Manifestations of rotavirus infection in children. Rotavirus intestinal infection in children: symptoms, incubation period, treatment at home. When to call an ambulance

If foreign agents enter the digestive system and intestines, this leads to adverse consequences - disruption of the digestive process and destruction of healthy cells. A fairly common consequence of contact with pathogens and substances is acute intestinal infection, which can be caused by bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens, but the most common of them is rotavirus.

What is rotavirus and how does it enter the body?

Rotavirus infection (intestinal or stomach flu) is an acute infectious disease of the digestive system that develops due to damage to the gastrointestinal tract by viruses belonging to the Reoviridae family. Doctors call the disease rotavirus gastroenteritis.

There are 8 types (strains) of pathogenic microorganisms, of which only three (A, B, C) pose a threat to humans. From the moment of birth until 6 months, the child’s body contains antibodies that the newborn received from the mother through the placenta. They protect children from external infections. Within six months after the birth of the baby, immune cells gradually become weaker. A child over 6 months old is susceptible to infection in the same way as an adult.

Mandatory immunization against infectious diseases among infants has significantly reduced the mortality rate, but the vaccine against rotavirus is not included in the national vaccination calendar. Almost every child gets sick from the stomach flu before the age of three. During preschool age, most children usually carry all 3 strains. Each subsequent disease with rotavirus gastroenteritis occurs in a milder form.

Rotavirus gets its name from the Latin word “rota” (“wheel”). This is due to the external shape of the virus - a wheel with a clearly defined rim. Many people believe that rotavirus infection is so named because the virus enters the digestive system through the mouth. The infection is truly contagious and is transmitted orally, but it got its name due to its appearance.

The virus enters the gastrointestinal tract and affects the small intestine. Microorganisms group and multiply in the epithelial layers of the duodenum, gradually destroying healthy cells and replacing them with defective ones that cannot absorb (digest) nutrients. As a result, the child develops osmotic diarrhea.

Microorganisms gradually move and exit through the lumens of the small intestine. Some of them penetrate the colon, which leads to dehydration (dehydration) of the body due to the rapid loss of fluid and electrolytes. Often rotavirus infection is accompanied by other intestinal diseases of a viral or bacterial nature. In children, infection with stomach flu occurs through direct contact with the pathogen through unwashed hands, dirty toys, door handles in public places, handrails in transport and utensils of a rotavirus carrier.

Children who attend kindergarten, school, after-school or classes, or walk in a common area, are at high risk of infection. The source of infection can be unboiled water or water in open and artificial reservoirs.

Incubation period of infection

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Symptoms of stomach flu occur between 13-15 hours and 4-7 days from the moment of infection. Most often, the clinical picture appears on the third day after infection. The duration of the incubation period depends mainly on the state of the immune system and several additional factors - diet, individual sensitivity to infections, the presence of concomitant diseases of the digestive system.

If a child under 6 months is breastfed, he can also become infected with rotavirus - if the mother is infected and hygiene rules are not followed. In other cases, there is no danger to the baby - the virus is not transmitted through breast milk. In addition, with milk the baby receives antibodies to the virus from the mother who has recovered from the disease.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection in children

The disease is especially severe in children under seven years of age. The infection can cause severe toxicity. In most cases, children experience the following general symptoms of rotavirus:

Symptom	How it manifests itself	How long does it last
General intoxication	Accompanied by a decrease in the child’s activity, loss of appetite, and prolonged crying. The baby sweats a lot, complains of dizziness and headaches.	5-10 days
Fever	During the first 3 days of the acute period, the temperature can be 38-39 degrees. Then the fever gradually subsides.	3-7 days
Diarrhea	A sick child has bowel movements up to 10-14 times a day. The stool has a liquid, foamy structure, consisting of water and mucus. The color of stool changes from greenish to gray.	7-14 days
Vomit	Vomiting occurs after every meal. A child may feel sick after drinking water and on an empty stomach. In adults, the disease occurs predominantly without vomiting.	Up to 5 days
Stomach ache	They are constant or periodic, with sudden attacks, in nature. Painful sensations intensify when palpating the middle and lower abdomen. The pain is accompanied by bloating, gas, and rumbling.	Up to 5-7 days

With rotavirus infection, the baby may have additional symptoms that indicate a severe course of the disease with complications, or concomitant diseases:

The severity of rotavirus infection in children depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. Often, the older the child, the easier it is for him to tolerate the disease.

Regardless of the baby’s age, at the first manifestations of the disease it is necessary to consult a doctor. Repeated bowel movements (up to ten times a day) or vomiting (up to seven times a day) lead to rapid dehydration of the body.

Diagnosis of the disease

The primary diagnosis is based on complaints from a young patient or the child’s parents. To confirm rotavirus infection (stomach flu), the baby is prescribed laboratory tests:

• coprogram;
• immunochromatography;
• ELISA or PCR;
• rotavirus test;
• diagnosis of viral infections - RSK, RN and RPG;
• immunofluorescence;
• electromicroscopy;
• agarose gel electrophoresis.

If a child is sick with a severe form of rotavirus, a general clinical blood test shows an increased number of leukocytes and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The urine test results show signs of increased protein, red blood cells, white blood cells and columnar epithelium.

A quick and accurate method for diagnosing the disease is the rota test. It allows you to detect infection in stool with maximum reliability in just 10-15 minutes. Additionally, specific virological or serological tests are prescribed.

Features of the course of infection in infants

During breastfeeding, rotavirus infection rarely occurs in babies. Children older than six months and children fed artificial formula are more susceptible to the disease. From the first days of infection, the child exhibits the following signs of rotavirus infection:

• lethargy and low activity;
• restless behavior and irritability;
• sunken eyes and fontanel (we recommend reading:);
• pronounced rumbling in the stomach;
• loose stools of a specific color;
• vomit.

In infants and one-year-old children, the disease passes without concomitant inflammation of the tonsils and redness of the throat. If your baby develops dehydration, this condition is usually accompanied by the following symptoms:

• dry tongue and lips;
• “dry” crying without tears;
• rare urination (no more than once every three hours);
• slight sweating.

The clinical picture of stomach flu is especially pronounced in the first 2-3 days from the moment of infection. The temperature rises sharply, up to 38-39 degrees, and gradually decreases provided that treatment procedures are undertaken in a timely manner. Treatment of a baby with dehydration occurs exclusively in a hospital.

Treatment of rotavirus infection

In order to help the child’s body cope with the disease without complications and cure the baby faster, complex therapy is necessary. Symptomatic treatment is aimed at solving several problems at once, its scheme includes:

• rehydration;
• decrease in temperature;
• suppression of pain attacks;
• therapeutic dietary nutrition;
• enterosorption;
• drug restoration of intestinal microflora.

Rehydration

First of all, doctors restore the water balance in the body of a small patient. If the usual intake of water causes another attack of vomiting, the child is given IV drips with drugs to rehydrate:

• Regidron;
• Oralit;
• Humana Electrolyte.

Antipyretics

Temperatures above 38.6 degrees must be brought down with medications. You can give your child antipyretics in the form of Ibuprofen-based syrup or rectal suppositories. Suppositories are re-inserted every 2 hours and care is taken that the temperature does not fall below 38 degrees. At temperatures of 39 degrees and above, the baby is prescribed drugs based on Paracetamol.

Painkillers

If children have stomach pain, antispasmodics can be given. It is important to coordinate the use of the drug with your doctor and strictly adhere to the dosage for a specific age. Ribal copes well with bloating, diarrhea, vomiting and colic. This remedy suppresses the urge to vomit and blocks receptors that are responsible for pain in the intestines.

Enterosorbents

Enterosorbents adsorb toxins from the blood and are safe for use at any age. For rotavirus gastroenteritis, the following is usually used:

Pro- and prebiotics

Probiotics with lacto- and bifidobacteria help stop diarrhea and restore normal intestinal microflora. They are taken only after the end of the acute phase of rotavirus disease - 3 days after the onset of symptoms. The following can be used as probiotics:

• Bifidumbacterin;
• Acipol;
• Linux.

Enzyme therapy is continued after the baby has fully recovered to prevent the development of dysbacteriosis. During this period, it is important to review the children's diet. It is mandatory to exclude milk, meat, fatty, fried, spicy foods and foods that increase acidity in the stomach. If the baby is bottle-fed, regular food is replaced with a lactose-free formula. The duration of the diet is at least 1-2 weeks after complete recovery.

Antibiotics and antivirals

Antibiotics are useless for rotavirus - antiviral drugs do not treat stomach flu. Doctors prescribe Enterol or Nifuroxazide only if they doubt the diagnosis or there is a possibility of contracting a bacterial infection.

To maintain the child’s immunity, it is recommended to give him immunomodulating drugs that stimulate the body’s protective function during the treatment period. Usually children are prescribed:

• Interferon;
• Cycloferon;
• Anaferon.

It is better to use the product in the form of a suppository (rectal suppositories). In this form, it more quickly activates local immunity in the gastrointestinal tract. The duration of immunotherapy is at least 5 days.

How long does the disease last?

How long the intestinal flu lasts depends on the strain (type) of infection, the form of the disease (primary or secondary), the age of the child and his immunity. Rotavirus gastroenteritis occurs cyclically:

• the incubation period lasts 1-5 days;
• the duration of the acute phase is on average up to one week;
• recovery - 4-5 days.

In the first 5 days from the moment of infection, the baby is contagious to peers and even adults. A sick child should be isolated from other children for at least 10 days from the moment the first symptoms of stomach flu appear. If treatment is started on time, after 10 days the baby will be completely healthy. In severe cases of rotavirus infection, recovery occurs within 3 weeks.

Is immunity developed?

The body of adults and children produces specific antibodies to rotavirus.

Immunity to the disease lasts from 3-4 months to a year, after which a person can become infected again. Also during this period, re-infection is possible through contact with a virus of a different strain.

Since there are several types of rotavirus, and it constantly mutates, you can get the disease several times during your life. When intestinal flu is re-infected, it progresses more easily and without consequences.

Possible complications

The most dangerous complication of rotavirus disease is dehydration. The development of this condition can cause kidney failure (including kidney failure), blood thickening, cardiac dysfunction, neurological pathologies, brain damage, and seizures.

Like other infections, rotavirus reduces the body's protective function. During illness and after recovery, the child is more susceptible to viruses. Weak immunity is a common cause of stomatitis, skin diseases, and hair loss.

A typical problem for children who have had intestinal flu is gastrointestinal diseases. Intestinal infection and intoxication lead to the development of new or relapse of previous diseases.

If parents consult a doctor on time and strictly follow his recommendations, the prognosis is positive. Rotavirus in children can be completely cured and does not develop into a chronic form.

Prevention measures

The main condition for the prevention of any intestinal infection is proper hygiene. The child should be taught to wash his hands after every walk and before eating. In order to avoid infection, it is necessary to completely avoid the consumption of untreated tap water and unwashed fruits and vegetables.

Regular wet cleaning of the room and disinfection of toys significantly reduces the risk of infection. Additionally, doctors recommend taking measures to strengthen general immunity at home - hardening the child, following the correct diet and daily routine.

There is no mandatory vaccination against rotavirus, but there are 2 paid vaccinations that can be given to children under 6 months of age who have not been sick before. The drug RotaTek is taken orally in the form of drops, three times a day, from 1.5 months of age, every 41-50 days. Rotarix is ​​used for prevention in the form of double injections at the same interval.

People have long since adopted the name “intestinal” or “stomach” flu for rotavirus infection. This disease is caused by a completely different type of virus, but often has the initial symptoms of ARVI.

Rotavirus infection in children occurs only in case of contact with the pathogen. This occurs through dirty hands, toys, after touching door handles, handrails, or eating food from an infected person’s dishes. There are still some controversial issues regarding the transmission of the virus - many defend the possibility of infection through airborne droplets.

Children are at high risk of becoming infected in a preschool or educational institution, on a playground, on a walk, or in an after-school group. There is a possibility of infection by drinking unboiled water with virus virions or by swimming in water bodies.

Parents should try to protect their child from rotavirus infection by developing proper hygiene skills, strengthening the immune system and avoiding contact with infected people. We must not forget that you can become infected from a visually healthy adult who carries the virus, so high-quality prevention can prevent infection.

Many parents do not even know how many days the disease lasts and how to treat rotavirus in children of different ages. They are also not familiar with the symptoms, although the disease is quite dangerous and is fraught with serious consequences, including death.

Note. This disease is most dangerous for children from 6 to 24 months, with artificial feeding - from birth.

Symptoms

Rotavirus in children always manifests itself more aggressively than in adults. Many adults may not even understand that they are sick - a mild cold and an isolated case are in no way associated with a dangerous disease for children. Such people become virus carriers, infecting others.

Symptoms in children under one year of age can be extremely acute. Older children tolerate the disease much easier, they have fewer episodes of vomiting, and diarrhea is less pronounced.

There is no rash during the disease; if emerging rashes are detected, it is necessary to immediately notify the doctor about their presence. This may signal other, more dangerous infections.

Rotavirus is characterized by 3 types of symptoms: gastrointestinal, catarrhal and intoxicating.

Gastrointestinal:

• vomit;
• diarrhea (diarrhea);
• moderate abdominal pain.

Catarrhal:

• sore throat and redness of the throat;
• fever, red eyes;
• swelling of the tonsils, slight cough, .

Intoxicating:

• lethargy, drowsiness;
• lack of appetite;
• severe immobility;
• the smell of acetone from a sick person.

In children with rotavirus infection, the temperature often jumps to 40°C, but in most cases it ranges from 38.5-39.7°C. Vomiting (only in the first 2 days of the acute period) can be one-time or occur after each use of liquid. Foul-smelling diarrhea is also variable - loose stools are possible from 5-7 times to 20 in severe cases of the disease.

These symptoms do not appear immediately, but increase as the disease progresses. You need to know how the infection begins to manifest itself - it can give different symptoms in different children. One baby will be lethargic without intestinal disorders, another may immediately demonstrate uncontrollability.

Onset of the disease

The incubation period of most rotaviruses lasts from 1 to 5 days, often not exceeding 24 hours. The timing depends on the baby’s age, his immunity and the volume of the attacking virus. The disease can be accurately diagnosed using a stool test in a medical facility or using a rota test sold in pharmacies.

The initial stages of the disease are divided into three types:

1. Cold.
2. Classic.
3. Intoxication.

Often, at first, the disease is disguised as an acute respiratory infection or a common cold. A slight cough, nasal congestion or redness of the throat appears, disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract begin after 2-3 days. In the second scenario, babies immediately begin to experience gastrointestinal disorders.

General intoxication in the third type of onset of the disease occurs without fever, the baby is either lethargic or too excited, the nasopharynx is normal, but soon they join. If an infant develops lethargy for no particular reason, you should be on guard - the intoxication onset of the disease is most often observed in such children.

Attention! Adults and adolescents are less susceptible to the disease due to the higher acidity of gastric juice. Symptoms in case of infection are erased, loose stools 1-2 times, vomiting may be absent, but such a person becomes a carrier of infection.

Parents should know all the signs of rotavirus infection and remember that the disease not only begins in different ways, it is also extremely contagious. They should also understand how to treat rotavirus infection in a child and not take this disease lightly.

Treatment

Rotavirus infection can demonstrate a different course of the disease, but all treatment consists of 2 actions - rehydration and reducing the activity of the virus. Often, treatment of rotavirus in children may require the prescription of antipyretic drugs. This medicine should be taken at a temperature exceeding 38.5°C and the use of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) should not be allowed.

Attention! Illiterate treatment at home without contacting specialists is fraught with dangerous complications and the likelihood of death.

The treatment regimen depends on the severity of the disease, the patient's age and location, but always includes antiviral drugs and plenty of fluids. Absorbent agents are also prescribed to reduce intoxication of the body. Treatment can take place at home or in a hospital setting.

Outpatient

Treatment at home necessarily requires contacting a doctor. The following groups of drugs are used as prescribed by a doctor:

1. Antiviral - Viferon, Interferon.
2. Rehydration - Regidron, Gluxonal.
3. Absorbent - Enterosgel, Smecta.
4. Antidiarrheal antibacterial agents - Enterofuril, Enterol.
5. Pro- and prebiotics - Linex, Hilak.

It is not advisable to give any medications other than absorbent ones without consulting a doctor. Before examining a doctor, it is better to give the patient plain boiled water.

Antidiarrheals and drugs to restore microflora are not always prescribed during the acute period. After its completion, along with beneficial bacteria, enzyme preparations are sometimes prescribed - Pancreatin, Creon.

Important! It is strictly forbidden to give antidiarrheal drugs to an infected person without a doctor’s prescription. Also, in the absence of direct indications, antibiotics should not be taken. They have no effect on the virus, but can harm the intestinal microflora. They are prescribed only when a bacterial infection is obvious or diagnosed.

Parents believe that when treating at home, it is enough to know how long rotavirus infection lasts to make sure that the disease is overcome. This is the wrong approach - recovery can only be diagnosed by repeat testing for the absence of rotavirus.

Parents often clarify how many times their children get sick with rotavirus, because there is a concept of a “second wave” - after 5-7 days the patient gets better, and after 1-3 days the symptoms appear again. In the infectious diseases hospital they always do a test upon discharge to exclude this phenomenon.

Treatment in hospital

The younger the baby, the more likely he is to be hospitalized - for them the disease is most dangerous. Severely ill patients and children with severe dehydration are also admitted to the hospital. In other cases, treatment at home is acceptable, but all residents must exercise extreme caution and be sure to be tested for the absence of virus virions.

Advice! Hospitalization for rotavirus infection should not be neglected - over 400 thousand child deaths from this disease are recorded annually worldwide.

Not knowing how contagious a child is after rotavirus, some parents are in a hurry to leave the hospital as soon as possible. At the same time, there is still a possibility of infecting others - the sick person is contagious from the first day until complete recovery. The most likely period of treatment in the hospital is 4-7 days, followed by examination of the stool for the content of virus virions.

The disease is divided into 3 periods:

1. Incubation - up to a maximum of 5 days.
2. Acute - uncomplicated 3-7 days.
3. Recovery - 4-5 days.

Staying in the hospital for the entire duration is not necessary, but in case of severe dehydration it is vital. Final recovery is diagnosed by laboratory tests, not by improvement in the patient's well-being.

Traditional methods

Various non-medical methods can also help the patient recover faster or cope with the disease more easily. They can also help restore a child after rotavirus. They cannot be relied upon exclusively, but they can be used as an aid.

• dill water;
• St. John's wort decoction;
• chamomile tea;
• unsweetened dried fruit or raisin compote.

Some recommend taking a decoction of oak bark, but this remedy has a pronounced antidiarrheal effect, which is contraindicated for rotavirus infection. Many other recommended herbs and decoctions also have an antidiarrheal effect - their use can be life-threatening due to excessive reproduction of the virus. St. John's wort decoction also deserves special attention - children under 3 years old should not take it.

Even pediatricians recommend wiping with water with the addition of vinegar or alcohol. The temperature during rotavirus infection does not go down well and can remain high for several days, and such procedures help to reduce it slightly and make the patient feel better.

Complete treatment of rotavirus infection in children includes a mandatory diet. You need to know what you can eat during illness - proper nutrition is the key to a quick recovery.

Features of drinking and nutrition

If you don’t know what to feed a child with rotavirus infection, you can cause great harm. All dairy products must be excluded.

Children who are bottle-fed must be switched to lactose-free formulas. The exception is breast milk, but in case of critical dehydration, it is also prohibited. To avoid new attacks of vomiting, it is necessary to properly water children.

Features of fluid intake:

1. Often and in small portions.
2. Around the clock, wake up if he’s sleeping.
3. Take breaks between fluid intakes.
4. Maintain a gradual increase in drinking volumes.

Babies during the acute period should be fed from a spoon every few minutes, maintaining intervals. Even if the baby is very thirsty, do not give more than 50 ml at a time. Before the next portion you need to pause. A uniform supply of fluid is much more important than food - the baby may refuse food for a while. If you refuse, you cannot force feed your children; complete starvation is acceptable.

To avoid the progression of the acetonemic state and the leaching of salts, you can add a small amount of sugar and salt to your drink. Special products such as Regidron are also acceptable. Drinking plenty of fluids is urgently necessary; in case of fluid refusal, intravenous administration is required in a hospital setting.

If the sick person does not refuse food, then it should be dietary. During the acute period, porridge with water, pureed vegetable purees, rice and its broth, chicken broth and crackers are allowed. You should also follow a diet after rotavirus infection - the volume and density of food should be increased gradually. At first, you should avoid dairy, fatty, fried, spicy and sweet foods.

Complications

It is important to recognize rotavirus in a timely manner and eliminate negative consequences. Maximum control throughout the entire period of illness should be aimed at replenishing the lost volume of fluid.

Attention! If a child with rotavirus is undergoing outpatient treatment, but responds to any fluid intake by vomiting, urgent hospitalization is necessary. Urgent recovery with IVs is required. Vomiting can cause catastrophic dehydration, which can be fatal.

If in the first days after rotavirus the child does not eat anything, do not worry too much and force feed him. It is much more important to maintain a drinking regime, offering frequent snacks from permitted foods, but without trying to force him to eat. Proper recovery from rotavirus infection minimizes the negative impact of the disease on health.

Parents should pay close attention to the well-being of children if severe dehydration and the appearance of a pronounced acetonemic state have occurred.

It is important to check your kidney function, the following consequences are possible:

• Gasser syndrome.
• Infectious-toxic kidney.
• Acute renal failure.

If your stomach hurts after rotavirus, this is a reason to undergo additional examination. The disease itself usually does not cause pain after recovery, but it can damage the intestines. If the pain is combined with dark stools or stools, then you need to urgently seek medical help.

In most cases, the disease passes without consequences, but its course always causes severe stress for the body. To protect a child from rotavirus infection, timely prevention is necessary.

Prevention

The most important point of prevention is hygiene. It is important from infancy to teach children to wash their hands after using the toilet, returning from a walk and before eating. It is necessary to avoid drinking raw water - chlorine cannot completely overcome rotavirus. Heat treatment of products should be sufficient, and washing of fruits and vegetables should be thorough. For children, it is better to rinse vegetables and fruits with boiling water before eating.

Particular attention should be paid to wet cleaning of the house and regular disinfection of children's toys, as well as avoiding contact with children who have respiratory symptoms. Strengthening general immunity also applies to preventive measures. In case of illness, strong immunity will make it easier to transfer the infection.

There is also a vaccination against rotavirus, but it is not on the list of mandatory vaccines. The decision to use it is made by the child’s parents or guardians.

Vaccination against rotavirus

Many parents do not know whether their child can get rotavirus again and, after the first case of infection, think about vaccination. After an illness, long-term immunity is formed, practically eliminating re-infection. Only people with poor health can become ill again.

Two types of vaccines can protect children from rotavirus infection. They are practiced only in infants without the slightest sign of any disease over the age of 1.5 months. Both types of vaccines are relevant up to six months of age and are carried out in several stages. The Belgian drug Rotarix is ​​available in the form of double injections, the American RotaTek is used 3 times orally.

There are many debates about the need for this vaccination. It is not included in the list of mandatory vaccines, but you need to remember that rotavirus is highly contagious and can be life-threatening. If a child vomits or has diarrhea, parents should be wary, if possible, conduct a rota test purchased at a pharmacy, or immediately call a doctor.

Many of our readers ask about the symptoms and treatment of rotavirus infection, and this is what our article will be about. Rotaviruses are a group of viral infections that most often cause in children aged 6 months to 2 years. Viruses affect not only children, but also adults, in whom the disease usually occurs in a mild form with mild symptoms. The disease caused by rotaviruses is contagious. Intestinal flu is transmitted through contaminated food (most often dairy), through contact and household contact (through dirty hands); there is also information about the transmission of rotavirus infection by coughing and sneezing.

The incidence of rotavirus infections is seasonal, the highest number of cases is recorded between November and April.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection

During the course of the disease, there is an incubation period lasting up to 5 days, an acute period lasting 3–7 days, and a recovery period (4–5 days).

The onset of the disease is usually acute, characterized by a sharp increase in temperature, repeated vomiting, cramping pain and rumbling in the abdomen, possibly. The nature of the stool helps diagnose rotavirus infection. On the first day of illness, the stool is liquid yellow in color; in subsequent days, the stool becomes gray-yellow with a clay-like consistency. In addition to intestinal manifestations of the disease, patients are bothered by a runny nose, sore and sore throat, and cough.

The above symptoms are more typical for children. In adults, symptoms of rotavirus are often similar to a common digestive disorder. Possible loss of appetite, loose stools, increased body temperature, which persist for a short time. Often, rotavirus infection in adults is asymptomatic, however, they are infectious to others. If there is a sick person in a team or family, then the people around him begin to get sick one by one.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection can be very similar to signs of other infectious diseases (cholera), so if they appear, especially in young children, you should call a doctor. Under no circumstances should you give your child painkillers before consulting a doctor. , as it may mask the symptoms of more serious illnesses.

Treatment

There are no specific drugs whose action is aimed at destroying rotaviruses. Treatment measures are aimed at combating the symptoms of the disease.

If patients have a decreased appetite, then you should not force them to eat; you can offer to drink homemade berry jelly or chicken broth. Food and drink should be consumed in small portions so as not to provoke an attack of vomiting. You should not eat any dairy products, as they are a good environment for the spread of pathogenic bacteria.

To avoid the development of dehydration, rehydration therapy is necessary. Patients are advised to drink water, or better yet, saline solutions (rehydron or table salt solution prepared at the rate of 1 teaspoon of salt per 1 liter of water). The liquid should be taken in small portions of no more than 50 ml every half hour. Intravenous fluid administration may be required only in the case of a very severe course of the disease with increasing intoxication of the body.

Prevention of rotavirus infection

For specific prevention, two vaccines containing a weakened virus have been developed to combat rotavirus infection. They are taken orally.

Nonspecific prevention consists of following the rules of personal hygiene (washing hands after visiting the toilet and public places, before eating), as well as rules for handling food and water. Vegetables and fruits must be washed thoroughly, and during the epidemic period it is recommended to pour boiling water over them. Only boiled water should be consumed. Particular attention should be paid to the quality of dairy products; you should not consume products of dubious origin or with an expired expiration date.

Which doctor should I contact?

If signs of an intestinal infection appear, you should contact an infectious disease specialist. With a milder course of the disease, treatment by a therapist, gastroenterologist, or pediatrician is possible. During the recovery period, it would not hurt to consult a nutritionist.

Dr. Komarovsky about rotavirus:

Diet for rotavirus for children:

About probiotics:

Rotavirus infection in children is a common disease. Quite a large number of children under five years of age suffer from this nuisance.

Rotavirus infection, or, as people say, intestinal flu, gives children discomfort and pain, and their parents - trouble, anxiety and fears for the baby’s health.

Therefore, in order for mothers to feel more prepared, in the article we will talk about how rotavirus infection manifests itself in children, and we will also fully cover treatment at home.

Description

Rotavirus infection is an acute intestinal infection. The disease is caused by a pathogen called “rotavirus”: hence its name.

People at any age can become infected and fall ill with this disease, however, most often the disease affects children aged from six months to five years.

The disease spreads to the nasopharynx and digestive system. If an adult gets sick with rotavirus infection, he will “survive” the disease easily, most likely, he will not even have to go on sick leave.

But, unfortunately, children suffer from illness much more difficult.

Typically, rotavirus is transmitted to children through an infected person, including an adult, who is unaware that he is a carrier of the infection.

The virus, having entered the child’s body, immediately develops “violent activity” and begins to actively multiply. It is then that the first alarming and unpleasant symptoms of malaise begin to appear.

The peak of “infectiousness” for others occurs on the third to fifth day from the onset of the disease. Most often, germs are transmitted through food or water that the sick person has come into contact with.

In addition, rotavirus can be transmitted through insufficiently washed hands or any household items used by an infected person.

Rotavirus is not transmitted by airborne droplets. However, this is not a reason to think that a child can calmly talk and communicate with a sick person.

Until now, medical experts have not yet come to a consensus regarding all routes of transmission of this virus, so for “every firefighter” it is better to completely limit the child’s contact with a carrier of rotavirus infection.

Think about yourself: it is also important for you not to get an infection from your sick child. If the parents also fall ill, who will take care of the baby?

Therefore, for safety reasons, use gloves and a mask when caring for your child.. Under no circumstances finish eating after it, or drink from the same cup.

Rotavirus - intestinal flu

Symptoms

The incubation period of the disease lasts from one to four days, and the first heralds of the disease make themselves felt half a day to a day after infection.

If the development of the disease follows a standard pattern, then after the end of the incubation period the child’s temperature rises sharply. How long the temperature lasts depends on the age of the child and his immunity.

In addition, the following unpleasant manifestations begin:

• vomit;
• bloating, pain;
• diarrhea.

The stool at the beginning of the development of infection is characteristic: foamy and watery, very liquid. And after two or three days it turns green, seriously scaring many mothers. Moreover, the child is forced to go to the potty up to ten times a day.

Due to such frequent diarrhea, the baby’s body becomes severely dehydrated. Therefore, it is important to give your child more to drink so that he does not suffer too much due to lack of fluid in the body.

The child refuses to eat, sometimes his appetite completely disappears. And, if you can still close your eyes to feeding, then giving the child water is a vital necessity.

Sometimes there is another variant of the development of the disease. In this case, it is not the intestinal symptoms that appear first, but the respiratory symptoms. These include:

• sore throat, sore throat;
• runny nose;
• cough - dry and barking;
• sometimes conjunctivitis is possible/

There will also be diarrhea here, however, this symptom will appear later. And, in addition, this type of infection can occur without fever.

In infants, the manifestations of the disease have their own specifics. What symptoms in this case will help parents recognize the disease:

• heat;
• lethargy and drowsiness of the child;
• crying for no external reason;
• baby refusing to breast or bottle;
• The baby's stomach is rumbling. In addition, the tummy looks bloated and tense.

Later, diarrhea begins, possibly along with vomiting. Infants experience rotavirus infection even more severely than older children, since dehydration in this case occurs at a very rapid rate.

If your baby develops similar symptoms, call a doctor immediately: the baby needs qualified help. And before the doctors arrive, feed the child in every possible way: from a bottle, from a pipette, or by pouring liquid into his mouth with a syringe without a needle.

If you want to know how long rotavirus infection lasts in children, we hasten to please you: if treatment is started on time and therapy is carried out under the supervision of specialists, the disease goes away quite quickly: usually four to seven days are enough.

But there can also be complications, which in most cases are caused by severe dehydration.

Important information: if a child has had this type of intestinal infection, he acquires stable immunity to it for the rest of his life.

And if you are wondering whether it is possible to walk with a child with a rotavirus infection, then we hasten to assure you that pediatricians allow taking the child out into the fresh air for a short time, but only if he feels normal and there is no fever.

Complications

Dehydration is dangerous because it can lead to severe damage to the child’s nervous system.. As a result of this lesion, the child may experience convulsions, which sometimes even lead to respiratory arrest.

In addition, dehydration interferes with the normal functioning of the lungs. Often such a complication ends in pneumonia.

In medical practice, it has often happened that when diarrhea began, a child was not given enough to drink. And then, when the parents finally called an ambulance, the baby already developed pneumonia in the hospital.

Treatment

We will find out what medications, methods and means are included in standard therapy for rotavirus infection in children: we will understand in detail what to treat and how to treat this unpleasant infection.

The traditionally used course of treatment includes the following areas:

• rehydration;
• special diet;
• elimination of intoxication;
• relief of symptoms of the disease.

How long the disease is treated depends, first of all, on the timeliness of starting therapy, the child’s immunity, and strict adherence to all doctor’s recommendations.

Let's look at the stages of treatment in more detail.

This method of therapy is aimed at replacing the child’s body with the fluid it has lost. This is done to avoid dangerous dehydration.

When a mother gives her baby water or other liquid to drink, this is rehydration at home.

This type of therapy is the main one for rotavirus infection. He is also the first aid for this disease. Doctors recommend giving your child a little drink at home so that problems do not arise later, how to stop vomiting after a large dose of liquid.

The ideal schedule for feeding a child during acute rotavirus infection: every five to ten minutes, a teaspoon/dessert spoon. At the same time, carefully monitor the child’s condition: if he does not have the urge to vomit, it is permissible to increase the one-time dose of administered liquid.

In addition, also suitable:

• still mineral water;
• unsweetened, slightly concentrated dried fruit compote;
• rice water, which helps strengthen the stomach.

Attention: if vomiting occurs too often, or you cannot give your child anything to drink, it is best to go to the hospital to avoid possible dangerous complications. On an outpatient basis, the baby will be able to receive intravenous fluid infusion.

In order to remove a harmful virus and toxins from a child’s body, the following drugs can be used at home:

• Enterosgel;
• Smecta;
• White coal;
• Enterofuril.

In case of overdose, these drugs are quite capable of leading to constipation, which is no less unpleasant than diarrhea.

Antipyretics

As already mentioned, high temperatures do not always occur in children.. However, if this symptom occurs and the temperature exceeds 38 degrees, the child can be given the following remedies:

• Ibuprofen;
• Panadol;
• Efferalgan and Tsefekon suppositories.

These drugs must be administered into the child’s body, again according to medical advice and the instructions attached to the medicine.

Try not to overuse antipyretics, and strictly monitor compliance with the age-specific dosage of medications.

Rotavirus – School of Dr. Komarovsky

Rotavirus infection is not treated with antibiotics, since this type of therapy is aimed at eliminating bacterial infections.

To make sure that your child has a rotavirus infection and not some kind of bacterial ailment, purchase an express rota test and do it at home.

Attention: antibiotics are also prescribed for viral diseases, but only if bloody discharge is visible in the child’s stool. In this case, the antibacterial drug Furazolidone can help..

Anti-diarrhea medications are not prescribed. In this case, diarrhea is a protective reaction of the body that helps to quickly get rid of toxins. The main thing is to promptly replace lost fluid by frequent watering of the baby.

If a child complains of severe pain and discomfort in the abdomen, you can give him No-shpa or Riabal.

Antiviral drugs are an essential component of complex therapy for this type of infection. Safe interferon-based products are recommended for children: for example, Viferon or Cycloferon.

You can also use such a powerful antiviral as Arbidol, but only after consultation with your doctor.

Most often, pediatric therapy for rotavirus also includes taking probiotics, since the natural microflora of the digestive tract is always suppressed with this disease.

Diet

Let's find out what to feed a child with rotavirus infection.

It is important to know that rotavirus infection provokes lactose deficiency, so many familiar foods should be excluded from the child’s diet. These products include all dairy and fermented milk dishes.

In addition, the following is prohibited:

• fried and fatty;
• meat, including meat broths;
• various sweets and baked goods;
• sweet fruits and soda.

What can you eat, you ask. A logical question, so now we’ll tell you what diet will help with rotavirus infection in children.

1. Porridge: especially rice and buckwheat - a wonderful way to strengthen the stomach and at the same time give the body strength.
2. Crackers- also a proven “fixer” for diarrhea. The same function can be performed by dry, long-lasting cookies like “Mashenka” or biscuits.
3. Vegetable and potato puree- soft pureed dishes that do not irritate a sore stomach.
4. Kissel.
5. Vegetable broth soup.
6. Apples baked in the oven, can temporarily serve as dessert. And the pectin they contain will help the child cope with the disease faster.

Keep in mind that your baby may have big problems with his appetite in the first three days of illness. If a child completely refuses to eat these days, you should not force him to eat, but do not forget to give him something to drink.

If the infection occurs in a breastfed baby, then it is best to reduce the number of feedings while he fights the disease.

And if a baby is bottle-fed in infancy, it is necessary to urgently replace formulas containing milk with lactose-free ones.

Without a doubt, the main therapy for rotavirus infection should be traditional medication, however, our ancestors created many interesting recipes and recommendations that can also be used when treating a child.

Before trying any of the home alternative treatments, be sure to consult your pediatrician first.

Dried blueberry compote will help disinfect the child’s digestive tract and relieve symptoms of inflammation. In addition, this product is excellent at removing toxins from the body.

Dill water safely and gently helps with children's bloating and flatulence. It is also approved for use by infants. Prepare dill water as follows: pour a teaspoon of dry herb with a glass of boiling water, and then leave for an hour under a closed lid.

After the product has cooled, it should be strained, and then given to children over two years old half a glass, and to infants a tablespoon every two hours.

A decoction of raspberry leaves helps reduce fever. In addition, this product has mild astringent properties, which will help cope with indigestion. The same characteristics are inherent in raspberry juice.

Prevention

What measures to prevent rotavirus infection in children will help avoid infection.

Firstly, vaccination against this disease is now widely used. This vaccine is administered to babies in their first six months of life, and is a weakened strain of rotavirus. After vaccination, the child acquires lasting immunity to the disease, exactly the same as if he had been ill.

Related Methods:

As you can see, treating a child with rotavirus infection at home is, of course, troublesome, but necessary and, with a timely response, not so long.

Rotavirus infection is a very unpleasant disease in which cold symptoms and severe enterocolitis are combined. When infected, the following appear:

• Pain and sore throat.
• Vomiting and diarrhea.
• Hyperemia of the mucous membranes.

The disease most often affects young children. This is due to the specific nature of the transmission of the microbe - through unwashed hands, dirty fruits and vegetables. It also spreads through household contacts (dishes, towels, kisses), so the disease rapidly affects children's groups and adult family members. By the age of five, 90% of young patients suffer from this disease.

The infection is caused by a group of reoviruses. In 90% of cases, group A. They tolerate low temperatures and other unfavorable conditions well. The bacilli have a three-layer shell, so they don’t care about acid or stomach enzymes. Reproduction begins in the intestines. Pathogens infect villous cells, causing their death. The toxin disrupts the absorption of water and poisons the nerve fibers of the intestines. During the multiplication of rotaviruses, temporary:

• Malabsorption.
• Lactase deficiency.

For infection, 100 virions are sufficient, while in the patient’s stool there are 10 trillion of them per gram.

In 5% of cases the disease is fatal. Most often this is due to untimely consultation with a doctor, which leads to severe dehydration and intoxication. Therefore, it is important to know the main symptoms and course of the disease in order to recognize the danger.

Symptoms and course of the disease

Doctors say that 50% of cases of childhood diarrhea are associated with the work of rotaviruses. It is possible to catch the infection as early as six months, when the specific immunity received from the mother ceases to function. After contact with an unfavorable agent, it takes from one to five days until the first symptoms appear. In this case, the child becomes contagious from the first day. During this period, an outwardly prosperous baby is a source of illness for others.

Rotavirus is distinguished by the absence of a unified pattern of development of clinical manifestations. This makes diagnosis difficult.

Table of clinical manifestations of rotavirus disease

The stool has an unpleasant sour odor and a gray-yellow, clay-like color. The malaise is accompanied by a rise in temperature to 38 -39 degrees. Food and drink provoke vomiting attacks, and antipyretics help little.

At a younger age, the course of the disease is acute. Immunity is subsequently developed. It does not protect against infection, but it makes the infection easier, so adults get sick more easily. No fever, isolated episodes of gastric reflux and minor diarrhea.

Diagnostics

Reaviral disease is similar to many intestinal diseases, so it is important for the pediatrician to separate it from other possible causes of illness. The disease has something in common with:

• Poisoning.
• Salmonellosis.
• Cholecystitis.
• Cholera.
• Hepatitis.

The first factor in making a diagnosis is the epidemiological situation. Reovirus outbreaks often precede or accompany influenza. If cases of Rotavirus have already been diagnosed in the area or in the group where the child was, then the disease is diagnosed automatically.

However, there are special tests that allow you to say exactly what a person is infected with.

• Linked immunosorbent assay– antigen-antibody reaction. Identification and determination of the concentration of the resulting complexes is carried out using specific enzymes. They produce special test strips for testing stool at home.
• Examining stool under a microscope, allowing you to view the virions.
• PCR. Stimulation of copying of a small section of bacillus DNA, followed by examination under a microscope.

Treatment of rotavirus

When lethargy and the first symptoms appear, it is important:

• Do not feed the baby.
• Maintain drinking regime.

The development of the clinical picture is a reason to call a doctor. Treatment is usually symptomatic.

• Soldering.
• Sorbents.
• Bonding agents.
• Special antiviral agents.
• Antipyretics and painkillers.

Fighting dehydration

The most important thing in treating the disease is to prevent dehydration. Children, due to their small height and weight, have a small supply of important moisture. The main signs of dehydration:

• Stopping urination.
• Dark circles around the eyes.
• Dry tongue.
• Crying without tears.
• Retraction of the fontanelle (for infants).
• Hoarse voice.

The amount of fluid lost through secretions should be restored by drinking. The important thing here is to find the required volume that does not spew back after administration. Start with a teaspoon, gradually increasing the amount to a third of a cup. If vomiting occurs frequently, give the drink in small portions - one tablespoon every fifteen to twenty minutes.

To replenish fluids and salts, special solutions are used: Regidron, Oralit, Humana electrolyte. They are diluted in the ratio of one packet per liter of water. Mineral water without gas is also suitable for drinking. It is allowed to use herbal decoctions: chamomile, St. John's wort. Compotes are made from dried fruits.

Lightly binding compounds, such as Smecta, will help stop the loss of fluid through the anus. For the same purposes, oak bark is brewed or “jelly” is made from boiled rice. The latter simultaneously reduces intoxication. Diarrhea should not be stopped completely artificially, since the multiplying virus must leave the body.

If the liquid is not taken in any form, hospitalization is required. At the hospital, they will give you water through a drip and inject you with anti-emetic medications.

Temperature reduction

• Ibufen.
• Nurofen.
• Paracetamol.

The child should be undressed as much as possible and covered with a light sheet, and completely uncovered in the summer. Only socks are left. At high temperatures, the legs often freeze because vasospasm occurs.

Rubdowns are used. Cool water helps. Vinegar is added to it. Usually they take a one-to-one combination. Vodka rubdowns are also used. But this solution is used to moisten the areas on the wrists, under the knees and under the arms. The main rule is that the child is left uncovered until the liquid evaporates.

Antiviral therapy

Like any virus, reoviruses are sensitive to antiviral drugs. However, there is no direct cure for this group of viruses. When respiratory manifestations occur, Groprinosin is prescribed. Viferon tablets and Likopid are also suitable. The drugs are prescribed as a course of treatment for at least five days.

For acute intestinal symptoms, Nifuroxazide, Enterol or Enterofuril are suitable. They protect against bacterial infection and also exhibit strong detoxifying properties. Children's forms are produced in syrup. This group is prescribed for severe cases. The minimum course is three days.

If the diarrhea is not very severe, interferon can be used in suppositories to increase local immunity.

Anesthesia

Typically, abdominal pain is associated with spasm of intestinal smooth muscles, which is caused by poisoning of nerve fibers. Regular No-spa will help relieve discomfort. Three times a day are allowed.

The most suitable drug for the situation is Riabal. It is an intestinal antispasmodic. It blocks nerve endings, relaxes muscles, and stops vomiting.

The drug is produced in tablets and syrup. Children after six are allowed to take one tablet three times a day. The syrup is dosed depending on age and weight. The volume is also divided into three doses.

Detoxification

Detoxification includes sorbents. They will help absorb and remove toxins released by rotavirus. Absorbent drugs are taken three times a day. At a younger age, Enterosgel, Atoxil, white charcoal, and liquid charcoal based on apple pectins are perfect. You can give children Sorbex or, in the absence of other options, activated carbon.

All other drugs are taken two hours before or two hours after the sorbent dose. Otherwise their effect will be reduced.

Prognosis of the course of rotavirus infection

It is not necessary to hospitalize your baby. If home measures for watering down and lowering the temperature help, you can survive the crisis at home. The disease is most dangerous for children under two years of age. They quickly reach critical dehydration and are prone to convulsions. Lack of medical assistance ends in coma or death. Possible complications of the disease:

• Reduced blood pressure and heart rate. This provokes weakness and loss of consciousness.
• Blood thickening leads to oxygen starvation. The heart, lungs, and brain suffer.
• Development of pneumonia– a consequence of insufficient blood supply to the lungs.
• Acetonomy. A decrease in blood glucose levels leads to the production of ketone bodies, which poison the body.

A temperature above forty, continuous vomiting, diarrhea, the appearance of streaks of blood in the stool is a reason to urgently be hospitalized.

With proper treatment, relief comes within the second or third day. Full recovery occurs within a week.

Diet for rotavirus

During the recovery phase, follow a diet. It involves light food with a puree-like consistency. You can give porridge, especially rice, potatoes, boiled vegetables. Biscuits and drying are allowed. Jelly and compotes are useful.

There is a minimum amount of sugar in food. At first, exclude fresh vegetables and fruits, except bananas. Meat, sour and fatty foods are prohibited. They stimulate the proliferation of pathogenic flora and gas formation.

Even if the baby has an appetite, Dairy products should not be given, because there is not enough enzyme that breaks down milk sugar. Failure to comply with this requirement will cause loose stools, gas formation and pain. Lactase deficiency continues for one to three weeks after illness. The exception is children under one year old. They are fed a formula diluted with water, preferably lactose-free. Infants are applied to the chest as before.

The strict diet lasts up to ten days. After this, eggs, cheesecakes, bread, and boiled meat are gradually introduced. Last but not least, legumes, milk and sweets are allowed.

Digestive Support

To restore digestion, enzyme preparations are prescribed - Motillium, Mezim, Creon. They are given after the infection is over. In the acute phase, they help the virus penetrate the mucous membranes.

Probiotics are also introduced to normalize the microflora. Popular:

• Bifidumbacterin,
• Simbiter,
• Linux,
• Prema sachet.

Therapy is prescribed for a month. This helps to completely establish internal balance and regular, well-formed stools.

Prevention

The most reliable protection is vaccination. It is done before the pathogen first enters the body. Preferably for children under one and a half years old. Drugs used:

• Rotatek. Made in USA. Includes human and bovine culture of five subtypes. Includes sections of the genome obtained through genetic engineering and maximally stimulating the immune response. Vaccination is given through the mouth. The contents of the tube are squeezed onto the inner surface of the cheek. The first approach is at two or three months of age. And then three times with an interval of one to two months. The cycle is completed no later than 8 months. After 1.3 years they do not vaccinate.
• Rotarix. Produced in Great Britain. Includes human serotypes. Vaccination is done twice with a break of four weeks. The cycle is completed by six months.

According to studies, protection against infection works in 80% of cases, and a mild course is ensured for 100% of vaccinated children.

If there is a sick person in the house, maintaining strict hygiene will help prevent infection. The child is provided with individual dishes and household items. Clothes and toys are boiling. Wet cleaning with antiseptics is carried out. It is advisable to quartz the room.

For prevention simple rules apply:

• Drink boiled water. It can also be used for washing fruits and brushing teeth. This is especially important in hot weather.
• Wash your hands well.
• No ready-made food from street stalls.

Don’t forget to collect and constantly replenish your home first aid kit with sorbents and antipyretics.