Recommended daily dose of zinc for management of diarrhea in children (as per WHO):?

Appeared in: NORCET 7 Prelims -2024

Explanation

The correct option aligns with the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF guidelines for managing acute diarrhea in children.
For infants younger than 6 months, the recommended daily dose of elemental zinc is 10 mg.
For children aged 6 months and older, the recommended daily dose is 20 mg.
This supplementation should be continued for a duration of 10-14 days to reduce the severity of the current episode and prevent future occurrences.

Option A: A dose of 25 mg/day is higher than the recommended 20 mg/day for children older than 6 months.
Option B: A single dose of 15 mg/day for all children is incorrect. The WHO recommends age-specific dosing.
Option C: A dose of 5 mg/day is too low and would be sub-therapeutic for treating diarrhea in any pediatric age group.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing WHO guidelines for zinc supplementation in pediatric diarrhea helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses must be precise with zinc dosage for pediatric diarrhea, as it is age-dependent. Administering the correct dose is crucial for therapeutic effectiveness and patient safety.
Zinc supplementation, along with ORS, is a cornerstone of the WHO's strategy to reduce childhood mortality from diarrhea, the second leading cause of death in children under five.
Patient education is a key nursing role. Nurses should instruct caregivers to continue the full 10-14 day course of zinc even if the child's diarrhea stops, to ensure gut healing and prevent recurrence.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question: it asks for a specific, evidence-based recommendation ('as per WHO') for a medical intervention (zinc for diarrhea) in a specific population (children).
Recognize that this is a factual recall question based on established international health guidelines.
Scan the options. Notice that they involve different dosages and age stratifications. This signals that the correct answer likely involves an age-specific guideline.
Recall or look for the specific WHO recommendation. The key is to remember that there are two different doses based on a 6-month age cutoff.
Select the option that accurately reflects the dual-dosage guideline: 10 mg for infants under 6 months and 20 mg for children over 6 months.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Pharmacology KD Tripathi Essentials 9e Part 3 p. 8-10

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 1791-1793

Practise the full NORCET 7 Prelims -2024

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.