Doctor Komarovsky about rotavirus infection. Rotavirus infection in children: symptoms and treatment Possible complications of the disease

Content

This disease causes inflammation in the upper respiratory tract and digestive organs. A child can become infected with rotavirus infection by various reasons, and an adult will also get sick from it. However, in children the disease is much more complicated than in parents.

What is rotavirus infection in a child?

This disease in children is provoked by pathogenic viruses that infect the patient’s gastrointestinal tract. The acute form is characterized by the development of fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and increased body temperature. Diagnosis stomach flu(or rotavirus infection in children) is diagnosed based on a whole range of laboratory tests and epidemiological data.

Therapeutic process of this disease includes:

• rehydration;
• special diet;
• detoxification;
• taking medications.

Rotavirus in a child is a disease that is included in the group of viral diarrhea. Theoretically, a person of any age can become infected with it, but in children this disease is registered more often. Gastroenterologists, pediatricians or pediatric infectious disease specialists deal with rotavirus infection in children. The susceptibility of children to this virus is very high. In the first five years of his life, every child experiences intestinal flu, sometimes multiple times. In more than half of cases, the infection develops in infants from 3 months to 2 years.

Infants (up to three months) develop passive immunity to viruses. However, for this the baby must be on breastfeeding. Otherwise, even a tiny baby can get sick. Relapses do not occur earlier than 6-12 months after the child suffered rotavirus. When re-infected, children tolerate symptoms much more easily.

Causes of the disease

Rotavirus infection in children can be transmitted from other patients or carriers of influenza. When you notice the first signs of illness in your child, he becomes contagious. On the 5th day after illness, rotavirus is especially dangerous for others. It is easily transmitted by airborne droplets, through dirty hands, toys, door handles, etc. It's easy to get stomach flu through food products with whom the patient had contact. If you drink unboiled water, there is also a risk of infection, because even chlorine does not kill the pathogens of intestinal flu.

First signs and symptoms

After contact with a carrier of the virus, signs of rotavirus infection in children develop within 13-95 hours (the period depends on the body’s ability to retain the virus). There are a few different options development of intestinal flu. In the first case, the baby complains of:

• sore throat;
• dry cough;
• runny nose;
• conjunctivitis.

In the second case, the following symptoms can be found:

• nausea;
• diarrhea;
• signs of poisoning;
• gastroenteritis;
• pain in the abdomen.

Another variant of the course of the disease is typical for young children:

• the child is lethargic or, conversely, capricious;
• refuses to eat;
• presses his legs to his tummy.

Incubation period of rotavirus infection

After infection, rotavirus infection lives in the body for several days, and becomes acute later. How long the incubation period lasts in children depends on the characteristics of the body. As a rule, it is 1-5 days. At this time, virus particles actively multiply and accumulate. Sick children may not express complaints and feel normal. However, by the end of the incubation period, the child will develop weakness, nausea, diarrhea and a temperature of 38 degrees.

To avoid complications and speed up recovery, parents can begin treating their children’s rotavirus infection at this stage. To do this, it is worth strengthening the diet, giving the sick baby vitamins and minerals. However, it is worth noting that this period may go unnoticed by parents due to the absence of symptoms, so preventive measures will not be superfluous if there is an outbreak of intestinal flu in the kindergarten or healthy baby had contact with infected children.

How and with what to treat rotavirus in children

There is no specific treatment for stomach flu. Therapy is aimed at eliminating symptoms. Diet for rotavirus infection is very important, because the baby needs strength to fight the disease. In addition, the doctor will prescribe medications: antispasmodics, immunotropic, antipyretic. It is very important to take children's antibiotics to kill the virus particles.

How to treat rotavirus infection:

1. Antibacterial suppositories are prescribed: Viferon or Lipferon. The dose should be calculated taking into account the age of the patient, the course of administration is from 5 days.
2. Fighting dehydration or rehydration. The patient is provided with plenty of warm fluids, which can replenish lost fluid and maintain normal kidney function. Begin to give liquid from a teaspoon, gradually increasing the volume. Special solutions (Oralit, Regidron, Humana), chamomile decoction, boiled water, rice water, unsweetened dried fruit compote.
3. To cleanse the body of toxins, take White Coal or Smecta.
4. To reduce body temperature, you can take Nurofen syrup, children's paracetamol or Cefekon suppositories.
5. It is recommended to wipe a sick baby with a solution of table salt (1 part water to 1 part salt). This will protect him from seizures due to high body temperature.
6. If the baby has a stomach ache, then they give No-shpu, the probiotic Lacidofil, Riobal.

What to feed a child with rotavirus infection:

• rice porridge;
• mashed potatoes;
• bananas;
• crackers, bagels;
• infants are transferred to lactose-free formulas;
• exclude dairy products, sauces, fried, fatty, vegetable and meat additives.

Possible complications and consequences

Intestinal flu with improper treatment leads to many complications:

1. Dehydration, which can lead to fatal outcome. To prevent this, you need to start desolating the baby in a timely manner or go to the hospital where a drip will be prescribed.
2. Acetonemic state of the baby. At the same time, ketone bodies accumulate in the patient’s body, which negatively affect the brain. Provokes this complication lack of carbohydrates, which are consumed during the disease process.
3. Convulsions can develop due to high temperature. To prevent them, the baby’s body is constantly cooled and rubbed with a salt solution.

Prevention of rotavirus

To avoid infection with rotavirus infection, it is recommended to practice good hygiene. In addition, you should feed younger family members only with fresh, heat-treated foods. Humidify the air in the children's room and constantly ventilate the rooms in the house. If someone in the family has a cold, then limit the baby’s contact with him. There are intestinal flu vaccinations that are given only upon request (not included in the vaccination plan). This method is especially effective for children under 2 years of age.

Video: how stomach flu is transmitted and progresses in children - Komarovsky

Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and make treatment recommendations based on individual characteristics specific patient.

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Infectious diseases in children cause a lot of trouble for their parents. Rotavirus infection is one of the most unpleasant and unexpected. Just yesterday healthy child today he becomes lethargic, loses his appetite, and complains of a stomach ache. What to do if your baby has diarrhea and vomiting? How to determine the presence of rotavirus infection, and is it possible to speed up recovery? We'll talk about all this and much more in the article.

Definition of rotavirus infection

Rotavirus infection - common reason ailments in children. Its name is due to the causative agent - rotavirus, which under a microscope resembles a wheel, which is written “rota” in Latin. This disease is characterized by diarrhea and/or vomiting, sometimes with a high fever. As a rule, it is impossible to stop the development of an infection until the disease has passed through all stages.

A characteristic feature of the disease is its contagiousness. Many people notice that you can become infected from a person who has recently had rotavirus. If someone in the family catches an infection, as a rule, almost everyone in the household has to get sick. People call this disease “stomach flu,” but this is incorrect. The influenza virus invades the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, and rotavirus replicates (doubles DNA molecules) in small intestine.

Causes of the disease

Rotavirus can be caught in any season, but more often it affects the population in spring and autumn. The cause of infection is unwashed hands, contact with a sick person. However, according to medical observations, infection often occurs during communication or using the same household items.

When rotavirus enters the intestines, it begins to actively multiply. In this case, the virus penetrates the epithelial cells of the small intestine, causing their transformation and detachment. Tissues cease to effectively absorb carbohydrates, and the absorption of milk sugar is impaired. Moreover, the virus is very resistant to the aggressive environment of the stomach and intestines, since it has an almost impenetrable shell consisting of three protein layers.

Characteristic symptoms of infection

Sometimes rotavirus disguises itself as an acute respiratory viral infection or typical poisoning. To determine the cause of the malaise, you should know characteristic symptoms infection. According to statistics, children aged 1-3 years are more susceptible to infection. Let us consider the features of the disease in infants under one year old and preschool children, as well as the main signs of rotavirus infection.

Features of the course of the disease in infants

How does the disease manifest in infants? A breastfed baby has a minimal risk of getting sick. Breast milk contains substances that protect the baby from a virus familiar to its mother. In this regard, it is not recommended to interrupt breastfeeding even when a nursing woman develops symptoms of the disease. In this case, the baby safely survives the dangerous period without consequences. This explains the relatively low percentage of children under six months among the sick.

The likelihood of catching rotavirus is higher in children on IV. However, if the mixture High Quality– it contains probiotics, vitamins and microelements, the baby is also well protected from infection.

If infection occurs and the child gets sick, the symptoms of rotavirus in children of the first year of life are not always pronounced:

• The first 2-3 days after infection is the incubation period, which proceeds without any special features. During this time, microorganisms make their way into the intestines.
• Next comes the period of activation of the virus. In infants, this infection manifests itself in the form of regurgitation and diarrhea. The child's stool is profuse and almost always watery, without blood. Defecation one year old baby can occur up to 15 times a day. This is precisely the danger of the disease - the child rapidly loses water, electrolytes, sugars and salts. At the same time, the baby’s appetite often deteriorates, which aggravates the problem. Such symptoms can lead to irreversible consequences within a day if measures are not taken in time.

In children, rotavirus is not always easily identified. The fact is that normally, a child under one year old’s stool is quite liquid, and the number of bowel movements per day reaches 5 times. In addition, in infants the disease is rarely accompanied by high fever.

Disease in a child of preschool and primary school age

The disease is most pronounced in children of preschool age (up to 7 years). Three main symptoms occur most often:

• high temperature, reaching 40°C, which is observed on days 1-2 of the disease;
• pain in the epigastric region and lower abdomen;
• diarrhea and/or vomiting – lasts from 1 to 5 days.

Often, but not always, the disease has signs of acute respiratory infections. The child's throat turns red, rhinitis begins, and a slight cough occurs.

Although the main symptoms disappear after a few days, residual effects may bother the child for the next week or two. The child complains that his stomach hurts after eating, and his stool periodically loosens.

How does infection occur and how long does the incubation period last?

Rotavirus infection in children is considered a “disease of dirty hands” and is transmitted by the fecal-oral route. An infectious person is excreted along with feces. great amount viruses. Thus, not too thorough hygiene leads to infection of others.

Pick up intestinal infection You can by eating unwashed vegetables, on which the virus can survive even in the refrigerator. Rotavirus infection is often transmitted through communication, that is, infection can occur through airborne droplets. This is explained by the fact that rotavirus is often accompanied by inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. An infectious person sneezes and coughs, spreading pathogens.

How long is the incubation period? The latent (incubation) period, when the virus has already entered the body but does not manifest itself, can last from 12 hours to a week. More often, its course is limited to two days.

Preparations for treatment at home

Rotavirus cannot be affected by any drugs, nor can it be treated with antibiotics. In severe cases of the disease, hospitalization is indicated. However, in most cases, the child is treated at home.

The main task of parents is to help the patient replenish the water balance and not allow the body to lose too much fluid. In addition, symptomatic treatment is indicated.

Pain relief

Abdominal pain due to rotavirus infection occurs quite often. Possible headache, body aches and other signs of intoxication of the body. Relieving abdominal pain is not easy, but you can use absorbents. It is recommended to take Smecta, Activated carbon, Atoxil, Enterosgel (more details in the article:). However, such drugs are not used for treatment; they are ineffective in fighting the virus. The task of sorbents is to reduce intoxication and alleviate the condition. They are usually used for poisoning.

Headaches are relieved with children's painkillers - Ibuprofen, Paracetamol. These drugs can be used both in the form of syrup and in the form of suppositories. Due to the fact that a child’s diarrhea may be combined with vomiting, it is not always possible to use these remedies.

Preparations for rehydration (elimination of dehydration)

As mentioned above, the main way to cure an intestinal infection is to replenish the water-salt balance. It is recommended to give the baby water, compote, tea in small portions. If you let your baby drink a glass of liquid right away, he may vomit. If you give your baby a teaspoon of water, it will immediately begin to be absorbed into the walls of the stomach. To speed up the absorption of liquid and reduce the likelihood of vomiting, it is advisable to heat the water to the child’s body temperature.

An excellent way to restore the water-electrolyte ratio is rehydration solutions. Regidron is sold in pharmacies - a powder that must be diluted with water before taking. The child should be given the medicine in the same way as any liquid - in small doses, warmed up to body temperature. For infants, a special composition is used, for example, Humana electrolyte. As a last resort, give the baby Regidron, but you should add twice as much water to the powder.

A rehydration solution can be prepared at home. Just mix 1 teaspoon of salt and sugar in a glass of water.

How to lower the temperature?

In the first day or two after the onset of the disease, the baby has a high fever. It is necessary to knock it down if the thermometer readings exceed 38°C. You can use antipyretics intended for children. During diarrhea, do not use suppositories; it is better to give the medicine in syrup form.

A good way to bring down the temperature (by 0.5 - 1 degree) is a cleansing enema. The enema water is used cool, but not lower than 28-30 degrees.

If the temperature does not go down, you need to call emergency assistance. Doctors give the injection using a combination of several drugs.

Is it possible to give drugs against diarrhea and how to restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract?

Many parents, trying to quickly stop diarrhea in their child, use all kinds of anti-diarrhea remedies. However, they most likely won't help. Until the virus passes through all stages of its development, diarrhea will continue.

However, it makes sense to use probiotics to help restore normal microflora intestines after an acute period of illness. The doctor may also prescribe enzymes (to facilitate the functioning of the pancreas) and prebiotics. It is better not to use these drugs without consulting a pediatrician, so as not to aggravate the problem.

Dietary food for illness

It is important to follow a diet during treatment. There is no need to feed the baby for the first 4-6 hours; it is advisable to ensure that he receives liquid in the form of water, compote, or rehydration solutions. Then formulate your diet so that it contains dishes that are easy to digest. You can also follow the rules of the diet for the pancreas. You can offer your child:

• mashed potatoes with water;
• light soup with water;
• on days 3-4 you can give fermented milk products;
• crackers or dried white bread;
• Start giving dairy-free cereals after the acute period has passed.

The baby's diet should remain unchanged. He can be given water and breastfed or formula fed on demand. During this period, it is better not to give vegetables (if the baby is already receiving complementary foods), with the exception of mashed potatoes.

Preventive measures

Useful tips if rotavirus is suspected in children

It is almost impossible to protect yourself from rotavirus. According to statistics, almost every child under 3 years old manages to get sick from this disease. However, reasonable measures to prevent intestinal infections may well help avoid illness when possible. Preventive measures include quarantining sick people and observing personal hygiene rules. However, most in an effective way prevention is vaccination.

Quarantine of patients

As we have already mentioned, transmission of the virus occurs through unwashed hands and can also be through airborne droplets. In this regard, it makes sense to protect healthy family members from a sick person. If possible, the patient should be placed in a separate room, and his care should be entrusted to someone alone.

Each family member should have their own dishes and hygiene products. Rotavirus tolerates low temperatures well, but is killed by boiling and treating household items with antiseptic solutions (alcohol). Hence the conclusion - cups, plates and cutlery can be doused with boiling water, and the toilet seat and faucet valves can be treated with antiseptic agents.

Personal hygiene

Personal hygiene is an important factor in the treatment and prevention of disease

It is important for a child to instill the rules of personal hygiene from childhood. You should wash your hands before eating not only at home, but also in kindergarten and in the school canteen. Many parents buy hand sanitizers at pharmacies, which can be used to wipe their palms before eating in a public place. Also explain to your son or daughter that you cannot eat unwashed fruits and vegetables if one of your comrades gave you an apple during recess.

Rotavirus vaccine

Vaccination is the most reliable and effective method protect yourself from infection. To date, several varieties of the virus have been identified, but the vaccine has been developed only against type A strains. Two types of vaccines from different manufacturers are used - Rotarix and RotaTeq. They are used orally and each contains a weakened rotavirus.

The effectiveness of these drugs has been proven - a vaccinated person tolerates the disease much easier or does not become infected at all. However, only in some countries vaccination is routine, in others it is used at the request of patients.

Possible complications of the disease

Rotavirus is a common infection, and almost everyone gets it. Let's consider probable complications this state:

• In the first place is dehydration of the body, which sometimes leads to death. How to protect yourself? It is important to ensure that your baby gets enough fluids. The child does not want or cannot drink? Hospitalization is required - the hospital will put him on a drip.
• If the fever is not stopped in a timely manner, the high temperature can cause complications in the heart, brain and other organs.
• After a period of exacerbation, intestinal dysbiosis is possible. To avoid consequences, you should give your child probiotics and fermented milk products.
• Long-term intoxication can provoke diseases of the pancreas, liver, etc.

If you act correctly during an exacerbation - drink rehydration solutions, lower the temperature if necessary, there should be no complications. If atypical manifestations occur, emergency assistance should be called.

Rotaviruses often cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, and high fever in children. Nine out of ten children at the age of two have already been infected. Rotavirus infection in children early age It is difficult, the body loses water and salts due to diarrhea and vomiting. Infants are vaccinated, and in case of complications they are hospitalized to protect them from intoxication and dehydration.

The first part of the name Rotavirus means “wheel” in Latin, which refers to the round shape of the viral particles. Doctors know eight types of rotaviruses - from A to H. The first three are contagious to humans, especially serotypes of rotavirus A. The German Federal Institute named after R. Koch published a statistical report on the prevalence of this infection. Every year, about 453,000 children under five years of age die from rotavirus worldwide. 2.4 million children with this diagnosis are hospitalized.

Virions are resistant to low temperatures and other conditions external environment, but are sensitive to heat and chlorine-containing substances. The most common route of infection is nutritional. Experts name food and water as the main sources of infection. The disease is often observed in children under one year of age who pull toys and other objects into their mouths.

After a child has been ill, relative immunity is formed. The baby is not protected from infection by other types and serotypes of rotaviruses, the distribution of which varies from year to year.

Children aged from six months to 2–3 years get sick more often, since during this period the body does not yet produce enough antibodies against rotavirus infection. Preschoolers and people over 60 years of age are susceptible to the disease. If a middle-aged person has a stomach ache or diarrhea, the disease is usually caused by noroviruses. Enterovirus, rotavirus, and norovirus infections are popularly called "stomach flu". After recovery, there are no long-term consequences for the health of children.

Frequency of rotavirus disease

Virions are activated in the cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa, mainly in the small intestine. Incubation period usually lasts from one to five days. During this time, viruses spread throughout the body. Parents of sick and healthy children are often interested in how long the contagious period lasts, how soon the child will begin to recover and will be able to attend kindergarten or school.

Experts say that the risk of transmission of infection from a sick person to healthy children persists for 8–10 days, sometimes longer.

To roughly determine how many days the disease lasts, you need to know the duration of all periods - incubation, acute and recovery. After the incubation stage, an acute period begins, which lasts from three to seven days. Recovery will take four to five days. At successful treatment the child will be healthy again in 8–10 days, in case of severe illness - in three weeks.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection

The disease begins acutely, the symptoms resemble gastroenteritis, but in young children respiratory syndrome also manifests itself. Most patients have no appetite and weakness appears. Symptoms of rotavirus infection in children can vary in severity depending on age and body condition. In particular, children’s body temperature quickly rises and signs of intoxication increase.

First symptoms

• watery diarrhea for several hours;
• moderate pain and cramps in the abdomen;
• gray-yellow stool;
• often nausea and vomiting;
• heat;
• flatulence.

Respiratory syndrome is manifested by a runny nose, inflammation and redness in the throat, and pain when swallowing. An infected adult experiences only slight discomfort and mild intestinal upset. The disease sometimes occurs without all of the above symptoms. However, if there is one infected child or adult in the group, the rest of the group get sick one by one.

The leading symptoms of rotavirus infection in children are: vomiting and watery stools. The combination of diarrhea and high temperature is very dangerous for the child’s body; dehydration occurs.

Signs of dehydration in children with rotavirus disease

• decreased urination; babies have less urine in their diapers than usual;
• dry tongue and mucous membranes, thirst;
• excited state, tearfulness;
• confusion;
• sunken eyes;
• lethargy.

The body loses a lot of fluid and mineral salts, which affects the symptoms and treatment of the disease. A flu-like condition, namely cough, fever, body pain, is more often observed in infant than that of a preschooler or schoolchild. Symptoms increase over 4–7 days, then slowly subside.

Diagnosis of rotavirus infection

Rotaviruses are highly contagious and easily transmitted and can spread quickly among people, causing epidemics. Doctors take these into account characteristic features, as a group nature of the disease, acute onset of the disease. In Russia, more than 90% of cases of rotavirus infection occur from November to April, that is, during the cold season of the year. The peak incidence occurs in February and March.

The local pediatrician examines the child at the appointment and formulates an initial diagnosis. Laboratory tests are performed to rule out other viral infections and gastrointestinal diseases. After all, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain are provoked by many factors. An accurate diagnosis is made based on the results of several studies.

Vomiting occurs in approximately 95% of cases of rotavirus infection, and diarrhea persists 2–3 days longer than with other gastrointestinal diseases.

Specific antigen to rotaviruses is detected using enzyme immunoassay laboratory analysis(ELISA). Molecular biology tests can directly detect the virus in stool samples. Using the polymerase chain reaction method makes it possible to accurately determine the serotype of the virion. All of the above tests are expensive.

Use of medications for rotavirus infection

Acute diarrhea or diarrhea - loose and frequent stools when water loss is more than 10 ml per 1 kg of body weight per day. Along with the fluid, the sick body loses electrolytes - sodium, potassium and chlorine. For the treatment of “watery” diarrhea, doctors do not recommend taking Imodium and similar drugs. Experts from the Academy of Pediatrics in the USA stated back in 1996 that antidiarrheal pharmacological preparations not recommended for use acute diarrhea in children. It has been established that medications to reduce intestinal motility are dangerous in acute diarrhea.

Treatment of rotavirus infection in children is symptomatic and consists of combating intoxication and dehydration. These disorders are also associated Negative consequences for the cardiovascular and urinary systems. Medicines include syrups/tablets with paracetamol or ibuprofen (antipyretic and painkillers).

Doctors can prescribe antiemetic drugs, and to reduce intoxication - “Smectu”, “Attapulgite”, activated carbon. According to WHO, these sorbents do not affect diarrhea or the amount of fluid lost. Pancreatic enzymes are not indicated in the acute period, and the use of No-shpa is justified for spasms. Enterofuril suspension and tablets are prescribed for infection with entero- and orthoviruses to prevent the growth of bacterial superinfection.

Antiviral medications do not help with the main clinical manifestations of rotavirus infection - enteritis and gastroenteritis.

After long-term use of antibiotics, dysbiosis is corrected using drugs based on bifidum and lactobacilli. There are many recommendations on how to treat rotavirus infection in children. However, it should be remembered that the doctor must prescribe pharmacological drugs and determine the duration of the course.

Fighting dehydration

Parents should pay more attention to what can be given to their child and what is contraindicated for him. Food and drink for infants under 1 year of age - breast milk or adapted mixtures. However, a sick baby should drink more fluids than children his age usually drink. This is necessary to replenish water lost through vomit and loose stools. Therefore, in between feedings, they still give unsweetened Herb tea, water. If in severe cases the child cannot suck or drink, then the need for fluid in the hospital is replenished with the help infusion therapy(intravenous administration of solutions).

A sick child is given bottled water, strong unsweetened tea, and diluted fruit juices. You are allowed to drink low-fat chicken broth, jelly, apple compote, decoctions of dried black currants and raspberries. Milk-based drinks and soda should be avoided. Juices high in fructose, sucrose or sorbitol are not suitable for sick children. Sweet, sour, salty foods bind water in the body.

Allowed foods and dishes

The main problem for many parents is: what to feed their child with rotavirus infection, what to exclude from the diet. It is important for infants to maintain breast milk nutrition and not allow pauses between feedings of more than 6 hours. Breast milk, rich in enzymes, vitamins, immunoglobulins, will help small organism fight rotavirus. Hypolactasia is associated with this infection, so the use of low-lactose mixtures is justified. There is no need to introduce complementary foods during the acute period.

What to remove from a sick child's diet

• millet, pearl barley and barley cereals;
• confectionery;
• dairy products;
• cocoa, chocolate;
• black bread;
• pasta;
• sucrose.

Sick children should not eat fresh bread, soups cooked in fatty broth, borscht, pickles, or sausages. You should limit or completely eliminate salt intake. Smoked meats, fatty meats, poultry and fish, cheese, and canned food are prohibited. Cucumbers, white cabbage, and radishes increase irritation and fermentation in the intestines.

What can a child eat?

• boiled and steamed lean meat, chicken breast;
• beets, carrots, cauliflower boiled;
• rice and semolina porridge with water, without oil;
• wheat bread (dried);
• vegetable broth soup;
• white bread croutons;
• boiled lean fish;
• mashed potatoes;
• pureed cottage cheese.

The main rule is that a sick child should eat often, in small portions.

The therapeutic diet excludes the consumption of whole milk and dishes using it, fermented milk products. Reasons: increased fermentation, enzyme deficiency, which is provoked by inflammation small intestine(enteritis). Rotavirus infection is accompanied by decreased appetite, but children need to receive adequate nutrition for their age. Following the recommendations of doctors and nutritionists helps to cope faster with inflammatory process, speed up recovery.

Hygiene rules for children and adults

During illness and after rotavirus infection, it is necessary to regularly wash your hands and avoid contact with other sick children and adults. It is recommended to use chlorine-containing disinfectants during acute periods, and regularly wash and clean everything that is used to care for a sick child. The rule applies primarily to dishes, toys, door handles, bathroom and kitchen sinks, and toilets.

An infected child should not attend kindergarten or school during the entire infectious period.

The hospital also follows hygiene rules and precautions. Use disposable gloves and use special disinfectants. Despite the measures taken, rotaviruses remain on the list of the most common nosocomial intestinal infections in infants and young children.

Sanitary and hygienic measures alone will not be able to protect a child from infection, given the environmental stability of the pathogen. Rotavirus survives for a long time on skin, toys, other hard objects and surfaces, in drinking water, and in swimming pools. Virions are highly resistant to soap and most disinfectants. It is almost impossible to avoid contact with objects and surfaces contaminated with viruses. In addition, the infection is often transmitted through food.

Vaccination to prevent disease

Over the past few years, experts from the World Health Organization have recommended vaccination as a effective remedy prevention of rotavirus diseases. Doctors have vaccines at their disposal "Rotarix" and "Rotatek", approved for use in pediatrics. The preparations contain live weakened, therefore non-pathogenic, strains of rotavirus. The child's condition may worsen in the first week after the initial dose (in approximately 1 to 2 cases per 100,000 children vaccinated).

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 preschool or educational institution, on the 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 bodies of water.

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 don’t even know how many days the disease lasts and how to treat rotavirus in children of various 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 realize that they are sick - a mild cold and an isolated case are in no way associated with 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 of 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 can immediately demonstrate unstoppable.

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. medical institution 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 becomes lethargic without special reasons, you should be on your guard - the intoxication onset of the disease is most often observed in such children.

Attention! Adults and teenagers are less susceptible to the disease due to higher acidity 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 the 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 should not be consumed acetylsalicylic acid(aspirin).

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 drinking 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 Sometimes enzyme preparations are 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 full 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 of the procedure is not necessary, but in case of severe dehydration it is vital. Final recovery is diagnosed laboratory tests rather than improving 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. Special attention St. John's wort decoction also deserves it - 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 when you are sick - proper nutrition the key to a quick recovery.

Features of drinking and nutrition

If you don’t know what to feed your 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. Also acceptable special means like Regidron. Drinking plenty of fluids is urgently necessary; in case of refusal of liquid, it is required intravenous administration 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 after rotavirus infection helps to minimize 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 go 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 sick with rotavirus again and after the first case of infection they think about vaccination. After an illness, long-term immunity is formed, practically eliminating reinfection. 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.

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Classmates

To help a child fight rotavirus, it is necessary to follow the clinical recommendations developed by the medical community. These recommendations include rules and treatment tactics to eliminate the symptoms of the disease and restore balance in the body after an infection. Treatment of rotavirus is symptomatic. The disease has a favorable prognosis if the doctor's instructions are followed.

Rotavirus (also called intestinal flu) appears quite often in children. The disease “ripens” within 1-4 days, and its first signs may appear within a day after infection.

Standard course of the disease begin with:

• sudden increase in temperature;
• vomiting;
• loose stools;
• excess gas formation.

Thus, when deciding what to do if you suspect an infection, you should first of all: pay attention to the most clear symptoms and start with symptomatic treatment.

How to quickly cure a baby

Treatment of rotavirus infection in children, if it is not accompanied by complications such as incessant vomiting or extremely high fever, it follows a standardized scheme according to clinical guidelines providing medical care children with rotavirus infection.

It is better to reduce the temperature with candles, since the tablets may not have time to be absorbed due to vomiting. You can go for walks with your baby, but only if the body temperature has returned to normal.

Important! Vomiting can be suppressed. To do this, you need to help the child accept horizontal position. You can sit him on your lap and hug him. However, vomiting is a protective reflex that protects the baby. Therefore, if the urge to vomit occurs, for example, after drinking or eating, then it is better not to give water or feed the child.

This rule does not apply to medicinal drinks., namely one that restores water balance (for example, “Regidron”) and does not allow the body to become dehydrated.

The main visible problems in a child are watery stools and frequent urge to bowel movement. In this situation, the body loses a lot of fluid. Therefore, to replenish it, it is vital to give the child water. A suitable drink would be tea with lemon or berry juice.

Tidy up your digestion You can take age-appropriate medications:

• Activated carbon,
• "Smecta" or its analogues.

How to treat rotavirus

Children aged 1 to 3 years are most susceptible to rotavirus. How many days the disease is treated depends on many factors:

• age,
• conditions of infection,
• detection time,
• immunity status, etc.

Average duration of illness – up to 7 days. At an older age, the child’s body produces antibodies that significantly shorten the duration of the disease and facilitate its course.

Specific therapy, as a rule, is not used, but the main manifestations of the disease will have to be eliminated.

Fighting dehydration

One of the main problems with rotavirus is dehydration.. A large amount of fluid and nutrients is lost or does not enter the body due to diarrhea, vomiting, increased sweating, high temperature, refusal to eat.

That's why it is necessary to organize a regular supply of fluid into the body to meet its needs, as well as to quickly flush out and eliminate toxins through the kidneys. The volume of fluid consumed is adjusted depending on the age of the baby.

Treatment regimen for dehydration by age (from 1 year to 4 years – 5 years)

Up to a year You should give a coffee spoon of water. If it is absorbed, repeat the procedure every 10-20 minutes.

From one year to 3 years You can start with a teaspoon, and if everything is in order, increase the dose to a dessert one.

At 4 years and 5 years Children can independently drink water from a mug in small sips if they do not feel sick.

There are special preparations for rehydration:

• Regidron,
• Oralit,
• Normagidron,
• Hydrovit,
• Humana electrolyte.

They are available in powders. 1 sachet of this product is dissolved in a liter of water and given to children according to the indicated dosage.

If treatment with these powders is unavailable, can be used:

• warm drinking water,
• light compote of dried fruits,
• chamomile flower tea,
• rice water

If the body rejects the liquid you drink, it is necessary to take the child to the hospital, where the baby will be given a drip to avoid dehydration.

Temperature reduction

High temperature is a sign of the body’s active fight against infection.. But if it reaches a value of 38.6 degrees or higher, you will have to reduce it - overheating can cause convulsions.

Most effective children's antipyretics:

• ibuprofen syrup(used at a certain dosage according to age and doctor’s prescriptions);
• rectal suppositories(“Cefekon” or “Efferalgan”). They are installed every 2 hours.

Carefully! It makes no sense to bring the temperature below 38 degrees, otherwise the body will stop fighting the infection. If the temperature rises above 39 degrees, paracetamol-based medications should be used. Aspirin-containing products should not be used by children except as prescribed by a doctor.

Pain in the intestines should be relieved with antispasmodics. “No-shpa” is considered a universal remedy. It can be used according to the age dosage.

The doctor may also prescribe the child an intestinal receptor blocker, Ribal.. It reduces the urge to gag and is suitable for relieving spasms in gastrointestinal tract. Children from 6 years old It should be given in tablets, 1 three times a day. For children from 2 to 6 years old Syrup will do. The daily dosage is 30-60 ml and is divided into 3 doses.

Detoxification

Fight against toxins that affect internal organs for rotavirus infection, this is an important part of treatment. It must be carried out with the help of enterosorbents.

To remove toxins your doctor may recommend:

• Smecta;
• activated or white carbon;
• Enterosgel.

The main thing is to follow the dosage and not allow the timing of taking enterosorbents to coincide with antispasmodics and antipyretics.

Nutrition

The diet of a sick child should be dietary. Dairy, meat, fatty, fried, spicy and sour foods should be excluded from it.

Suitable for supporting nutritional strength:

• liquid rice porridge,
• mashed potatoes with water,
• low-fat chicken broth,
• crackers, bread sticks, dryers, bananas (as dessert),
• fruit drinks, jelly, dried fruit compote with a small amount of sugar (from drinking).

Normalization of digestion

During the course of the disease, the body is deprived digestive enzymes. Therefore, two days after the onset of the illness, you should start taking medications that normalize digestion:

• Mezima,
• Creon and others.

It is good to restore the intestinal microflora with probiotics– preparations with bifidobacteria:

• Bifidumbakturin,
• Acipol,
• Linux and the like.

They are taken starting from the third day of illness.

Antiviral protection against rotavirus

Is it worth resorting to in the absence specialized drugs for rotavirus - only the doctor decides. Immune support The following drugs may help:

• Anaferon,
• Viferon,
• Lycopid.

Thus, antiviral treatment should be carried out comprehensively:

1. First we deal with the symptoms.
2. Then we remove toxins.
3. We organize dietary meals.
4. We normalize digestion.
5. We support immunity.

Antibiotics

Sometimes, when treating rotavirus, doctors prescribe antibiotics, diagnosing an unidentified acute intestinal infection. But special effect there won't be any from them, because the disease is viral, not bacterial in nature.

It makes sense to use antibiotics when:

• the presence of blood in the stool,
• suspected cholera,
• prolonged diarrhea with Giardia in the stool.

In other cases, the prescription of antibiotics is more likely a reinsurance than a full-fledged treatment.

How to cure at home

Most often, children are treated for rotavirus at home. But sometimes you have to go to the hospital. In fact, There are few differences between these types of treatment– in both cases it is necessary:

• provide the body with sufficient fluid,
• stabilize body temperature,
• choose treatment regimen nutrition,
• ensure the strengthening of the body.

The main difference between a hospital is that people go there difficult situations , for example, with incessant vomiting and diarrhea, when the dehydration of the child’s body becomes critical. Another difference is that at home, in addition to medications, they sometimes use folk remedies.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies should be used exclusively:

• in combination with medications,
• after consultation with a doctor,
• if the child is not allergic to the components of the product.

Dried blueberries have anti-inflammatory and disinfectant properties.. Blueberry compote will be useful for the gastrointestinal tract - it will help remove toxins from the body faster.

Dill seed water helps to cope with intestinal colic. A teaspoon of seeds is infused in a glass of boiling water. For children over 2 years old, you can give 500 grams of infusion every 2 hours.

Raspberries will help reduce fever. You can brew tea from raspberry leaves - a tablespoon of the product per glass of boiling water. You can make a fruit drink from raspberry jam and drink it 1-3 times a day. You can also relieve the heat with water rubdowns (without alcohol).

How to treat at sea

At a resort, rotavirus can be caught from a patient or carrier while eating food. The disease spreads especially quickly in children's groups. It is very difficult to protect yourself from infection - even following the rules of personal hygiene may not help.

At sea, treatment of infection will not differ from treatment at home. Since the infection is acute, medical insurance will cover the costs and the receiving party will be obliged to provide the baby with qualified care.

However, it should take care of helping your child in advance and protect yourself as much as possible from “acquaintance” with the disease, observing the following rules:

• Take enterosorbents with you to your first aid kit, antipyretic, antiviral drugs so that help can be provided faster.
• Don't buy food from beach vendors– they can be carriers of rotavirus.
• Try to eat out less often. If possible, it is better to cook your own food.
• Wash purchased foods thoroughly before eating.
• Wash your hands before eating.
• Boil water and milk for drinking. Use bottled, not tap water.
• Wash toys periodically.
• Always have disinfectant wipes and gels with you.
• If it is possible to choose disposable or reusable tableware in catering establishments, it is better give preference to disposable tableware.

1. Do not under any circumstances allow the body to become dehydrated.. Not only the digestive system can suffer from this, but also nervous system, and also the functioning of the lungs is disrupted.
2. If the child does not want to drink, the solution should be dropped into the mouth with a regular disposable syringe.
3. First infection(from 6 months to 2 years) is a severe intestinal infection.
4. Diagnosis can only be made in laboratory conditions, therefore, the treatment tactics for watery stool will always be the same.
5. You should not force feed a child when they are sick.. 1 day of fasting will not cause mortal harm to the body.
6. You should always have oral rehydration products in your first aid kit at home..
   If you don’t have them, you can prepare it yourself - dissolve 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a liter of water.
7. Vaccination is the only effective method of prevention. protects by 80% from the disease and by 90-95% from its severe forms.
8. Vaccination should be done between 1.5 and 8 months of age.. Later, the child’s body will begin to produce antibodies on its own.

Useful video

Dr. Komarovsky talks about rotavirus infection in children:

Conclusion

1. If a baby is diagnosed with rotavirus, medical care should begin as soon as possible. A visit to the doctor, as well as tests to confirm the disease in a laboratory are the first steps that need to be taken.
2. The most important task of parents is to prevent dehydration, which can develop within a few hours. Oral rehydration is a mandatory part of therapy.
3. If the baby experiences continuous vomiting and diarrhea, then hospitalization in a hospital is required.

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