Each parent takes care of the health status of their baby. However, children tend to get sick, in the period up to three years, most children suffer from such ailments as chickenpox, rubella, roseola, rotavirus and so on. After the diseases received, the baby develops a stable immunity. That is what allows him to protect himself in the future. This article will tell you about the symptoms and treatment of rotavirus in children. You will find out the features of the course of the disease in different cases, as well as be able to get acquainted with the main methods of correction. It is also worth saying how the symptoms of rotavirus manifest in children without fever. You will learn about preventive measures below.
Rotavirus
Symptoms in a child with this disease begin to appear approximately 1-3 days after infection. Prior to this, the so-called incubation period takes place, which does not give any signs of the development of pathology.
Rotavirus (symptoms in a child with an illness will be described below) is a disease of parasitic origin. Viruses enter the body of a potential patient mainly through the hands. That is why such a pathology is called "dirty hands disease." However, in some cases, the transmission method may be airborne or drip.
It is worth noting that if rotavirus appeared in a child (1 year), then his parents are also doomed to undergo this infection. If the baby is already old enough and attends kindergarten, then, most likely, after a few days, other children will fall ill as well.
Doctors say: if there is at least one infected person in a team, then almost all people who come into contact with him will inevitably become infected.
Signs of the disease in children
Rotavirus in a child often has symptoms in the form of fever and fever. At the same time, parents may think that the baby just caught a cold or get infected with the flu. Starting the wrong treatment can cause serious complications.
Rotavirus (symptoms in a child) can also occur without temperature. Most often this happens with those kids who have ever encountered pathology. However, the remaining signs of the disease remain the same as in the initial cases. Let's try to figure out what rotavirus symptoms are in a child.
Diarrhea
Absolutely always, a rotavirus in a child has symptoms in the form of liquefied stools. This symptom can also be called diarrhea.
It manifests itself due to the fact that the intestine becomes the main area of ​​stay of pathological microorganisms. In this case, the body supplies most of the fluid in this body to flush out the infection. Because of this, a strong liquefaction of feces occurs. Most often, diarrhea occurs from 8 to 15 times a day. In this case, an admixture of mucous secretions can be observed in the stool.
Care must be taken to ensure that blood does not appear in the masses. Such a symptom may indicate the addition of additional pathology and the development of complications.
Nausea and vomiting
Rotavirus in a child always has symptoms in the form of nausea. This symptom can also be characterized by a loss of appetite, a rejection of your favorite dishes, and so on.
All this is due to the fact that pathological microorganisms affect not only the intestines, but also the entire digestive tract. They multiply in the stomach and cause intoxication. In response to this, the patient’s body responds quite normally to the development of nausea.
Often rotavirus symptoms in children under one year of age are in the form of vomiting. All due to the fact that the baby still can not completely control its sensations and eats ordinary food, despite the nausea. The consequence of this is the cleaning process. The body tries to get rid of everything that enters the stomach, since it throws the main forces to eliminate pathology, and not digest food.
Abdominal pain
Rotavirus symptoms in children (10 years and younger) are in the form of pain in the abdominal cavity. This is caused by the spread of viruses through the mucous membranes and an increase in gas.
If flatulence occurs, then the baby may complain of rumbling or a feeling of bloating in the stomach. Also, pain can develop due to lack of food. All this is a consequence of a decrease in appetite. Eating with the spread of infection is a must. However, food must be healthy and healthy.
Dehydration
Rotavirus in a child (1 year) may have symptoms in the form of dehydration. This symptom occurs due to the abundant release of fluid from the body. If indomitable vomiting is added to diarrhea , then everything can end very badly.
Dehydration is manifested by weakness, dry lips and palms. There is an outflow of fluid from the surface of the skin to vital organs. Thus, the heart, liver and kidneys try to save themselves. If rotavirus-like symptoms occur, and treatment in children under one year old should be appropriate. In some cases, hospitalization may be necessary, since babies are at risk when a similar symptom appears.
Cramps and loss of consciousness
Rotavirus symptoms in children 6 years of age and younger may have in the form of impaired coordination of movements and blurred consciousness. This is most often the result of a rise in temperature above 39 degrees.
It is worth noting that with a tendency to such an outcome, you should immediately call the doctors and provide the baby with emergency help. Otherwise, in the future you may encounter the addition of neurological diseases.
Can signs be absent
Rotavirus in a child without symptoms almost never occurs. In most cases, in addition to the above symptoms, you can detect redness in the throat, runny nose and headache.
Many parents call this disease intestinal flu. However, this is not entirely correct. Influenza is a disease that affects the airways. In the case of rotavirus, infection in the throat and nasopharynx occurs due to a decrease in the body's immune defense.
Do I need to treat the disease
Rotavirus in a child (2 years and younger) must be cured. Independently, the disease passes within a few days to a week. However, in the absence of help, the baby may develop complications.
Do not try to fix the situation yourself. Accession of rotavirus infection requires a competent appointment. Only a pediatrician will be able to examine your baby and give the right recommendations. Treatment of pathology always depends on the symptoms. If the baby does not have a fever, and the body temperature remains within the normal range, then he does not need antipyretic drugs at all. It is these drugs that are so often prescribed when such a disease occurs. Be sure to take into account what symptoms of rotavirus in children have, and treatment should be prescribed only after a thorough examination. Consider the main methods of pathology correction.
The use of immunomodulatory agents
Rotavirus in a child (2 years) and younger is always treated using immunomodulators or immunostimulants. These drugs contribute to the body's independent struggle with pathology. At the same time, a stable immunity to this strain is formed. With subsequent infection, the disease will proceed in a lighter form and almost imperceptibly.
The drugs that stimulate the body's immune defense include the following: Cycloferon, Interferon, Viferon, Kipveron, Likopid, Genferon Light, Isoprinosine, and so on. Some of these funds are in the form of rectal suppositories. It is advisable to use them only in the interval between the urge to defecate. It will be better if immediately after the next bowel movement you introduce a candle to the child.
The use of sorbents
Mandatory use of cleansing agents requires rotavirus (symptoms in children under one year old). A photo of some medicines is presented in the article. This group of drugs contributes to enveloping the walls of the stomach and intestines. All viruses and pathological microorganisms are collected in this area. After this, the removal of toxins from the body in a natural way. Most sorbents are not absorbed into the bloodstream and do not adversely affect the baby’s health. That is why such drugs are allowed to be used even in children of the first year of life.
The following names of medicines can be attributed to sorbents: “Smecta”, “Polysorb”, “Activated carbon”, “Enterosgel” and so on. When choosing one or another remedy, it is necessary to take into account the age category of the child and his weight. Observe the dosage and do not exceed the indicated portion yourself.
Antiviral agents
To date, pharmacology has not yet invented certain drugs that can deal specifically with rotavirus. That is why doctors recommend using standard medications.
These include Anaferon, Immudon, Aflubin, and so on. Many of them have an immunostimulating effect. This should be considered when applying complex therapy.
Antibacterial drugs
Quite often, with rotavirus, parents give their children antimicrobial and antibacterial compounds. The opinion of doctors on this issue is twofold. One group of specialists claims that such a correction will be simply useless, since the virus is the main pathogen. Other experts say that the use of antibiotics will be advisable in the case when the symptoms of the disease persist for one week. If during this period the patient does not feel better, and fever has also joined, then antibiotics of a wide spectrum of action should be used .
These drugs include the following: Summamed, Tetracycline, Azithromycin, Flemoxin and others. Be sure to consider the age of the child, as some medicines are prohibited until a certain point.
Use of beneficial bacteria
When treating rotavirus, it is imperative to give the child beneficial bacteria. Most drugs combine all the necessary groups of lactic acid fungi. You can also purchase separately lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Such drugs should be given alternately. Be sure to read the instructions before starting treatment.
The following preparations can be attributed to products containing beneficial bacteria: Acipol, Lactobacterin, Bifidumbacterin, Bactisubtil, Linex and many others. It is worth noting that some of the medicines are available in the form of a soluble powder. This method is very convenient for young children in the first two years of life. If the child is able to swallow the capsule on his own, then it is worth giving preference to the tablet form of the drugs.
Heavy drink
If the baby was struck by rotavirus, then he needs to be given more water. Do not forcibly pour liters of fluid into the baby. This can aggravate nausea and cause vomiting. Thus, you will get the opposite effect.
Try to give the baby a few sips of liquid every hour. To restore salt balance, you can use drugs such as Regidron. It is also permissible to prepare saline solution yourself. To do this, take one teaspoon of salt and add it to a liter of clean water. Such a composition will help the fluid to be better absorbed by the body and prevent dehydration.
Do not give your baby fermented milk products in the hope that they will restore the intestinal microflora. Such nutrition will only lead to increased fermentation and the formation of gases in the stomach and intestines.
Dieting
If rotavirus infection occurs, you should adhere to a certain diet. Eliminate all raw vegetables and fruits from your child’s diet. Avoid eating bread and sweets. It is strictly forbidden to drink carbonated drinks.
Dairy dishes should be excluded from the diet of crumbs. The only exceptions are those babies who are breast-fed. Prepare boiled rice for the baby . In this case, do not add sugar and butter to the dish. With severe diarrhea, you can drink rice broth. It will strengthen the intestines and reduce its perilstatic.
If the child asks to eat and does not suffer from a lack of appetite, then he needs to be fed in small portions. In this case, give preference to low-fat broths without adding frying and a large number of vegetables.
Preventive actions
Currently, there are two ways to prevent this disease. These are classic hygiene practices and vaccines.
If you decide to be vaccinated against this ailment, then you should think about it immediately after the birth of the baby. After six months of life, the crumbs vaccination is impractical. It is worth noting that after such prevention, complications and side effects almost never occur. Manipulation is performed by instilling a live vaccine in the child’s mouth.
If you did not timely carry out prophylaxis in the form of vaccination, then you should simply follow the precautions. In doing so, try to wash your hands more often. Do not eat unpeeled vegetables and fruits. The collected greens must be doused with boiling water before serving. If an infected person appears in a team, then it is worth protecting himself from him. For prophylaxis, immunomodulatory drugs can be used. However, without hygiene procedures, they will be powerless.
If one of the family members becomes infected, it is worth giving him a separate towel and cutlery. As practice shows, no matter how carefully preventive measures are taken, people in contact with the patient will soon also become ill.
If a child falls ill in a kindergarten or school, then quarantine is most often entered for several weeks. In this case, the remaining children are carefully examined for the possibility of joining the infection. Prophylactic agents are prescribed in the form of sorbents and immunomodulators with antiviral effects.
Summing up the article and a short conclusion
After the pathology, the person develops a stable immunity to a specific strain of the virus. If secondary infection occurs, then the disease is much easier. The most easy pathology with severe symptoms occurs in children. However, babies are always at risk. If dehydration occurs, hospitalization may be required.
Never give painkillers if the baby complains of discomfort in the stomach. Such correction may cause a blurred clinical picture. In this case, the doctor will be quite difficult to make a diagnosis. If there are symptoms of pathology, be sure to call a doctor. The baby should be examined by a competent specialist. The doctor will also prescribe the right treatment. In some cases, additional diagnostics in the form of tests may be necessary.
Breastfeeding babies may defecate several times a day. This is absolutely the norm. That is why parents should carefully monitor the health of the crumbs and be able to distinguish pathology from the usual state. Rotavirus should always be treated. Moreover, in each case, their own medicines are used. During the correction, the main task is to replenish the fluid in the body and remove toxins.
Do not use folk correction recipes. Contact your doctor for the right advice. Be patient and help your baby. In the process of the disease, the baby is much harder than its parents. Carry out preventive measures and be healthy!