Kidsstoppress Podcast - Your Parenting Happy Hour

EP 486 : ORS Lady : Medicine Mistakes Parents Make with Kids | Dr Santosh (ORS Expert)

·58 min·5 clips

Dr. Shivranjani Santosh reveals how sugar-loaded drinks sold as ORS worsen child dehydration, after her eight-year battle led to a landmark FSSAI ban.

The episode opens with host Mansi Zaveri introducing Dr. Shivranjani Santosh, a pediatrician who fought for eight years against companies selling high-sugar drinks as ORS, leading to a landmark FSSAI ban. Dr. Santosh explains that ORS is a drug in India with a specific osmolarity of 245 milliosmoles per liter, containing 13.5 grams of dextrose per liter, while mislabeled drinks have 90-120 grams of sugar per liter, worsening dehydration. She details how these drinks, marketed as tasty and costly, deceive parents, especially in remote areas where children may die without proper care. Dr. Santosh describes facing social media trolling and threats during her advocacy. The discussion expands to medication errors in India, where confusing drug formulations and over-the-counter availability lead to dangerous overdoses, with children landing in emergencies. Dr. Santosh criticizes overuse of antibiotics and steroids, predicting millions could die due to antibiotic resistance. She addresses parenting trends like over-sanitization, which may increase allergies, and reliance on packaged food, contributing to health issues. The episode covers sugar limits for children, with no added sugar recommended till age two and a maximum of 25 grams daily thereafter. Dr. Santosh explains the neurological and physical impacts of excess sugar, including hyperactivity and obesity risks. She also discusses breastfeeding benefits, deworming guidelines using albendazole, and her mission to teach first aid and CPR across India, having trained 20,000 people voluntarily. The host concludes by encouraging listeners to engage on social media and subscribe.

As heard by us

ORS, sugar-loaded drinks, and why medicine labels can mislead exhausted parents.

The episode gives Dr. Shivranjani Santosh's fight over ORS a clear spine, and it keeps coming back to a practical question parents know well: which medicine advice can actually be trusted.

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Why you'd press play

When ORS gets blurred into sugary drinks, you want the real label, not the sales pitch.

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