How to treat CHOLERA
The most important treatment for cholera is
oral rehydration. Except in severe cases, antibiotics
will not help at all. When a person has watery
diarrhea or diarrhea and vomiting, do not wait for
signs of dehydration. Act quickly.
Give lots of liquids to drink such as a thin cereal
porridge or gruel, soup, water or rehydration drink.
Keep giving food. As soon as the sick person can eat,
give frequent feedings of foods he likes. To babies, keep
giving breast milk often — and before other drinks.
Rehydration drink helps to prevent or treat
dehydration. It does not cure cholera or diarrhea, but
may give enough time for the illness to go away by
itself.
Rehydration drink
Below are two ways of making rehydration drink. If you can, add half a cup of fruit juice,
coconut water, or mashed ripe banana to either drink. These contain potassium, a mineral
which helps a sick person accept more food and drink.
Give the person sips of this drink every 5 minutes, day and night, until he begins to urinate
normally. A large person needs 3 or more liters a day. A small child usually needs at least
1 liter a day, or 1 glass for each watery stool. Keep giving the drink often, and in small sips.
Even if the person vomits, not all of the drink will be vomited.
Made with powdered cereal and salt.
(Powdered rice is best. But you can use finely
ground maize, wheat flour, sorghum, or cooked
and mashed potatoes.)
In 1 liter of clean WATER put
half of a level teaspoon of SALT,
and 8 heaping teaspoons of
powdered CEREAL.
Made with sugar and salt.
(You can use raw, brown sugar or molasses
instead of white sugar.)
In 1 liter of clean WATER put
half of a level teaspoon of SALT,
and 8 level teaspoons
of SUGAR. Mix well.
Boil for 5 to 7 minutes to
form a liquid gruel or watery
porridge. Cool the drink
quickly and begin to give it to
the sick person.
CAUTION: Taste the drink each time before
you give it to make sure that it has not
spoiled. Cereal drinks can spoil within a few
hours in hot weather.
CAUTION: Before adding the sugar,
taste the drink and be sure it is less
salty than tears.
For more information on this and similar subjects, go to www.hesperian.org