Reviewed by medical experts • For informational purposes only
ORS from the first stool, light food early, zinc for children, watch urine and eyes - hospital for blood, high fever or deepening dehydration.
Treating diarrhea is a protocol, not a pill. Done right at home, most episodes end in 2-3 days; done wrong, they end in hospital. Here is the playbook.
Treat diarrhea by starting ORS at the first stool and continuing after every one, feeding light food early (plus zinc for children), watching urine and eyes for dehydration, refusing stop-it pills and chemist antibiotics - and going to hospital for blood, high fever or deepening dehydration.
Written By
Dr. Daksh
BDS
Reviewed By
Dr. Varun Gupta
MD Pharmacology, MBBS
Last updated on
27 Sep 2022 • 06:23 PM (IST)
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The story and the dehydration exam decide - stool tests and blood work are for blood in stool, high fever, the 2-week mark or severe dehydration.
Safe water stored clean, soap at the four key moments, the hot-or-peeled food rule, rotavirus vaccine and exclusive breastfeeding.
The classical ama-stage rule forbids early binding - the ancient anti-loperamide rule - with kutaja, bael, musta and takra for the settled phase.
Viruses, bacteria and parasites from contaminated water, food and hands - plus lactose intolerance, antibiotics and stress. In children, rotavirus.
ORS first, then khichdi, curd-rice, dal, banana and chhach in small frequent portions - skip milk briefly, fried-spicy food and fasting.
ORS for everyone, zinc for children; antibiotics only for doctor-confirmed cases; anti-motility pills never for children or bloody stools.
