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A child has diarrhoea when he or she passes three or more watery stools a day. The more numerous the watery stools, the more dangerous the diarrhoea.
Some people think that drinking liquids makes diarrhoea worse. This is not true. A child with diarrhoea should be given drinks as often as possible until the diarrhoea stops. Drinking lots of liquids helps to replace the fluids lost during diarrhoea.
Recommended drinks for a child with diarrhoea:
- breastmilk (mothers should breastfeed more often than usual)
- soups
- rice water
- fresh fruit juices
- weak tea with a little sugar
- coconut water
- clean water from a safe source. If there is a possibility the water is not clean, it should be purified by boiling or filtering.
- oral rehydration salts (ORS) mixed with the proper amount of clean water.
To avoid dehydration, breastfed children should breastfeed as often as possible, and other children should drink the following amounts of liquids every time a watery stool is passed:
- for a child under the age of two years: between a quarter and a half of a large cup
- for a child aged two or older: between a half and a whole large cup.
Drinks should be given from a clean cup. A feeding bottle should never be used. It is difficult to clean bottles completely and unclean bottles can cause diarrhoea.
If the child vomits, the caregiver should wait for 10 minutes and then begin again to give the drink to the child slowly, small sips at a time.
The child should be given extra liquids until the diarrhoea has stopped.
Diarrhoea usually stops after three or four days. If it lasts longer than one week, caregivers should seek help from a trained health worker.
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