Know How to feed ORS to your Baby
Oral rehydration solution (ORS) basically refers to a mixture of water, sugar, and salts in specific amounts. These solutions can be absorbed even if your child is suffering from acute diarrhea or is vomiting. ORS is mainly used for two purposes:
- It keeps children well-hydrated when they have diarrhea
- It replaces lost fluids when children show signs of mild dehydration
These are readily available at pharmacies as well as ready-to-serve preparations. Medical professionals usually recommend buying an ORS powder for baby that has already been mixed. If your baby is below 6 months, for mild dehydration you should give them 30 to 90ml every hour, for children between 6 months and 2 years of age, the dosage should be 90 to 125ml every hour, and for babies over 2 years, you should give them at least 125 to 250ml every hour. If your child does not feel like taking the ORS in the cup or bottle, the solution can be given with a medicine dropper, a syringe, a small teaspoon, etc.
If the child continues throwing up, you should discontinue feeding them foods and other fluids, but continue giving the ORS by spoon. You can keep giving 1 tablespoon every 10-15 minutes until the vomiting stops. This amount can be increased steadily until your child is in a position to take regular amount. However, if the vomiting continues for more than 4 hours or so, you should definitely visit a hospital. Zinc supplements for kids are also helpful for diarrhea.
After 4 hours: Recovery stage
The child should be given ORS at regular intervals until the frequency of diarrhea reduces. If they are not vomiting any longer, you can continue feeding regular diet to the child. It should also be noted that when vomiting decreases, your child should resume breastfeeding as usual, drink formula or whole milk, or eat regular food. The point is to keep the feedings small but frequent.
What to avoid
Your child should not be given sugary drinks such as fruit juice or sweetened fruit drinks, carbonated drinks, sweetened tea, broth or rice water. This can worsen the diarrhea. For frequent diarrhea, only water is not a good option, as it can lead to lead to low blood sugar and low sodium levels. You should also feed bland foods which have complex carbohydrates, including lean meats, fruits and vegetables, etc. Do not go for any over-the-counter medications and consult your doctor beforehand.
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