Use Of Oral Rehydration Therapy Research Articles

Knowledge and Practice of Caregivers about Use of Oral Rehydration Therapy in Management of Diarrhea in Ishaka Adventist Hospital Bushenyi District

Diarrhoea induced dehydration remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years in Ishaka Adventist Hospital’s catchment area. This study was therefore conducted to determine the Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) knowledge and practices of caregivers with under 5-year-old children. A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess the knowledge and practices of caregivers of children under 5 years of age regarding ORT. Data was collected from 100 caregivers using stratified and convenient sampling, through an interviewer admitted structured questionnaire for knowledge on ORT and an observation checklist for use of ORT. Data was analyzed using Microsoft excel program and presented as descriptive statistics. Caregivers of children under 5 years of age, in general, were found to be equipped with average knowledge about oral rehydration Therapy although the majority did not know how to prepare ORT for use in the prevention/management of dehydration caused by diarrhoea. It can thus be concluded that the ORS knowledge and practices among caregivers were deficient. The implication of this finding is that more needs to be done to strengthen the quality of ORT promotional messages and education given to caregivers in terms of the actual function of ORT so that they can appreciate why it is critical to use it with the onset of diarrhoea. Keywords: Diarrhoea, Infant mortality, Oral Rehydration Therapy, Watery stool.

Treatment of Acute Diarrhea in Children Aged 1–5 Years Provided by Doctors in Surabaya

Highlights: 1. The focus of this study was on the treatment methods for acute diarrhea, which have not been extensively investigated in the region studied.2. This study can provide an overview of doctors' adherence to the available guidelines for the treatment of acute diarrhea in children aged 1–5 years in Surabaya, Indonesia. Abstract: Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death among children under five, following pneumonia. Insufficient knowledge of diarrhea and dehydration management may contribute to this high mortality rate. Implementing prompt and effective management and prevention strategies has the potential to decrease morbidity and mortality associated with diarrhea. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the treatment methods used by doctors for children aged 1–5 suffering from acute diarrhea in Surabaya, Indonesia. Data were collected from doctors in Surabaya using an online form containing case-based questions. Microsoft Excel for Mac version 16.17 (Microsoft Inc., Redmont, WA, USA) was used to process the binary data by calculating frequencies and percentages with a point estimate of 95% confidence interval (CI). A descriptive method was used in the data analysis, and the findings were presented in tables. From a total of 51 respondents who participated in this study, 18 (35.29%) only administered oral rehydration therapy. In addition, 49 respondents (96.08%) prescribed zinc supplementation for ten days, while 10 respondents (19.61%) opted for antibiotics. Interestingly, 49 respondents (96.08%) recommended both breast milk and food for the patients, and nearly all respondents provided guidance to the mother or caregiver of the patient. The findings of this study suggested that the respondents primarily used rehydration therapy to treat children suffering from acute diarrhea with moderate dehydration. However, some respondents still relied on antibiotics despite the available recommendations to use oral rehydration therapy. Nearly all respondents agreed on zinc supplementation, breast milk and food provision, and advice for the mother or caregiver of the patient. While certain aspects of the disease management for diarrhea align with the recommended guidelines, there is room for improvement in promoting the exclusive use of oral rehydration therapy and reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.

Effect of health education on knowledge of home management of diarrhoea amongst caregivers of under-five children in Yenagoa, Nigeria.

low knowledge level of diarrhoea treatment, and appropriate use of oral rehydration therapy by caregivers, has been attributed to delay in commencing home management of diarrhoea. This delay in commencing home treatment; has led to preventable loss of lives arising from complications of diarrhoea, occasioned by lack of knowledge. Health education has been shown to help reduce delays in the commencement of home management of diarrhoea. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge of home management of diarrhoea among caregivers of under-fives in Yenagoa Bayelsa State and determine if educational intervention impacted knowledge of diarrhoea management among them. a quasi-experimental study which involved an intervention (given health education) and a control (not given health education) group. Using a non-probability convenience sampling technique, 220 participants were recruited. Informed consent was obtained from the participants, after which a 25-item knowledge-assessing structured questionnaire was administered to the participants in both groups to assess their background knowledge of diarrhoea and its home management. Thereafter, only the intervention group was trained using a training guide. At the second contact (one month later), the knowledge of participants of both groups was re-assessed with the 25-item knowledge-assessing structured questionnaire. Responses were scored and then converted to percentages, participants with 70% and above, 50 - 69%, and below 50% were considered to have ´good´, ´fair´ and ´poor´ level of knowledge; this was compared pre- and post-intervention. at first contact, the knowledge of home management of diarrhoea among the participants was poor in both groups (intervention 9.1%, control 8.2%). However, there was a significant improvement in the knowledge of home management of diarrhoea among those in the intervention group compared to the control group (intervention 95.5%, control 7.3%) (p=0.001), at second contact. the study shows that health education interventions are effective in strengthening diarrhoea literacy among caregivers of children less than five years of age. Public enlightenment through regular health education of caregivers and the use of mass media is recommended.

Knowledge, Perceptions and Practices about Oral Rehydration Therapy in Under Five Children Suffering from Diarrhea in Mirpur, AJK

Background: Dehydration associated with diarrheal diseases is a leading cause of mortality. Most of these deaths can be prevented by preventing or timely treating dehydration and using oral rehydration therapy is one of the options. Aim: To evaluate the knowledge and practices associated with the preparation and use of oral rehydration therapy in pediatric patients suffering from diarrhea. Study design: Descriptive cross-sectional study, Place & duration of study: Mohi-ud-Din Teaching Hospital, Mirpur, AJK, from January to August 2021, Methods: Mothers and care-givers of children were selected. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge and practices of the participants. The information gathered included epidemiological and socio-demographic data as well as about the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding prevention of diarrhea, usage, preparation and mode of administration of oral rehydration therapy among study respondents. Result: Mean age of care givers was 31.53±5.973 years. Mean income of a household was 28233±10986 PKR while median income was 30000 PKR. As per the employment status, 78.33% were housewives and 21.67% of women were working. Regarding the educational status, 15.67% were illiterate while 84.33% were literate. About 46.66% of the participants knew about the various ways to prevent diarrhea. Regarding the knowledge and assessment of practices of care givers about home-based remedies and ORT, majority of the participants, 78.33%, knew about ORT, 75% have used ORT and 69.33% knew about how to prepare ORT. Furthermore, 64.66% prepared ORT using standard method and 65% knew that ORT replaced lost water in the body. Conclusion: There was a high level of information and awareness among caregivers about the oral rehydration therapy, its correct preparation, usage and method of administration leading to its appropriate usage in diarrhea patients. But still there is a need to increase the awareness among people by mass awareness campaigns to better inform the masses and to maximize the acceptability, usage and benefits of oral rehydration therapy. Keywords: Dehydration, diarrhea, rehydration, therapy, oral

Differential Utilisation of two Therapeutic Methods in the Management of Diarrhoea among Under-Five Children Attending Primary Health Care Centres in Oyo State, Nigeria

Diarrhoea remains the leading killer of children, accounting for approximately 9 percent of all deaths among children under age 5 worldwide in 2019. This translates to over 1,300 young children under five dying each day, or about 484,000 children a year, despite the availability of a simple treatment solution like the use of oral rehydration therapy (ORS) and zinc supplements. Therefore, this study evaluated the differential utilisation of ORS and Zinc supplements in the management of diarrhoea among under five children attending primary health care centres in Oyo State, Nigeria from 2017 to 2021. The researcher conducted a retrospective cohort study from 2017 to 2021 to evaluate the differential utilisation of ORS and Zinc supplements in the management of diarrhoea among under five children in Oyo State, Nigeria. Secondary analysis of the treatment data from selected primary health care centres in Oyo State was conducted from 2017 to 2021; the number of patients diagnosed of diarrhoea with their age group and treated with either ORS or zinc supplements on admission were analysed for each year at each of the PHC. A significant positive, near perfect correlation was found to occur between number of diarrhoea cases and ORS usage and age range (r= 0.983; p=0.01) and number of diarrhoea cases with Zinc usage (r= 0.914; p= 0.01); translating to the fact that ORS and Zinc usages increased with increased number of diarrhoea cases. Increase in ORS usage also positively correlates with usage of Zinc among the under five children. It was concluded that the most affected age group with the highest diarrhoea rate are children within 12-59 months. There is thus a need to improve the sensitisation of the use of oral rehydration therapy and zinc supplements by the health care workers in our Primary Health Care centres. Again, adequate preventive and control strategies should be put in place at the PHC, Local and State levels to improve on data reporting on cases of under-five diarrhoea disease.

Assessment of Knowledge and Usage of Oral Rehydration Therapy in Management of Childhood Diarrhea among Mothers of Kambaza town, Kebbi State, Nigeria

Diarrhea is one of the major causes of infant and young children morbidity and mortality globally. It is characterized by passing of more than 3 watery stools within 24hr which is accompanied by loss of body fluids and electrolytes leading dehydration and death if not treated. Therefore, this study was aimed in assessing knowledge and use of Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) in the management of childhood diarrhea among mothers. A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among 103 mothers living in Kambaza metropolis using a questionnaire for quantitative data collection. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20 and p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The results showed that a significant proportion of respondents were below the age of 36 years (25-35years) with the mean age of 30±0.327 years and most of them (92.2%) were married. 81.6% of the respondents heard knowledge about ORT and majority of them (82.5%) indicated they know to prepare ORS/SSS. The use of ORT in the management of childhood diarrhea was also found to be high (82.5%) among the mothers. A significant portion of the mothers (95.1%) indicated already made ORS sachet was more effective in treating diarrhea than home-made SSS. There is no significant relationship between maternal level education and use of ORT in the management child diarrhea (p=0.476). However, a significant relationship exit between maternal knowledge on ORT preparation and its usage for management of childhood diarrhea (p=0.037). This study recorded high knowledge and use of ORT for management of childhood diarrhea among mothers of under-five children. Therefore, it recommended that maternal knowledge on use of ORT and its preparation should be encourage.

Understanding the use of oral rehydration therapy: A narrative review from clinical practice to main recommendations.

Background and AimsFluid loss due to diarrhea remains a significant cause of mortality among children under the age of 5.MethodsOral rehydration therapy (ORT) is a first‐line therapeutic measure to compensate the volume loss due to diarrhea and vomiting among gastroenteritis patients. Despite adequate knowledge, the practice of ORT is limited, particularly in developing countries.ResultsSeveral recommendations are provided regarding the use of ORT to treat hypovolemia, however, the information regarding its adequate usage is restricted within the healthcare centers and professionals.ConclusionThis review highlights the importance of providing recommendations regarding the use of ORT. We also discuss the barriers and alternatives that might limit its use.

Сучасні підходи до лікування діарей у дітей

У статті розглянуті сучасні підходи до лікування гострих діарей з урахуванням рекомендацій ESPGHAN (2014), що передбачають використання пероральної регідратаційної терапії, цинку в дозі 10 мг/день у дітей до 6 міс., у дітей старше 6 міс. — 20 мг/день протягом 10–14 діб, пробіотиків, антисекреторних та протиблювотних препаратів, сорбентів та антибіотиків.

Oral Rehydration Therapy Utilization and Associated Factors Among Children with Diarrhea in Debre Berhan, Ethiopia, 2020.

BackgroundOral rehydration therapy is a critical intervention to save the lives of children during episodes of diarrhea and vomiting. However, millions of children die every year due to failure to replace fluid effectively. Nearly all dehydration-related deaths can be preventable by prompt administration of rehydration therapy. The current study aimed to assess oral rehydration therapy utilization and associated factors among children with diarrhea in Debre Berhan town.MethodsCommunity-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to March 2020. The study participants were selected by systematic random sampling. The first household was selected randomly by the lottery method. The collected data were checked for completeness and relevance, and then entered into EPI data and transferred to SPSS for analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the ORT utilization and predictor variables. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered a cutoff point for statistical significance for all statistical tests.ResultsThe study included 233 participants with a 99% response rate. Among them, 73% [95% Cl: 66.8 78.6] of caregivers had given oral rehydration therapy to their children. Previous use of oral rehydration therapy [AOR: 5.3, Cl: 2.1–13.32], health-seeking behavior [AOR: 5.7, Cl: 2.07–15.6], knowledge about oral rehydration therapy [AOR: 4.2, Cl: 1.7–10.46], caregivers’ perception of tooth eruption [AOR: 3.13, Cl: 1.08–9], weaning as causes of diarrhea [AOR: 6.7, Cl: 2.49–17.9], and recognize the severity sign of dehydration [AOR: 5.6, Cl: 2.16–14.7] became significant factors of oral rehydration therapy.ConclusionNearly two-thirds of the mothers give oral rehydration therapy while their child develops diarrhea. Mothers had previous oral rehydration therapy, good health-seeking behavior, knowledge about oral rehydration therapy, caregivers’ perception of tooth eruption, and weaning as causes of diarrhea. Signs to recognize the severity of dehydration were important factors with oral rehydration therapy utilization. It will be better to give mothers special attention to hindering factors from giving oral rehydration therapy for their beloved child during diarrheal disease.

Economic-related inequalities in child health interventions: An analysis of 65 low- and middle-income countries

To achieve Sustainable Development Goal targets related to child health and well-being, it is important to quantify inequalities in the essential child health interventions. We used the latest available Demographic and Health Surveys from 65 low-income and middle-income countries between 2005 and 2018. We examined economic-related inequalities in 15 essential child health interventions spanning across four domains: nutrition, behavioral health, household environment, and maternal factors. In the pooled analysis, we observed significant inequalities in all child health interventions, except in the use of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for child diarrhea. The interventions with the largest adjusted difference between the richest (Q5) and the poorest (Q1) groups were in household environment domain: improved sanitation at 55.6 percentage points [PPs] (95% confidence interval [CI]: 54.7, 56.6), low indoor pollution at 43.5 PPs (95% CI: 41.4, 45.9), and safe stool disposal at 39.8 PPs (95% CI: 38.7, 41.0). In 35 countries, the adjusted difference between Q5 and Q1 groups in improved sanitation was found to be larger than 50 PPs. At the same time, country-specific analyses revealed substantial heterogeneity in the extent of inequalities in child health interventions. An inverted-U shape curve was identified between the mean intervention coverage rate and the magnitude of inequalities for household environmental and maternal interventions. This suggests an initial exacerbation of inequality in child health interventions as the coverage increases until it reaches an inflection point at which inequality begins to decline even as the coverage continues to improve. Our findings call for more systematic monitoring of economic-related inequalities in child health interventions to develop equity-oriented policies and programmes in global health.

Prevalence of Oral Rehydration Therapy Use During the Diarrheal Episode and Associated Factors Among Mothers of Under-Five Children Visiting Public Health Facilities in North Showa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.

BackgroundOral rehydration therapy reduces mortality and morbidity due to diarrheal diseases. However, Oral rehydration therapy remains to be underused worldwide and particularly in low-income countries. This study aims to assess the prevalence of oral rehydration therapy use during diarrheal episode and associated factors among mothers of under-five children visiting public health facilities in North Showa zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia.MethodologyInstitutional based cross-sectional study design was employed for one month in June 2020. A structured interview administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were entered into EPI-info 3.5.2 then transported to SPSS 21 version. Descriptive statistical analysis was done, and an association between dependent variables and independent variables were examined in logistic regression models.ResultsThe overall prevalence of oral rehydration therapy use during diarrheal episode was 51.5%. Maternal literacy [AOR= 2.175, 95% CI: (1.178, 4.015)], mothers occupation being farmer [AOR= 0.394, 95% CI: (0.203, 0.762)], post natal care visit [AOR= 2.565, 95% CI: (1.468, 4.480)] and good knowledge of oral rehydration therapy [AOR= 1.919, 95% CI: (1.132, 3.253)] were significantly associated with oral rehydration therapy use.ConclusionIn this study oral rehydration therapy use was moderate. Maternal literacy, good knowledge of oral rehydration therapy, maternal occupation being a farmer, and postnatal care visit were the independent predictors of oral rehydration therapy use. Therefore, programmers and stakeholders who are working on child health programs should design interventions that focus on factors deterring child oral rehydration therapy use during diarrheal episode morbidity and mortality.

Out-of-pocket health expenditure on diarrheal illness among under-five children in a teaching hospital ins Odisha, India.

Diarrhea is the most common illness in children under 5 years of age, accounting for a financial burden for families in developing countries. The aim of this study is to determine the out-of-pocket health expenditure for the management of diarrhoeal illness among the under-five children in in-patient and out-patient cases. A cross-sectional study was conducted during January-April 2018 among 60 under-five children with diarrheal illness reporting to pediatric outpatient department (OPD) and 60 under-five children admitted to pediatric ward of a tertiary care teaching hospital. For determining the out-of-pocket health expenditure, both direct and indirect costs for the management of diarrheal illness were estimated both for out-patient and in-patient cases. The cost of the treatment has been presented as the cost of prehospital visits, during a hospital visit and posthospital visit. Overall, median out-of-pocket health expenditure for the management of diarrheal illness for out-patient and in-patient cases were Rs. 1186 (interquartile range [IQR]: Rs. 510) and Rs. 6385 (IQR: Rs. 5889), respectively. The median direct expenditure for OPD cases was Rs. 778.50 (IQR: Rs. 263) and indirect expenditure for OPD cases were Rs. 407.50 (IQR: Rs. 336) The median direct and indirect expenditure for inpatient cases were Rs. 3823 (IQR: Rs. 1942) and Rs. 2237 (IQR: Rs. 4256) respectively. Only 13% of in-patient cases had some kind of medical insurance. A considerable economic burden is faced by the families for treating diarrhea in under-five children. Improved access to safe drinking water and sanitation, promotion of hand hygiene, exclusive breastfeeding, rotavirus vaccination, and use of oral rehydration therapy will reduce hospitalization and out-of-pocket expenditure. The study findings recommend for appropriate policy for provision of financial protection while seeking health care services.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of acute diarrheal disease and use of oral rehydration therapy among mothers of under five children

Background: Acute diarrhea in children is among the commonest causes of outpatient and inpatient attendance in medical setup. Though enough has been done in imparting knowledge about diarrhea and its management, there is a gap between knowledge and practice in the population. Aim of the study is to assess the mother’s knowledge, attitude and practice about diarrhea in children.Methods: Cross-sectional survey, conducted in the pediatric department of a peripheral hospital in Pune, Maharashtra.Results: Of the 305 mothers surveyed, their knowledge about diarrhea was good with 77.1% knowing correct definition, and most mothers knowing correctly about its mode of transmission, the positive role of good hygiene & sanitation, breast feeding and oral rehydration therapy (ORT) in prevention and management of acute diarrhea. However, their attitude and practice were found lacking, with higher rate of bottle feeding (59.3%) and lesser use of standard (46.3%) as well as home based (69.9%) ORT measures.Conclusions: There is discrepancy between the knowledge and practice. Hence, there is the need of sustained efforts in imparting both knowledge and practice among the population.

Under nutrition in diarrhoea affected under-five children

Introduction: In India the vicious cycle between diarrhea and undernutrition has not yet been broken. Undernutrition predisposes to infection of gastro-intestinal system. Once the child suffers from undernutrition it is very difficult to come out of this vicious cycle. Objective: The study was done to study the social profile and risk factors of diarrheal diseases in under-five children. Methods: The study was carried out on hundred under five year old diarrhea cases in rural area of Saharanpur from September to December 2018. The social, cultural, economic and environmental factors were recorded along with physical measurements by house to house visits on pretested and suitably modified proforma. The analysis was done using MS Excel software and EPI Info. Results: Among them sixty one children were found to be suffering from undernutrition. The undernourished children had also suffered greater number of times from respiratory tract infections and diarrhea in the past one year. Overcrowding was observed in majority of the houses. Diarrhea was observed to be more in children of illiterate mothers and lower socio-economy groups. The process of giving oral rehydration therapy and home available fluids was found to be faulty in majority of households. Conclusion: Providing additional nutrition to undernourished children, proper use of oral rehydration therapy and home available fluids should be explained to mothers. The risk factors identified for diarrhea like bottle feeding, lack of hand washing and unhealthy food hygiene practices can be avoided by health education of the mothers in resource-poor health care setting.

Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding diarrhoea and its prevention and the use of oral rehydration therapy among mothers of children under the age of five visiting a tertiary care hospital in Mangalore, India

Background: Diarrheal diseases remain the second most leading cause of mortality and morbidity next to pneumonia among under-five mortality globally, contributing to 1/5th of child deaths.Methods: Cross sectional hospital based questionnaire study conducted among 200 mothers of children within the age group of 6-60 months with diarrhoea attending the paediatric outdoor or treated in the paediatric indoor (OPD) at YMCH hospital using personal interview method. Filled up questionnaires was collected and was attached along with the filled up proforma.Results: Of 200 mothers, 24.3% knew the correct meaning of diarrhoea, with 73.8% of them not knowing the correct cause of diarrhoea. Only 44.3% knew that it could be prevented. Majority 88.7% did not know to look for signs of dehydration. Less than half of the mothers had only heard of ORT. By using c2-test, preparation ORS was found to be associated with the mother’s education (p=0.04) proving that knowledge is better among those mothers with formal education. No association was found between ORS preparation and age of the mother (p=0.229), religion (p=0.342), and gender of the child (p=0.061).Conclusions: The findings of this research indicate that only 73.8% of the mothers had knowledge regarding the cause of the diarrhoea and less than half 11.3% has only heard and used ORT properly.

The Use of a Triage-Based Protocol for Oral Rehydration in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

Guidelines recommend oral rehydration therapy (ORT) and avoidance of laboratory tests and intravenous fluids for mild to moderate dehydration in children with gastroenteritis; oral ondansetron has been shown to be an effective adjunct. The aim of this study was to determine if a triage-based, nurse-initiated protocol for early provision of ondansetron and ORT could safely improve the care of pediatric emergency department (ED) patients with symptoms of gastroenteritis. This study evaluated a protocol prompting triage nurses to assess dehydration in gastroenteritis patients and initiate ondansetron and ORT if indicated. Otherwise well patients aged 6 months to 5 years with symptoms of gastroenteritis were eligible. Prospective postintervention data were compared with retrospective, preintervention control subjects. One hundred twenty-eight (81 postintervention and 47 preintervention) patients were analyzed; average age was 2.1 years. Ondansetron use increased from 36% to 75% (P < 0.001). Time to ondansetron decreased from 60 minutes to 30 minutes (P = 0.004). Documented ORT increased from 51% to 100% (P < 0.001). Blood testing decreased from 37% to 21% (P = 0.007); intravenous fluid decreased from 23% to 9% (P = 0.03). Fifty-two percent of postintervention patients were discharged with prescriptions for ondansetron. There were no significant changes in ED length of stay, admissions, or unscheduled return to care. A triage nurse-initiated protocol for early use of oral ondansetron and ORT in children with evidence of gastroenteritis is associated with increased and earlier use of ondansetron and ORT and decreased use of IV fluids and blood testing without lengthening ED stays or increasing rates of admission or unscheduled return to care.

Diarrhoea, nutrition and oral rehydration therapy: awareness, attitude and practices among mothers of children under five years

Background: Lack of knowledge about the preventive and therapeutic measures pose a barrier in the management of diarrhoea in children.Methods: This study was conducted to assess awareness and attitude among mothers of children &lt;5 years, towards diarrhea, feeding practices during diarrhoea, awareness and use of oral rehydration therapy (ORT). A standard questionnaire including handwashing practice, sanitation, personal hygiene, feeding practice, knowledge about disease was the assessmetn tool.Results: Of 300 mothers, 190 (62.60%) were in 20-30 years age group. Mean±SD age was 24.5±2.47 years. Literates were 78.67%; majority belonged to class III (37.69%) and IV (23.32%) socioeconomic class. Disease awareness was low (71.86%) and 68.03% were unaware of complications. Teething (32.64%), contaminated food and water (29.32%) were the main causes. Rice based food considered best (45.96%) followed by fruit juices (21.98%), boiled saboo daana (20.65%). Breast feed continued in 73.93%, solid food in 27.30%. Bottle feeding (92%) was preferred for top feeding and cleaning the bottle with boiling water was the most practiced (68.0%) method. Knowledge on oral rehydrating fluids was adequate (Home made salt and sugar solution (66.0%) and oral hydration solution (80.0%)); knowledge on correct preparation was inadequate. Not practicing proper hand wash (50.55%), wrong dilution (69.50%) and use of unsafe water (29.49%) were correctable factors. There was insufficient knowledge (89.50%) about quantity of fluid to be restored.Conclusions: There is an urgent need to educate mothers on initial fluid replacement and hygienic practices to be followed during diarrhoea apart from improving handwashing practice, sanitation, feeding practice, knowledge about disease.

Perceptions and practices of oral rehydration therapy among caregivers in Cork, Ireland

Background: The use of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) remains limited despite international guidelines for diarrhoeal disease management. This study was done to assess the perception and practice of ORT among caregivers in the management of diarrhoeal disease. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Paediatric Department of Cork University Hospital, Ireland. The study population consisted of parents/guardians of children attending the Paediatric Day Ward or Paediatric Outpatient Department. A questionnaire consisting of 30 questions was originally designed by the first author to include all the study variables, and was given to the participants. Results: Out of 402 respondents, 76.6% (n=308) could describe diarrhoea correctly and perceived it as a serious illness. 81.3% (n=327) of participants knew about ORT but only 27.2% (n=89) agreed it was an ideal first line of management of diarrhoeal disease. Diarrhoeal episodes in the preceding 12 months were reported predominantly in children under the age of 5 years (p&lt;0.001). Only 8.7% (n=17) of caregivers used ORT for diarrhoeal management. Conclusions: Poor uptake of ORT appears to be due to caregivers’ negative perceptions of ORT. This emphasizes the need for correct and adequate education.

Dynamics of Child Health Services in Nigeria: A Review

Childcare has been identified as an integral aspect of integrated maternal and child health services and is aimed at child health promotion for childhood psychosocial and physical development. This study assessed the dynamics of child health services in Nigeria. This was in relation to Nigeria’s poor child health indices with the view to encouraging standard practices neglected over the years. It targets preventive health services to stem diseases and disability among children while promoting early diagnosis of diseases and prompt treatment. These services encompass the provision of childhood immunization, probing for and identification of handicapped children for early rehabilitation, child health education, and nutrition, promotion of environmental sanitation, and monitoring of developmental milestone through proper feeding. Other child health services include sickle cell prevention services, education of caregivers on the importance and use of oral rehydration therapy, and use of antimalarial treatment, and rehabilitation of already affected children. This is invaluable, especially in regions with developing countries where more than 50% of children die before their fifth birthday.

Antidiarrheal activity of hexane extract of Citrus limon peel in an experimental animal model

ObjectiveAcute diarrhea is one of the major illnesses that cause death in children, despite clinical interventions and the use of oral rehydration therapy. Thus, there is need to discover other effective, affordable and accessible treatments for this disease. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the effects of hexane extract of Citrus limon peel (HECLP) on castor oil-induced diarrhea in rats. MethodsDiarrhea was induced in male albino Wistar rats weighing 100–150 g. The antidiarrheal activity of HECLP at different oral dosages (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) was investigated by counting the number of wet fecal pellets. Animals were further treated with propranolol, prazosin, nifedipine and atropine to assess the effects of receptor blockers on the activities of the extract. The effects of HECLP on castor oil-induced enteropooling and the intestinal transit time of activated charcoal were also evaluated. ResultsEach of the 3 doses of C. limon significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the number of wet fecal pellets produced by animals, with 20 mg/kg HECLP producing the highest percentage inhibition (34.2%). Wet fecal pellet inhibition by the standard drug loperamide (3 mg/kg p.o.) was 68.4% relative to the negative control. Blockage of β adrenergic receptors by propanolol abolished the antidiarrheal effects of HECLP. Intestinal fluid accumulation was inhibited by 68.7% and 78.5% by 20 mg/kg HECLP and loperamide respectively. Furthermore, 20 mg/kg HECLP significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the percentage intestinal transit time (21.4% ± 1.42%), relative to the control (34.2% ± 4.29%); atropine (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection) significantly (P < 0.001) reduced the percentage intestinal transit time to 11.2% ± 0.85%. ConclusionThese results suggest that C. limon peel possesses antidiarrheal effects through antisecretory and antimotility mechanisms that act through the β adrenergic system.