International Journal of Advance Nursing Practice

Background: Diarrhoea remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children, particularly in developing countries. Traditional remedies like old rice water have been used in some regions as a supplementary treatment for diarrhoea, but its efficacy has not been thoroughly evaluated. Aim of the Study: The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of old rice water in reducing diarrhoea severity among children aged 3-6 years at the Institute of Child Health and Research Centre, GRH, Madurai. Methodology: This quantitative, evaluative study follows a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. The sample consists of 40 children diagnosed with diarrhoea, selected using a non-probability consecutive sampling technique. The intervention, old rice water, was administered for two days, and diarrhoea severity was assessed using the Vesikari Clinical Scoring System. Result: The study found a significant improvement in diarrhoea severity, with most children showing a reduction in diarrhoea levels post-intervention. The majority of children who initially had moderate diarrhoea showed a shift to mild diarrhoea by the posttest. Significant associations were observed between religion, mother's occupation, and condition of the child with the treatment's effectiveness. Conclusion: The study concludes that old rice water is an effective and cost-efficient intervention for managing diarrhoea in children, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Further research is recommended to explore its long-term effectiveness and potential for use in diarrhoea prevention programs.