Early learning about ORT; children can be teachers
Swai, M.
Dialogue on Diarrhoea 29: 7
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0950-0235 PMID: 12341645 Document Number: 352174
79 children from 2 primary schools in Tanzania practiced 2 lessons in oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for diarrhea, reviewed what they had learned with their mothers and mothers were asked about their knowledge before and after the lessons. The classes entailed making visual aids and making the oral rehydration solution. Mothers were generally familiar with seriousness of infantile diarrhea, had heard of or seen ORT used at clinics, but often did not know how to make solutions properly or the reason for the therapy. After the childrens' instruction, mothers were better able to recognize signs of dehydration such as decrease in urine, dry mouth, sunken fontanelle and eyes. Many more understood why rehydration is used, and could make solutions properly. The success of this trial is significant because there are many times more primary schools in some developing countries than there are health clinics. In another setting, Bombay, India, primary school children learned about diarrhea and ORT by means of a simple board game. The children learned the causes, symptoms, signs and treatment in simple rhymes, which they bring home to their families.