Diarrhoea at home: making and giving oral saline the right way

The real danger is dehydration In diarrhoea the body loses water and salts. In children and older people this can turn dangerous fast. Oral saline puts back the lost water and salts.

Making the saline - Wash your hands with soap and take a clean vessel. - Measure exactly the amount of safe or boiled-and-cooled water printed on the packet. - Dissolve the whole packet in that water. Never split a packet into less water; saline that is too strong can do harm. - Do not boil the saline, and do not add sugar or salt to it. - Keep it covered, and once the time printed on the packet has passed, throw the rest away and make it fresh.

Giving it - Give saline after every loose stool, not gulped all at once but a little at a time, by spoon or in sips. - If the person vomits, wait a few minutes, then give it again, slowly. - Do not stop breastfeeding; breastfeed more often. Keep giving normal food too. - For a child with diarrhoea, zinc tablets are given on a doctor's or health worker's advice; give them for as many days as they say. - No antibiotics or anti-diarrhoea medicines without a doctor's advice.

Danger signs: go to hospital without delay - Blood in the stool - Vomiting again and again, nothing staying down - Great weakness, drowsiness or restlessness - Sunken eyes, dry mouth, much less urine - A child who cannot drink or breastfeed - Fever, or diarrhoea that does not ease in a few days

Preventing it Handwashing with soap before eating and after the toilet, safe water, fresh food kept covered, and a sanitary toilet. A doctor by phone: Shasthya Batayon 16263. In an emergency, 999.