Maternal Practice on Management of Acute Diarrhea among Children Under Five Years Old in Kosova (Kosova'da Beş Yaş Alti Çocuklarda Görülen Akut Diare Olgularina Annelerin Yaklaşimi)

SUMMARY AIM: Diarrhoeal disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among under-fives especially in developing countries. Important fact about diarrhoea is the care about children for easier course. Very often child-care is not adequate because of low knowledge and attitude and wrong practice. METHOD: The study was conducted to present maternal practice on management of acute diarrhoea among children under five years old, in Kosovo. In this cross– sectional study, the study sample included 106 mothers of children less than 5 years old from all parts of Kosovo. They were interviewed using a pre designed and pre tested questionnaire. RESULTS: In case of children diarrhoea, 60.7% declared that they provide less or even not at all fluids, while 19.6% as usually and only 17.8% more than usually. More than one third of mothers did breastfeed their babies less than usually, and 75% cases more than usually during diarrhoea. Based on living place and mothers age feeding of children with diarrhoea did not differ significantly, but there was a significant difference based on mother’s education. One third of the mothers do not give anything to their children in term to stop the diarrhoea, 19.6% uses rice juice, 15.9% banana, and only 9.3% oral dehydration solution. CONCLUSION: There is an immediate need for campaigns in order to try to change the maternal practice on management of acute diarrhoea. OZET