ReSoMal (REhydration SOlution for MALnutrition) oral

Therapeutic action

• Oral rehydration salts with high potassium and low sodium contents

Indications

• Prevention and treatment of dehydration, in children suffering from complicated acute malnutrition only

Forms and strengths

• Sachet containing 84 g of powder, to be diluted in 2 litres of clean, boiled and cooled water

Composition for one litre:

Dosage and duration

Prevention of dehydration

• Child: 5 ml/kg after each loose stool as long as diarrhoea persists
  • Child under 5 kg: 25 ml
  • Child 5 to 9 kg: 50 ml
  • Child 10 to 19 kg: 100 ml
  • Child 20 kg and over: 200 ml

 Treatment of some dehydration 

• Child: 20 ml/kg/hour for 2 hours orally or by nasogastric tube. If improvement (diarrhoea and signs of dehydration regress), reduce to 10 ml/kg/hour until there are no signs of dehydration and/or target weight is reached, then change to prevention of dehydration as above.

Treatment of severe dehydration

Only if there is no circulatory impairment and rehydration by oral route or nasogastric tube is tolerated:

• Child: 20 ml/kg/hour for 1 hour orally or by nasogastric tube. If improvement (diarrhoea and signs of dehydration regress), continue with 20 ml/kg/hour for 2 hours, then reduce to 10 ml/kg/hour, as for some dehydration.

Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions

• Do not administer to patients with cholera or uncomplicated acute malnutrition: use standard ORS instead.
• Closely monitor rate of administration.
• May cause:
  • fluid overload (increased respiratory and heart rates and new onset or worsening of oedema). In this event, stop ReSoMal for one hour then reassess the child’s condition;
  • heart failure when administered too rapidly.

Remarks

• ReSoMal can also be administered in adults suffering from complicated acute malnutrition, including in pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Storage