TREATING DIARRHEA IN CHILDREN: Children dehydrate very quickly by losing fluid and salts in the body due to diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. It is important to replace the fluids through any liquid the child will drink, and to continue to feed them the liquid.

Prepare the following rehydration drink and give at the onset of diarrhea. Mix together 1 teaspoon of table salt, 8 teaspoons sugar, and add to 5 cups of water. (If you have time, sterilize the water by boiling it, but be sure to cool it before giving it to the child.) Give 1 cup each time the child has a bowel movement, half of that for a smaller child. Spoon-feed the babies. Let the child drink as much as they want. You can stop giving it as soon as the child stops having loose bowel movements or loses desire for the rehydration drink. (more…)