Tackling an SOS with ORS: All about Giving ORS to Children

If your baby has a case of ‘loosies’, you don’t want to take it for granted. Ever.

That constant vomiting and diarrhea in babies that stem from a bad gastrointestinal infection or what we more commonly refer to as a nasty ‘bug’, can lead to their getting dehydrated. That’s exactly where good old ‘ORS’ steps in.

For those that are not quite familiar with the term, it refers to ‘Oral Rehydration Salt.’ It becomes something of an absolute necessity to replenish all that water and even ‘electrolytes’ that they have lost, and this is exactly what ORS strives to do. Luckily for you, we at EuroKids have carefully curated this article that is packed with all pertinent ORS-related information. Whether it is ‘How to give ORS to Infants’ you are looking for, or some more information pertaining to the Benefits of that ORS Drink for Babies, you will find it all here.

Get your dose of ORS information right now, so as to know exactly what to do in a situation that screams ‘SOS’. After all, those are the very situations that ORS is specifically designed for!

Table of Contents:

• ORS for Babies: Understanding What it is
• Benefits of ORS Drink: Oral Rehydration Salt Uses
• ORS for Babies: How to give ORS to Infants
• The Side Effects of ORS Solution

ORS for Babies: Understanding What it is

You’ve definitely heard the word ‘Electoral’ before, if you haven’t already heard of ORS! It’s nothing short of being a brand of ORS itself.

The prime reason to give our babies that ORS, of course, is to help them fight against Dehydration.

So, what exactly is ORS? Simply put, it is nothing short of being a mixture of Sugar, Salts and Water. The good news is, these can be absorbed by your baby’s body, even if they have a strong bout of diarrhea.

Note: While ORS solution can be prepared at home, it is advisable to buy it over the counter, like that ‘Electral’ solution.

Benefits of ORS Drink: Oral Rehydration Salt Uses

Presenting the Benefits of the ORS drink, that will see you stock up well on it, in no time!

1. The Right ‘Mix’

Broadly speaking, what that ORS drink for babies does, is to provide the perfect mix of glucose, salt and water. These are all the elements that are lost when Baby is dehydrated.

Note: What is important here is not merely the ‘ingredients’, but the perfect ‘ratio’ of ingredients. It is for this very reason that ORS drinks are preferred over pediatric electrolytes.

2. No need for an IV

Seeing their baby strapped to an IV, is one of the most painful things any parent will ever have to experience.

Cool Fact: Thanks to that ORS solution, there is no need for that IV, or even any sort of injection!

3. Fast-Acting

Just when you might have thought, ‘Oh, but the IV would have acted faster…’

Cool Fact: The benefits of ORS are near-instantaneous! You will see results within minutes of administering it to your ailing baby.

4. Safe!

Last but not the least, we really do not want to find ourselves in a position, where we get Baby into yet another complication.

Cool Fact: That ORS drink for Babies can be consumed by people of all ages. Needless to say, it has that ‘safe’ stamp all over it!

ORS for Babies: How to Give ORS to Infants

Now that we have seen just how beneficial that ORS drink can be for our Babies, it;’s time to get the lowdown on how we need to administer it to them.

The trick is in starting slow, and giving them ORS keeping the following considerations in mind.

1. Small amounts over time

It might be normal for us adults to have an entire sachet of Electral at a time, but our babies need to have far more modest quantities.

2. When they are more than 1 year old

You want to give them a spoon or two every 10 minutes, for a few hours.

3. When they are less than 1 year old

You want to give them a teaspoon or two of ORS every 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Dosage based on Weight

All babies are not created equal, which is exactly why you cannot give the same dosage of ORS to every baby out there. The following is a list of how much ORS you need to be giving to your baby in one hour. Based on their weight, of course!

• 7-10 pounds – 4 tbsp
• 11-15 pounds – 5 tbsp
• 16-20 pounds – around half a cup
• 21-40 pounds – around three-quarters of a cup
• 40 pounds and onwards – 1 cup an hour

Note: These are just ‘standard’ considerations. If your baby has fever or is vomiting incessantly, you might want to slightly ‘up’ the dosage.

The Side Effects of ORS Solution

By now we are well apprised of the benefits of ORS for our babies, and even know how we need to administer it to them. That being said, are there any Side Effects of ORS solution that might make us want to reconsider giving it to them?

Broadly speaking, the following side effects might arise with ORS intake, but only on account of it ‘not being used properly’.

• Weakness
• Loss of Appetite
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Extreme Thirst

As you probably noticed, some of the symptoms like ‘nausea’ and ‘vomiting’, are the very symptoms we are trying to get rid of with ORS intake. As mentioned earlier, though, these symptoms only happen if you haven’t been careful enough while administering ORS to your baby.

Important Note: While following the guidelines in the previous section do help, it’s best you keep your doctor in the loop when administering ORS to a baby that is less than one year old.

You don’t want to be in a situation, where you find yourself going to the pharmacy to get that ORS Drink for your Baby, ‘after’ noticing they are dehydrated! Go to the pharmacy ‘now’ and stock up on a good quantity of ORS. After all, you never know when your baby, or quite possibly ‘you’, might need it!

References:

1. National Institutes of Health

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih/gov/pmc/articles/PMC5629891/

2. Nationwide Children’s Hospital

https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/dehydration