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How will you correct dehydration in six-month-old child with diarrhea?

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WHO diarrhoea child dehydration plan A B C oral rehydration 6 month old

For a 6-month-old with diarrhea, correct dehydration according to its severity. Continue breastfeeding throughout.

1. No dehydration: home treatment

  • Give low-osmolarity oral rehydration solution (ORS) after every loose stool: 50-100 mL (about ¼-½ cup).
  • Give frequent small sips with a spoon, cup, or syringe.
  • If the child vomits, wait 10 minutes, then restart more slowly.
  • Continue normal age-appropriate feeding and breastfeeding.
  • Use properly prepared packaged ORS only. Do not substitute soft drinks, juice, sports drinks, or homemade mixtures of uncertain concentration.

2. Some dehydration: ORS rehydration

Signs can include restlessness/irritability, thirst, sunken eyes, and a skin pinch that returns slowly.
  • Give ORS 75 mL/kg over 4 hours.
    • If weight is unavailable, a child aged 4 to <12 months usually needs approximately 450-800 mL over 4 hours.
  • Reassess after 4 hours:
    • If improved, switch to home treatment.
    • If dehydration persists, repeat ORS treatment or refer.
    • If severe signs develop, treat as severe dehydration.
The WHO plan uses 75 mL/kg over 4 hours for some dehydration and then reassessment. WHO/NCBI diarrhoea guidance

3. Severe dehydration: urgent hospital treatment

Warning signs include lethargy/unconsciousness, very sunken eyes, inability to drink or drinking poorly, and a skin pinch returning very slowly.
  • Refer urgently for IV fluids.
  • For an infant under 12 months, give Ringer's lactate if available:
    • 30 mL/kg in 1 hour, then
    • 70 mL/kg over the next 5 hours.
  • Start ORS, about 5 mL/kg/hour, as soon as the infant can drink.
  • If IV access is not immediately available but the child can take fluid, give ORS by mouth or nasogastric tube at 20 mL/kg/hour for 6 hours while arranging transfer.
These age-specific severe-dehydration volumes are specified in the WHO Plan C chart.

Other measures

  • At age 6 months or older, many WHO-based protocols give zinc 20 mg once daily for 10-14 days, if locally recommended and prescribed.
  • Seek immediate care if there is poor drinking, repeated vomiting, lethargy, blood in stool, fever in a young infant, reduced urine/wet diapers, or worsening diarrhea.
A six-month-old can deteriorate quickly, so severe dehydration or inability to drink should be managed urgently in a health facility.
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