Why Children are Dying When We Have a Diarrhea Treatment
January 6th 2011 -
In the UK, we are very lucky. When we get diarrhea, it’s usually not life-threatening in adults or children. Adults simply run off to the pharmacy a buy a diarrhea treatment. They start feeling better in about an hour, and they go on about their business. Though most episodes of childhood diarrhoea are mild, UK children lose fluids. In order to avoid dehydration, we give our children water and other fluids to replace the electrolytes. Our children nearly always get better.
We are always hearing about children in third world countries dying of diarrhoea however, even though a diarrhea treatment is probably available. Where we just go to the tap and cool, clean water comes out, we forget that not everyone has that luxury. Mothers may simply not have the uncontaminated water available to replace the fluids their child has lost. In fact, the water probably gave them the diarrhoea in the first place.
It’s nearly impossible for third world mothers to give their children an effective diarrhoea treatment with no fresh water, a fact we forget. In a land of plenty of clean water and nearby shops selling sports drinks with electrolytes on every corner. While diarrhoea is an inconvenience to us here in the UK, it’s a life-threatening condition to many people around the world for have no access to a diarrhea treatment.
Tags: diarrhea treatment, electrolytes
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