Should we give vitamin A to a child with diarrhoea?
Diarrhoea reduces the absorption of, and increases the need for, vitamin A. In areas where bodily stores of vitamin A are often low, young children with acute or persistent diarrhoea can rapidly develop eye lesions of vitamin A deficiency (xerophthalmia) and even become blind. This is especially a problem when diarrhoea occurs during or shortly after measles, or in children who are already malnourished. In such areas, children with diarrhoea should be examined routinely for corneal clouding and conjunctival lesions (Bitot’s spots). If either is present, oral vitamin A should be given at once and again the next day: 200 000 units/dose for age 12 months to 5 years, 100 000 units for age 6 months to 12 months, and 50 000 units for age less than 6 months. Children without eye signs who have severe malnutrition or have had measles within the past month should receive the same treatment. Mothers should also be taught routinely to give their children foods rich in carotene; these include yell
