As part of ‘World ORS Week’ celebrations, the Visakhapatnam branch of Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP), in association with Visakha Association of Paediatricians, conducted a walk on the Beach Road on Sunday to create public awareness.
IAP president Dr. G.V. Subrahmanyam highlighted the importance of Oral Re-hydration Solution (ORS). When a child is suffering from loose stools, the parents should check for danger signs such as decreased urine output, dryness of lips and tongue, sunken eyes, and decreased activity, he said.
Dr. Ravi Kiran Reddy, IAP secretary, said that ORS should be given from the first day to replace the lost water and salts from the body. The child should be taken to a paediatric clinic if he or she is not accepting ORS or if condition worsens. During the awareness walk the doctors stressed on the important role of ORS in curing diarrhoea. Along with ORS, zinc should be given to decrease the duration and severity of diarrhoea, they added.
