequently from a spoon or small cup. If the child vomits, wait about 10 minutes and then continue drinking, but more slowly.

Children need to be closely monitored, especially children with diarrhea. If it does not decrease (number of loose stools and amount of stool), the child needs to be taken to the hospital immediately.

According to Zing.vn