Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight. I’m Ruby Jones.
Voice 2
And I’m Ryan Geertsma. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Diarrhoea is one of the leading causes of death among babies in the developing world. This is according to the Global Health Council. Almost two million [2,000,000] children die each year from this preventable disease.
Voice 2
Many people may be asking themselves, “If diarrhoea can be prevented, then why are so many babies dying?” Well, the answer is that many people do not learn about this common problem. Today’s Spotlight will give important information about childhood diarrhoea. Please help Spotlight in teaching others about how to treat diarrhoea. You could save a life.
Voice 1
Dr. Guerrant leads the Center for Global Health. Much of his work has been done in Brazil. For twenty–five [25] years, he has studied sick children in developing countries. He is particularly interested in childhood diarrhoea. You could say that Dr. Guerrant is an expert in this area. With just one look, he knows if a child suffered with diarrhoea when she was a baby. How can he tell?
Voice 2
Well, children who had diarrhoea often as babies look different. A seven or eight year old child can be eight percent smaller than children who did not have diarrhoea as babies. Diarrhoea causes children to lose many important nutrients, materials that help bodies develop. So, for children with diarrhoea, their bodies are not able to grow in the right ways. They are smaller than they should be.
Voice 1
But children who suffered with diarrhoea as babies have other problems too. They have greater problems with learning. Dr. Guerrant believes that it is like these children have lost a whole year of school. These children will always be behind other, healthier children.
Voice 2
Dr. Guerrant believes that whole communities suffer when the children of that community have diarrhoea. Children who struggle to learn will be adults who struggle to learn. Dr. Guerrant says that diarrhoea can have lasting effects on the success of the individual and on the whole community. So, that is why it is so important for people to understand how to treat diarrhoea in children.
Voice 1
Most people have experienced diarrhoea at some time. You probably already know the effects – passing waste that is mostly water. And sufferers pass waste more often. You also know the major effect of diarrhoea: dehydration. Dehydration is a lack of water in the body.
Voice 2
Our bodies need water to survive. So, losing water because of diarrhoea is very dangerous. In a baby, the signs of dehydration include a lack of tears when crying, decreased passing of fluids, and dry mouths. Dehydrated babies will also seem weak. They will not able to hold their bodies correctly.
Voice 1
Other signs are cramping, or pain in the stomach area. Babies will look like they are in pain. Their faces will look sad. They will cry. Some babies may not want to eat as often. They will not feel hungry.
Voice 2
Many things cause diarrhoea. Bad organisms are the most common cause, along with chemicals and stress. Children are the most at risk from bad organisms. Organisms can infect children in many different ways. It is very important to prevent this from happening.
Voice 1
The best way to prevent diarrhoea is to keep things clean. Organisms that cause diarrhoea and other diseases can live on many surfaces. Organisms move onto hands when a person touches those surfaces. No–one can see these organisms. A person would not know if objects or his hands are infected. So, washing hands is very important. Before holding a baby, people should wash their hands. After cleaning a baby, people should wash their hands. And before feeding a baby, people should wash their hands.
Voice 2
It is important to keep the baby clean too. Babies are always putting things into their mouths – especially their own hands! But these things may carry harmful organisms. Very soon, the baby can develop diarrhoea.
Voice 1
Clean food and water are also very important. People often get diarrhoea through unclean water and food – this is also true for babies. Using clean water is the second most important step in preventing diarrhoea. In areas without clean water, people should boil the water first.
Voice 2
This is especially true for formula milk. Care givers make this milk using a dry mix and water. But if they use dirty water, the baby will get sick. Babies drink formula milk from a bottle. It is also very important to clean the bottle using hot, clean water and soap. If this is not possible, people can feed babies from a drinking cup. Small drinking cups are easier to clean.
Voice 1
Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to prevent diarrhoea. It is also one of the best ways to treat diarrhoea in a baby. Some people think that they should stop feeding their baby if he or she has diarrhoea. They think that the milk is what keeps coming out as waste. But, this is not true. Continuing to breastfeed is very important. Breast milk contains everything the baby needs to get better.
Voice 2
Babies who take a formula mix from a bottle or cup may also need a rehydration mix. It will help the baby’s body hold water again. This simple mix of sugar, salt, and water will help the baby’s body hold fluids. People can buy the mix. Or they can make a mix. Making the mix requires adding salt and sugar to clean water.
Voice 1
Using three fingers a person can measure the correct amounts of salt and sugar. Take up one pinch of salt between three fingers. Add it to one litre of water. Then add eight pinches of sugar to the salt and water, still using three fingers. Every time the baby passes waste, feed the baby half of a large cup.
Voice 2
These are things that people can do at home to help prevent and treat diarrhoea. But, if a baby becomes severely sick, the baby needs help from a trained doctor.
Voice 1
Diarrhoea is a preventable disease. Together with this information we can help save the lives of many children all over the world.
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