Clinical trial of pap-salt solution in the treatment of dehydrated children

ABSTRACT

In a randomised clinical trial; the efficacy of pap-salt solution (PSS) was compared with the WHO oral rehydration salt (ORS) solution in 212 children; aged between six months and five years. All the children who received PSS were successfully treated and there was no difference (p0.05) in the pre- and post-treatment values of the serum electrolytes in the two groups of children. Pap-salt solution was acceptable to the patients; readily available and much cheaper than the ORS solution. PSS is; therefore; recommended for the rehydration of children with mild and some degree of dehydration in situations where ORS solution is not available