Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS)

Oral Rehydration Solutions: Made at Home
(The most effective, least expensive way to manage diarrhoeal dehydration.)

The "simple solution" Do-It-Yourself .... Encouraging self-reliance
• Recipe for home-made salt and sugar solutions
• Questions on Solutions made at home
• 10 Things you should know about Rehydrating a child
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Thanks to Charles R. Staubs, D.O. and Jean Michelet

• Home made Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) for treating dehydration caused by diarrhoea
To prevent too much liquid being lost from the child's body, an effective oral rehydration solution can be made using ingredients found in almost every household. One of these drinks should be given to the child every time a watery stool is passed.

Ideally these drinks (preferably those that have been boiled) should contain:
• starches and/or sugars as a source of glucose and energy,
• some sodium and
• preferably some potassium.
The following traditional remedies make highly effective oral rehydration solutions and are suitable drinks to prevent a child from losing too much liquid during diarrhoea:
• Breastmilk
• Gruels (diluted mixtures of cooked cereals and water)
• Carrot Soup
• Rice water - congee
A very suitable and effective simple solution for rehydrating a child can also be made by using salt and sugar, if these ingredients are available.

If possible, add 1/2 cup orange juice or some mashed banana to improve the taste and provide some potassium.

Molasses and other forms of raw sugar can be used instead of white sugar, and these contain more potassium than white sugar.
If none of these drinks is available, other alternatives are:
• Fresh fruit juice
• Weak tea
• Green coconut water
If nothing else is available, give
• water from the cleanest possible source
(if possible brought to the boil and then cooled).