Do you often feel thirsty and have a dry, sticky mouth and tongue? These symptoms tell you your body may experience dehydration at an early stage. Although you can ease these symptoms by drinking some water, your body still misses the necessary salts to keep you healthy. Oral Rehydration Salts(ORS) are used to provide the necessary salts and water needed in the body when you are dehydrated. Find out more about how to use it and its possible effects below.
What are oral rehydration salts?
- Oral rehydration salts are a mixture of salts and sugar dissolved in water. They are used to provide salts and water to your body when you are dehydrated by diarrhea or vomiting.
- The ORS is different than other drinks you have daily, its concentration and percentage of salts and sugar are measured and assured properly to help your body have good absorption.
- You can purchase commercially-available ORS products like drinks, sachets, or effervescent tabs at your local pharmacy. These products usually include different flavors to serve at your convenience.
How much should you take?
The dose you should take depends on your age and the situation of your dehydration. The following is a guide:
- Child aged 1 month to 1 year: 1–1½ times the usual feed amount.
- Child aged 1 to 12 years: 200 mL (about 1 cup) after every loose bowel motion (poo).
- Child aged 12 years and over and adults: 200–400 mL ( about 1–2 cups) after every loose bowel motion.
Your health provider or the product leaflet will tell you how much ORS to take, how often to take it, and any special instructions.
How to prepare solutions of oral rehydration salts
- If you have sachets of powder or effervescent tablets that you need to mix with water, follow the instructions on the packaging for preparing the oral rehydration salts. Never take it without mixing it with water first.
- Use fresh drinking water to mix with the contents of the sachet. For Pepi/infants, use boiled and cooled water before mixing with the contents of the sachet.
- Do not boil the ORS solution after mixing.
- Some brands of ORS (such as Pedialyte) must be used within 1 hour of mixing. Any unused solution (ORS mixed with water) should be thrown away unless you store it in a refrigerator where it may be kept for up to 24 hours.
How to take oral rehydration salts
If you (or your child) are unable to drink the full dose needed all at one go, try drinking it in small sips over a longer period. It may help to use a straw or to chill the solution.
- If your child is sick less than 30 minutes after drinking the oral rehydration salts, give them another dose.
- If your child is sick more than 30 minutes after drinking the oral rehydration salts, you do not need to give them again until they have their next runny poo.
- Oral rehydration salts should start working quickly and dehydration usually gets better within 3–4 hours.
You will not harm your child by giving too much of the oral rehydration salt solution, so if you are not sure how much your child has kept down because they are being sick, it is better to give more rather than less of the oral rehydration salts.
Important tips
- You should not use oral rehydration salts to treat diarrhea for more than 2–3 days unless your doctor has told you to.
- You should only use water to mix with the oral rehydration salts; do not use milk or juice and never add extra sugar or salt. This is because the rehydration salts contain the right mix of sugar and salts to help the body best.
- You must be careful to use the right amount of water to make up the medicine, as too much or too little can mean the salts in your child’s body are not properly balanced.
- Oral rehydration salts are safe and do not usually have side effects.
- You can take other medicines at the same time as oral rehydration salts.
- Avoid fizzy drinks, undiluted juices, tea, coffee, and sports drinks because their high sugar content can make you more dehydrated.
Post time: Apr-12-2022