Home Wisdom teeth What fruits can you eat if you have rotavirus infection? Diet for rotavirus infection in children - proper nutrition for a child

What fruits can you eat if you have rotavirus infection? Diet for rotavirus infection in children - proper nutrition for a child

Rotavirus is also called intestinal or stomach flu. Symptoms of rotavirus develop over a short period of time. Both adults and young children suffer from rotavirus. The disease is more severe in children under 2 years of age, since their immunity has not yet been formed. The basis of treatment in adults and children is diet.

The name stomach flu is not a medical term. In fact, rotavirus is not related to the pathogens of ordinary flu. The disease is caused by rotaviruses.

Symptoms accompanying the infection usually develop at lightning speed and are acute:

  • diarrhea;
  • dehydration;
  • intoxication;
  • vomit;
  • temperature rise;
  • runny nose;
  • stuffy and sore throat;
  • lack of appetite;
  • apathy, lack of strength.

After infection, the latent period ranges from 1 to 5 days. The acute period lasts for 3–7 days. Rotavirus is considered a childhood disease. Adults are less susceptible to this disease because their immune system blocks the virus from entering. When infected in adults, the symptoms are not so pronounced.

Often, a person with a mild intestinal disorder may not even realize that he is infected with rotavirus.

The infection is especially severe in children under 2 years of age. Possible stool up to 15-20 times a day and vomiting from 3 to 25 times a day. Such a blow to a fragile child’s body without following a diet and drinking regime is very dangerous for the child.

Without proper treatment and provision of necessary medical care to children, the process of dehydration can lead to dire consequences, including death. After an illness, children are characterized by lactose deficiency, when drinking milk provokes stool upset.

Why is proper nutrition important during illness?

With rotavirus, the intestinal epithelium is disrupted and its absorption properties are reduced. Therefore, the use of antibiotics is not recommended, as they will further weaken the intestines, suppressing beneficial flora. There are no special antiviral agents to combat rotavirus.

Treatment includes three main areas:

  1. Maintaining the body's water balance.
  2. Elimination of intoxication.
  3. Dieting.

It is necessary to adhere to proper nutrition during rotavirus so as not to provoke intestinal irritation even more. Young children are not allowed to introduce new foods into their diet or give milk. Failure to follow the diet and dehydration increases the risk of complications.

Malabsorption may occur, the loss of nutrients due to low absorption in the intestine, which will affect the functioning of all body systems. For example, low calcium absorption can provoke seizures in children. In severe cases, hospitalization and intravenous saline may be necessary.

Diet rules for intestinal infection

A diet for rotavirus in children is necessary for a speedy recovery and restoration of intestinal flora.


A diet for rotavirus in children involves the complete exclusion of dairy products from the diet.

Following the rules will help alleviate the unpleasant manifestations of the infection and speed up recovery:

  • The consumption of dairy products and derivatives of sour milk products is prohibited. You should also not eat raw vegetables and fruits, sweets and soda. The ban on dairy and derivative products is associated with a deterioration in their digestion due to a decrease in lactobacilli. Breastfed babies can continue to be fed breast milk, but it is not worth introducing new foods just yet. Artificial children are prescribed special lactose-free formulas and dairy-free cereals.
  • Ensure frequent drinking. Dehydration should absolutely not be allowed. It is especially important to monitor infants who are not very fond of drinking plain water. They should be drunk little by little with a teaspoon. Among the medications, rehydron is prescribed, a special drug that compensates for the lack of water and microelements. Children do not always agree to drink it because of its specific taste. You can feed children in the acute phase with lightly sugared compotes, jelly, tea, chamomile or rose hips.
  • Steam processing of products is preferable.
  • You should reduce the usual amount of daily food by 20%.
  • A child should not be forced to eat. This may trigger vomiting.
  • Food should be offered in small portions.
  • To clarify the diagnosis and prescribe a diet, you should definitely show the child to a pediatrician.

Drinking regime

The diet for rotavirus includes maintaining vital water balance at the required level. Rotavirus is dangerous in children primarily due to dehydration. With repeated episodes of diarrhea and vomiting, the body loses a significant amount of fluid and minerals, and the water-electrolyte balance is disrupted.

Every 30-40 minutes you should drink 40-60 ml of plain clean water. This will protect against the severe effects of dehydration. You can drink compotes, jelly, brewed chamomile and rosehip decoction.

As an additional therapy, you can use rehydration drugs (hydrovit, humana, rehydron), which are diluted with water and help to quickly neutralize the infection, maintaining the water balance at the desired level.

Treatment of an adult usually does not cause difficulties. In case of indigestion, the body experiences thirst and an adult, as well as a teenager, is able to quench it independently. Preschool children and infants cannot fully understand and express their needs.

Even when they are thirsty, they become capricious and refuse to drink water. In such cases, children should be given water after each episode of vomiting. Throughout the day, offer 5-15 ml of water at intervals of 10-15 minutes. You shouldn’t force yourself to drink a lot in one go. You can provoke vomiting even more and worsen the situation.

Table of permitted products

The diet for rotavirus in children involves a certain set of foods.

Type What is possible
Bakery productsSushi, croquette, crackers, toast
BeveragesBlack tea, compotes, brewed herbs (rosehip, chamomile), rice broth
From meatChicken, rabbit, veal, turkey fillet
From fishHake, pollock
VegetablesPotatoes, carrots, pumpkin
FruitsBananas, pears
PorridgeFrom buckwheat, rice, semolina
Other productsBoiled eggs, cottage cheese

List of prohibited products

Products whose consumption will have to be limited:

  • Fresh baked goods, rolls.
  • Meat with a high proportion of fat.
  • Fatty fish - mackerel, salmon, tuna.
  • Meaty broths and soups.
  • Sausages, canned food, smoked products.
  • Coarse cereals (millet, egg, pearl barley).
  • Dairy food.
  • Products made from sour milk.
  • Yellow cheeses.
  • White cabbage, radish, cucumber, onion, garlic.
  • Beans.
  • Oranges, apricots, lemons, plums, grapes
  • Sweets.
  • Coffee, soda.

The listed products are difficult to digest, especially in the active phase of the disease. It is not recommended to overload the digestive tract with difficult-to-digest foods, so for a speedy recovery, it is better to hold off on consuming these types of foods.

Features of the diet for breastfed children

The diet for rotavirus in children receiving breast milk has its own nuances. The baby receives immunoglobulins with milk, which promote a speedy recovery, so there is no need to stop feeding. Some infants are given very little water and are reluctant to drink it. If you have rotavirus, you will have to teach your child to drink plain, clean water.

It should be soldered in small portions of 5-10 ml, every 15-20 minutes.

If the child has already been introduced to complementary foods, then there is no need to add new products yet. It will be possible to continue introducing new things after complete recovery and recovery. As a rule, a child who has been introduced to complementary foods for more than six months can be offered to drink chamomile or compote, in the absence of undesirable reactions to the berries.

This rule should be followed to prevent dehydration in a small person. The amount of fluid supplied should be approximately equal to its losses. After vomiting or diarrhea occurs, the child should be given at least 50 ml of liquid to drink.

Water should be given, not formula or breast milk. If the baby refuses to drink from a bottle or sippy cup, then it is necessary to drink it with a spoon. You should not overfeed with breast milk; it is better to try to reduce the portion size.

For children aged from six months to 2-2.5 years (many are now breastfeeding until this age), general dietary restrictions apply. You should limit sweet, fatty, dairy and bloating-causing foods.

Diet for children 2-3 years old

The diet for rotavirus in children aged 2-3 years is aimed at compensating for lack of fluid and eliminating intestinal irritation. Typically, a child of this age is familiar with most foods. General dietary restrictions for rotavirus should be followed.

The most important thing is to adhere to the drinking regime. The child should drink about 50 ml of water twice an hour. In addition to water, at this age you can offer berry fruit drinks, brewed rosehip or chamomile, and pharmaceutical solutions (Rehydron, Hunama).

The serving size should be smaller than usual. Letting people try new, especially exotic, fruits and vegetables is prohibited. Porridge is cooked in water, milk is excluded. For snacks, you can bake apples or pears, give dry croquette cookies, crackers and crackers.

After the active phase of the infection has subsided, stools are normal and vomiting has stopped, they begin to include yoghurt in the diet to restore beneficial intestinal flora. Before prescribing a diet, consultation and examination by a pediatrician to clarify the diagnosis are required.

Diet for children 4-6 years old

Children 4-6 years old experience illness more consciously, because they can not only cry, but also talk about how they are feeling and explain what is bothering them. Recommendations on prohibited and permitted products remain general. This is a ban on dairy products, fatty foods, and sweets.

A child of this age is more aware of the need to drink plenty of fluids. You can offer him to drink rice water or raisin water with salt. 80-120 ml of liquid should be offered every hour. If necessary, give in smaller portions. To diversify the menu, you can offer an egg omelet or non-sour cottage cheese.

The diet for rotavirus in children 4-6 years old is not fundamentally different from the diet for illness in young children. If infected, you should follow the drinking regime and avoid foods that are not recommended during the period of illness.

Consequences of poor nutrition during illness

With improper nutrition, the course of the disease is prolonged, the acute period lasts more than 3-4 days and leads to serious consequences. Continuing attacks of vomiting and diarrhea exhaust the body (especially in children), and dehydration becomes acute.

Eating prohibited foods and not following a drinking regime aggravates the situation. Such situations are possible due to late diagnosis, parents ignoring obvious signs of illness, or simple ignorance.

If you don't follow the diet, you may experience:

  • Dehydration.
  • The occurrence of chronic intestinal diseases.
  • Impaired absorption of nutrients.
  • Cramps.
  • General weakening of the immune system.

There are often situations when it is not possible to give infants something to drink due to crying and refusal of water.

In such situations, you should know the symptoms in which an ambulance should be called immediately:

  • Retraction of the fontanel.
  • Urinary retention for more than 4 hours.
  • Excessive sleepiness.
  • Crying without tears.
  • Dry mucous membranes.
  • Specks of blood in the stool.
  • A mixture of greens in the vomit.

In such young children, dehydration is deadly. An urgent injection of saline solution intravenously is required. With timely assistance, the consequences will be minimal. Droppers will help compensate for the lack of water, and relief will come in a couple of days.

Weekly menu for sick children

The approximate menu for a week for rotavirus looks like this (breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner).

  • dairy-free buckwheat porridge;
  • jelly;
  • soup with vegetables, bread;
  • baked apple;
  • mashed potatoes, steamed turkey meatballs.
  • egg omelet;
  • compote of berries or dried fruits;
  • rice and steamed pollock fillet;
  • dried bread with jam;
  • boiled carrot salad, baked chicken fillet without spices.
  • semolina porridge without milk;
  • boiled egg;
  • beef meatball soup;
  • berry juice, croquette cookies;
  • fish soup from hake fillet.
  • carrot puree;
  • jelly;
  • cauliflower soup with rabbit meatballs;
  • boiled egg;
  • banana puree.
  • rice porridge;
  • boiled egg;
  • pureed cream vegetable soup with breadcrumbs;
  • compote;
  • stewed chicken with vegetables.
  • buckwheat steamed with boiling water;
  • toast with jam;
  • chicken soup;
  • rosehip decoction with cookies;
  • carp baked with carrots.
  • boiled egg, jelly;
  • banana;
  • pilaf with chicken without seasoning;
  • baked apple;
  • semolina porridge with fruit.

A varied and balanced menu of acceptable foods will not overload the stomach and will contribute to a speedy recovery from the acute period of the disease.

Recipes for rotavirus in children

Dishes offered for rotavirus should be simple, without spices and unnecessary culinary intricacies. You should not feed your child fried, spicy or fatty foods. The preferred method of processing when cooking is boiling, stewing and dipping without crust.

The most important thing is to maintain water and drinking balance.

Drinking water can be alternated with other drinks:

  • Water-salt drink with raisins: liter of water, 1/3 cup raisins, 1/3 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. salt, 3 tsp. Sahara. Throw raisins into boiling water and boil for 15-20 minutes. Strain and add salt, soda and sugar.
  • Rice broth: 0.5 cups rice, 2 cups water. Add rice to boiling water. Cook until done. Do not strain, but rub the water with rice until it becomes jelly-like.
  • Blueberry compote– 0.5-1 cup fresh, dried or frozen blueberries, 1-1.5 liters of water, sugar to taste. Throw the berries into boiling water and cook for 15 minutes. until ready.

The basis of the diet should be porridge, light soups with meatballs, baked or boiled meat:

  • Dairy-free porridge- 100 g of cereal (buckwheat, semolina or rice), 600 ml of water, sugar to taste. Boil water, add cereal. Cook while stirring until done.
  • Vegetable soup with meatballs– 2 liters of water, 5-6 potatoes, 1 large carrot, 4 tbsp. l. medium-sized pasta, 300 g minced meat (chicken, turkey or rabbit). Add chopped potatoes and carrots to boiling water. Mince the meat and form into small meatballs. Then throw in the meatballs and pasta. Salt to taste.
  • Roasted turkey- turkey fillet, salt. Salt the meat a little and bake in a sleeve or foil.
  • Pilaf with chicken– a glass of rice, 3-4 glasses of water, 2 chicken fillets, carrots, salt. Chop the fillet and carrots into small pieces and simmer. Add a glass of rice and fill everything with water. Simmer over low heat until fully cooked.

In case of rotavirus, chocolate, sweets and confectionery products with fatty creams are prohibited.

You can pamper your child with healthier sweets:

  • Apples, baked- 5-6 apples, powdered sugar. Carefully peel the apples from the cores, place them in a mold and bake until tender for 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven. Sprinkle the finished apples with powdered sugar. For cooking, you can use a slow cooker or microwave.
  • Cottage cheese casserole with banana– 500 g cottage cheese, 2 bananas, 2 eggs, 100 g sugar, a pinch of salt and soda, 4 tbsp. semolina. Grind eggs with cottage cheese and bananas. Add sugar, salt, soda. Add semolina. Bake in the oven or slow cooker until done, 30-40 minutes.

Nutrition after rotavirus

Rotavirus disrupts the production of important intestinal enzymes responsible for the breakdown of lactose. Therefore, after the acute period has subsided, you should not consume dairy products for 3-4 weeks. Sometimes in young children this period can be much longer and require additional treatment with special medications.

The therapeutic diet for rotavirus is quite strict, and you should exit it gradually after the symptoms of the infection have subsided. During the first few weeks, it is better to stick to proper nutrition. Products that are not recommended during illness are gradually returned to the diet. Children under one year of age are not given complementary foods until the body is fully restored.

With a stable cessation of vomiting and diarrhea, children can be given kefir and yoghurt to restore beneficial flora. Prevention of the disease includes observing the principles of basic hygiene and monitoring the expiration dates and freshness of products.

Rotavirus infection affects more than 100 million people a year.

About 20% of cases are subject to hospitalization due to the severe course of the disease. An inflamed intestine worsens the general condition of the human body, reducing the absorption of nutrients and disrupting metabolism. The main and most effective method of treatment in children and adults is following a therapeutic diet and maintaining water balance at a vital level.

Useful videos about diet for children with rotavirus infection

More information about rotavirus:

Therapeutic nutrition for rotavirus:

Rotavirus infection is a common viral disease called intestinal flu that affects the digestive tract. The causative agent of the infection is rotavirus. Most often, the disease affects children whose age does not exceed 5 years, who have physiological characteristics of the digestive organs and an incompletely formed immune system.

During the acute period of the disease and after it, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules that will be aimed at restoring the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract (hereinafter referred to as the GIT). What diet should be followed after rotavirus infection? Let's consider all its features.

What happens to the digestive tract?

After the virus has entered the body and reached the small intestine, it may not manifest itself in any way for another 1–5 days. In this case, the patient is already infectious to others and will remain a carrier until the last day of full recovery.

Then it begins to actively multiply, causing many serious symptoms. Once inside the enterocytes, they begin to destroy them. As a result of this, normal cells are replaced by defective ones that do not have the ability to absorb, break down and synthesize enzymes.

To make it easier to bear the disease, you need to follow a certain order:

  • reduce the load on the gastrointestinal tract;
  • it is necessary to provide the body with micro- and macroelements;
  • prevent loss of fluid and body weight;
  • reduce the inflammatory process in the digestive tract;
  • normalize the functioning of all digestive organs.

Basic rules of diet for rotavirus infection in adults and children:

  • food should be varied and easily digestible, taken at least 5–7 times a day;
  • the recommended temperature of finished products should be no lower than 30 and no higher than 38 degrees;
  • the total volume of the daily diet should be reduced by 20–50% of the physiological norm;
  • providing the body with a sufficient amount of proteins, carbohydrates and fats;
  • ensuring protection from mechanical effects on the digestive organs;
  • all products should be consumed only in boiled form, rubbed through a fine sieve;
  • include fermented milk products rich in lactobacilli in your diet.

In the first days, when symptoms are at their peak, it is important to drink plenty of fluids

Nutrition after rotavirus infection should remain unchanged for 10–14 days in order for the body to finally become stronger and the digestive tract to return to normal.

What you can and cannot eat

After a child or adult falls ill with intestinal flu, the question arises: “What can you eat so as not to harm the body?” Experts have identified certain products that have a beneficial effect on inflamed organs and those that can cause even greater harm.

Allowed foods and dishes Prohibited foods and dishes
Fermented milk products from day 3. Milk, sour cream.
Lean meats. Fatty meats, fish and poultry.
Fruits and vegetables, boiled or baked. Fresh fruits and vegetables.
Cereals: rice, semolina, buckwheat, oatmeal. Marinades and spices.
Bread crackers, biscuits, dryers. Pickles, smoked meats, pickles.
Soups with vegetable or diluted meat broth. Confectionery and sugar.
Strong coffee and tea.
Soft-boiled eggs or steamed omelet. Fresh bread and bakery products.
Honey instead of sugar. Carbonated drinks.
Highly diluted tea and fruit decoctions without sugar. Food colors and additives.
Kissel and soufflé of fruits and vegetables. Alcohol products.

In addition to foods that should not be eaten, it is worth noting that all dishes should be served warm. Food that is too hot or cold will irritate and negatively affect the upper digestive tract.

Sample menu for a week during an acute period

After the first signs of intestinal flu appear, you should pay attention to what you can and cannot eat. For the first 2 weeks, you must strictly follow a diet that will spare the digestive tract.

The diet can be expanded only taking into account the patient’s normal well-being and the permission of a specialist.

Day 1: in the morning jelly without sugar, at lunch pureed noodle soup in vegetable broth, snack cracker, rosehip broth, dinner mashed potatoes without milk and butter, at night rice water.

Day 2: in the morning, a steamed omelette, several sushi, lunch, rice soup with diluted chicken broth, a decoction of berries without sugar, an afternoon snack of baked apples in the oven, dinner, buckwheat with half a steamed cutlet, jelly for the night.

Day 3: soft-boiled egg, biscuits, weak tea, buckwheat soup with weak meat broth, potato casserole, fruit soufflé, dinner rice with a piece of boiled fish, a glass of low-fat kefir at night.

Day 4: oatmeal porridge with water, diluted cocoa drink, soup with meatballs, durum wheat pasta, bifido for afternoon snack, dinner vegetable stew with a piece of baked chicken, yogurt at night.

Day 5: buckwheat porridge infused with kefir, crackers or dry cookies, lunch rice soup, mashed potatoes with meatballs, dried fruit compote, baked sweet apple without sugar, pasta casserole, jelly for the night.

Day 6: 2 soft-boiled eggs, a sandwich with butter and a piece of cheese, weak tea, pureed meat soup, buckwheat porridge and a piece of boiled chicken, compote with dried bread, rice with a steamed cutlet for dinner, fruit soufflé, rosehip decoction, a glass at night kefir

Day 7: oatmeal with diluted milk, cocoa drink and cheese sandwich, lunch soup with meatballs, pasta with steam cutlet, tea with honey, fruit soufflé, mashed potatoes with baked fish, a glass of bifidok or fermented baked milk at night.


You should not force a child or an adult to eat if there is absolutely no appetite. Drinking plenty of fluids will be enough to reduce the risk of dehydration.

Recipes for rotavirus patients

As it was written above, what you can and cannot eat during illness. It is recommended to eat only boiled lean meat, heat-treated fruits and vegetables, etc. But how can you diversify your dietary table and make it more tasty? To do this, you can use several recipes for preparing delicious food.

Recipe No. 1. Chicken breast with vegetables

For cooking you will need a chicken breast without skin and bones, large carrots, 2 small tomatoes, potatoes and mineral water. We make transverse cuts in the breast and soak it in mineral water for about 40 minutes to make the meat much softer.

Then cut the carrots, potatoes and tomatoes into small cubes, place them next to the breast on a baking sheet and cover everything with foil (you can bake it in a sleeve). Place in the oven, preheated to 220 degrees and bake until fully cooked. If desired, the dish can be slightly salted.

Recipe No. 2. Steamed stuffed peppers

Bell peppers are washed well and the core and seeds are removed. Then the minced meat is prepared (you can use ready-made): beef or turkey meat is minced through a meat grinder with the addition of a small head of onion and carrot, zucchini or eggplant, 1 egg and a small pinch of salt

Stuff the peppers with the resulting mixture and place them in a double boiler. Cook for at least 40 minutes until fully cooked. You can chop the vegetables finely instead of putting them in a meat grinder. This way they produce less juice and it will be retained in the main dish.

Recipe No. 3. Apple and carrot puree

Boil 2 carrots in an aluminum pan and bake several large apples in the oven. Mix the vegetable and fruit in one container and beat well with a blender until smooth. You can add a little honey for sweetness.

Recipe No. 4. Kissel from berries (black currants)

Rinse fresh or frozen berries well and place in a pan filled with water. After the broth boils, strain it through a sieve and discard the resulting cake. To the still hot compote, add starch and a teaspoon of sugar, previously mixed in cold, clean water. Place the entire mixture on low heat and stir for a few more minutes until thickened. It is recommended to serve the drink chilled.

Illnesses in young children usually force them to face much greater difficulties. The immune system of babies is significantly inferior to adults, and the peculiarities of feeding and behavior only add to the difficulties.

Little patients cannot always interpret their own well-being, and infants are even capable of expressing painful sensations only by crying. An existing feature often causes misinterpretation, too late diagnosis and delayed treatment.

When faced with a dangerous rotavirus, the first question that arises is nutrition. The disease is considered dangerous and requires a certain diet as treatment.

Diet for rotavirus is a must to promote the healing process. But is this virus really that scary?

Let's take a closer look at the features of rotavirus infection and find out the existing rules for the prescribed diet.

What is rotavirus?

Rotavirus is a virus that infects the human small intestine and causes a rotavirus infection called intestinal flu. Bypassing the stomach, it settles at the entrance to the intestines and begins active reproduction inside the intestinal cells - enterocytes.

The destroyed cells release invaders that continue to infect new areas. On its own, the body is able to get rid of only part of the viruses during bowel movements, but the bulk of the pests remain inside.

The released viruses can cause infection to the next unfortunate person. Most often, intestinal flu affects children; adults suffer from it less frequently and more easily. The first symptoms of rotavirus are cough, sore throat, runny nose and slight fever.

Their similarity to the signs of ARVI makes it difficult to recognize the disease in time at the first stage. Rotavirus infection can be accurately identified by its symptoms.

These include:

  • severe fever;
  • upset stool (loose and frequent);
  • general malaise and lethargy.

The disease is contagious and if one person is sick, all family members are at risk.

Causes

The causes of rotavirus are:

What is the danger?

The danger of rotavirus is that it spreads quickly and easily. Viruses are transmitted by airborne droplets, so if one person gets sick in a kindergarten, the entire group will soon become infected.

It is also worth noting the activity of rotavirus inside the body and the resulting intoxication. Overcoming the disease is possible only with the help of proper treatment - diet.

The purpose of the diet for rotavirus infection

Diet is the main method of treating rotavirus. It helps fight dehydration, which is especially dangerous for children and can be fatal.

To quickly defeat a harmful virus, a complete review of nutrition is necessary.

The diet will help:

  • minimize the load on digestive processes;
  • supply the weakened body with important nutrients;
  • shorten the period of illness.

Existing drugs can only temporarily suppress existing signs of rotavirus, but they do not guarantee complete recovery. Diet is a 100% guarantee that the patient will recover.

Principles of nutrition for intestinal flu

In acute intestinal infection, severe intoxication of the body is observed. Excessive loss of water can lead to serious consequences, so you should buy rehydration medications at the pharmacy. They restore the water-salt balance and help in further struggle.

Children who contract rotavirus with more serious consequences experience acute attacks and. If there are frequent bowel movements and stomach cramps, it is better to transfer the child to daily fasting, not forgetting to give the patient drinks allowed by the diet.

Features of nutrition for infants

Children, especially infants, suffer most from rotavirus infection. The observed signs are more serious than in an adult. There is a high fever and prolonged vomiting.

For treatment you should:

After getting rid of the symptoms, the baby can be switched to light broths, vegetable juices and purees allowed by the diet.

Foods prohibited during illness

During the diet, it is worth excluding a number of foods that create a favorable environment for the development of bacteria. Also, you should not eat anything that could cause it. Foods rich in fiber are also not suitable for dieting, as they will put a strong strain on an exhausted body.

During the diet, give up:

  • milk;
  • cucumbers and legumes;
  • garlic and onions;
  • radish, radish, cauliflower and white cabbage;
  • fatty broths and soups;
  • sugar-containing products (natural cocoa, chocolates, candies);
  • fresh black bread and baked goods;
  • high-carbohydrate cereals (millet, pearl barley) and pasta;
  • canned food, semi-finished products and fast food;
  • any smoked, salty and fatty foods;
  • drinks containing caffeine.

Products allowed by the diet program

During the diet, preference should be given to the most healthy and easily digestible foods. All foods allowed by the diet must undergo heat treatment. During rotavirus, it is strictly forbidden to fry or bake food until a crust forms.

The menu of a patient on a diet may include:

During a therapeutic diet, drinking plenty of fluids is recommended to maintain water balance and protect against dehydration.

When following a drink diet, the following are allowed:

  • strong tea;
  • rice concoctions;
  • jelly;
  • natural cocoa on water;
  • decoctions of berries (raspberries, currants, blueberries);
  • water-salt solutions.

The drinks recommended by the diet are easy to prepare at home. The ingredients that make up them are available at any time of the year and are quite affordable in price. Check out the recipes below and try them out in practice.

Ingredients:

  • rice – 2 tbsp;
  • baking soda - a pinch;
  • salt – 0.5 tsp;
  • water – 3 l.

Preparation:

  1. Soak rice grains in cold water for half a day.
  2. Boil the rice in water until soft and mushy, about 1 hour.
  3. Strain the resulting broth through cheesecloth, adding soda and salt.

Raisin decoction

Ingredients:

  • water – 1 l;
  • salt – 1 tsp;
  • sugar – 4 tsp;
  • baking soda - 0.5 tsp.
  • raisins - ⅓ tbsp.

Preparation:

  1. Boil the raisins in water for an hour.
  2. Strain the cooled broth.
  3. Carefully squeeze out the remaining raisins to saturate the broth with glucose.
  4. Stir salt, sugar and soda into the drink, boil for 2 minutes and cool.

Blueberry compote

Ingredients:

  • water – 1 l;
  • dried blueberries – 3 tbsp;
  • sugar – 35 g.

Preparation:

  1. Add blueberries to boiling water and cook over moderate heat until soft.
  2. Strain the cooled compote and grind the remaining berries to release glucose.
  3. Add granulated sugar and serve warm.

Sample diet menu for rotavirus infection

The diet represents a complete rejection of foods hazardous to health and involves a combination of permitted ones. To save time and your own wallet, it is recommended to create a weekly menu and purchase a list of the necessary ingredients at a time.

The daily diet prescribed by the diet for rotavirus infection may look like this:

Eating Dishes
Breakfast
  • semolina or rice porridge with water;
  • tea with homemade crackers or fruit marshmallows.
Lunch
  • carrot or apple puree;
  • jelly.
Dinner
  • vegetable or chicken broth;
  • steam cutlets or meatballs from chicken breast or low-fat fish;
  • rose hip.
Afternoon snack
  • baked apples;
  • compote of dried fruits or berries.
Dinner
  • steam omelet, stuffed peppers or vegetable stew;

Recipes

If you are puzzled by creating a menu during a diet, use one of the suggested recipes. They will help visually represent the menu proposed by the diet and make it easier to choose foods during acute symptoms. Also, the dishes will help make your diet not only healthy, but also tasty.

Ingredients:

  • carrots – 2 pcs;
  • eggplant – 1 piece;
  • tomato – 3 pcs;
  • zucchini – 1 pc.

Preparation:

  1. Cut the vegetables into small cubes and remove the skins from the tomatoes.
  2. Simmer until soft, covered, adding a little water if necessary.


Ingredients:

  • sweet pepper – 4 pcs;
  • eggplant – 1 piece;
  • zucchini – 1 piece;
  • carrots – 1 pc.

Preparation:

  1. Remove seeds from the peppers by cutting off the tops and stems.
  2. Finely chop the remaining vegetables and stir.
  3. Place vegetable mixture into peppers.
  4. Place in a steamer and cook for 30 minutes.


Baked vegetables with chicken breast

Ingredients:

  • chicken breast – 1 piece;
  • tomato – 2 pcs;
  • carrots – 2 pcs;
  • mineral water.

Preparation:

  1. Cut the breast crosswise several times.
  2. Pour mineral water over the chicken and leave for 30 minutes.
  3. Cut the vegetables into long strips.
  4. Drain and place the softened fillet in foil. Add vegetables.
  5. Place in the oven for 30 minutes at 180°.


Ingredients:

  • apple – 2 pcs;
  • carrots – 3 pcs;
  • honey – 1 tsp;
  • cinnamon.

Preparation:

  1. Boil the carrots until soft.
  2. Bake the apples and remove skins and seeds.
  3. Grind the carrots and apples in a blender until pureed.
  4. Add a little cinnamon and honey and stir.


Diet after intestinal flu

Rotavirus infection can be observed in a patient for one to two weeks. However, even after the complete disappearance of all alarming symptoms, do not rush to return from your diet to your usual diet.

The affected areas of the mucous membranes take a longer time to heal, so their recovery requires additional time.

  1. Add other types of meat, but use the same processing methods (boiling, baking, steaming).
  2. Later, include vegetables that were previously prohibited by the diet, preferring boiled options.
  3. Try fruits, but not raw.
  4. Try to give up sweets, alcohol and soda for as long as possible.
  5. In the last month, introduce fermented milk products. They must be fresh and have a short shelf life.

Introduce sweets and baked goods at the last moment, giving preference to homemade marmalade and honey. If you have a strong desire to eat the forbidden, you can try homemade products.

In this case, it is possible to control the composition of the produced delicacies and make them as healthy and safe as possible, even according to the rules established by the diet.

Conclusion

As a conclusion, it is worth noting that despite the danger of intestinal flu, you can try to avoid it through preventive measures. But due to the ease of transmission and large radius of spread of rotavirus, it is better to always be prepared for possible consequences.

  1. Be wary of emerging ARVI symptoms. Later they may turn out to be rotavirus in disguise. It is better to leave a kindergartener or schoolchild at home if they have a runny nose, sore throat or slight fever. In this way, you will not only protect your own child from possible complications, but also prevent rotavirus from spreading to other children.
  2. When identifying intestinal flu, drink a little, but often. A short interval of 10 minutes, accompanied by a couple of sips, will help avoid dehydration and attacks of nausea.
  3. Keep medications in the family medicine cabinet that help restore water balance (Gidrovit, etc.).
  4. Do not perform gastric lavage. The already existing outflow of vitamins and minerals from the affected body will only intensify, which will lead to injury to internal organs and worsen the situation.
  5. Stick to the recommended diet for as long as possible. A therapeutic diet will not only eliminate alarming symptoms, but will also help the overall recovery of a weakened body.
  6. Do not use folk recipes and remedies, but call a doctor. A specialist will not only help with making an accurate diagnosis, but will also select the correct treatment and diet, taking into account the characteristics of any organism.

For a mother, there is nothing sadder than a child’s illness. In this situation, you can only rely on the attending physician and your own parental instincts. If your baby has been diagnosed with rotavirus, the first thing you should take care of is drawing up a therapeutic diet menu.

Rotavirus infection (rotavirus gastroenteritis) is popularly called stomach (or intestinal) flu. Most often it occurs in children of the nursery group, namely, between the ages of 6 months and 2 years. Even a healthy person who does not show any signs of illness can become a carrier of the infection.

An acute infection caused by rotavirus does not manifest itself immediately. Incubation period: 1-5 days. With the appearance of acute symptoms, the picture of the disease becomes clearer:

  • abdominal cramps accompanied by pain,
  • vomit,
  • diarrhea,
  • general weakness.

But since the listed symptoms are also characteristic of other childhood illnesses (food poisoning, salmonellosis, cholera), only a specialist can make the correct diagnosis.

With proper therapy and diet, recovery occurs within 4-7 days after symptoms are detected. A child who has recovered from the disease receives immunity that helps resist this type of virus.

Diet rules

In this case, diet is a necessary measure. It has several important functions:

  • reduces the load on the digestive tract;
  • promotes a speedy recovery;
  • prevents dehydration, which is extremely dangerous in childhood;
  • ensures the supply of important nutrients to the body.

A properly formulated diet for a sick baby is all the more important when you consider that this is perhaps the only method of treating rotavirus. None of the modern drugs guarantee recovery.

During this difficult period for a child, a split diet becomes especially important. In other words, permitted drinks and food should be given to the toddler in small portions, maintaining short intervals between doses.

It has been noticed that in the first few days of the disease, children who have contracted rotavirus lose their appetite. In this case, it is forbidden to force the baby to eat. You can offer him some light food or drink. For example, low-fat broth cooked on skinless chicken breast, or unsweetened but strong tea.

And only after the child shows interest in food can he be switched to a therapeutic diet. Until the symptoms of diarrhea disappear, all products are crushed and well boiled or steamed.

The disease can cause serious complications in the child. The word is to mothers.

“My daughter caught this virus from her cousin when she was 3 years old. The diagnosis was made by a pediatrician. She had severe vomiting and diarrhea. The virus destroyed healthy bacteria in the intestines, and the child developed temporary lactose intolerance, which persisted for a full six months after the illness. I gradually introduced dairy products into her diet. Only a year later, my baby’s body fully recovered.”

Product Lists

Prohibited

First of all, foods that fuel the infection will have to be excluded from the children's diet. These include cow's milk, sugar-containing confectionery and foods rich in carbohydrates. Prohibited:

  • fatty broths and soups;
  • sausages and fatty meats;
  • pasta;
  • raw vegetables and fruits;
  • millet, barley and pearl barley porridge;
  • chocolate and cocoa;
  • fresh black bread and baked goods;
  • canned fish, smoked and salted fish, all its fatty varieties.

The most dangerous in the group of vegetable crops are cucumbers, garlic, onions and representatives of the cruciferous family: radishes, radishes, cabbage and cauliflower. They contain fiber that is difficult to digest and can worsen symptoms.

Allowed

  • porridge cooked in water or vegetable broth from semolina or tender rice flakes without adding butter or sugar;
  • low-fat broth, perhaps with the addition of a small handful of thoroughly boiled vegetables or cereals;
  • omelette of 1 egg (preferably rustic), steamed;
  • fresh, non-acidic cottage cheese, pre-grated (ready-made cottage cheese with added pieces of fruit should not be used);
  • steamed cutlets or meatballs made from fish fillets and lean meat;
  • homemade boiled or steamed carrot puree;
  • baked apples (just remember to remove the skin);
  • fermented milk products enriched with bifidobacteria: acidophilus, bifidoc, "Activia", lactobacillin, etc.;
  • , also preferably homemade.

If your baby is used to eating bread, offer him homemade croutons from a loaf without crusts.

Drink Recipes

During illness, the child needs fluids. First of all, this is a water-salt solution with a high sodium content - purchased or prepared independently.

Water-salt decoction with raisins

  1. Add 1/3 cup to 1 liter of water and boil for an hour.
  2. Cool and strain the broth. Carefully mash the raisins remaining in the strainer or gauze so that as much glucose as possible passes into the drink.
  3. Stir with 1 tsp. salt, half tsp. baking soda and 4 tsp. Sahara.
  4. Boil for a couple more minutes and cool again.

This decoction tastes good, and children drink it without whims.

When the symptoms subside, rice water, a fruit and vegetable mixture (200 g of peeled apples and carrots and 2 tsp of sugar per 0.5 l of water), as well as or (2-3 tbsp of berries and 1 .5 tbsp sugar per 1 liter of water).

These drinks contain pectin, known for its cleansing properties. But you can feed your child with them only in a heated state.

Congee

Cook 2-4 tbsp. l. rice in boiling water until it softens. This will take about 2 hours. Rub the cereal through a sieve, add a pinch of baking soda and salt (less than a teaspoon of fine salt).

Nutrition after illness

It will take at least another two weeks for the digestive system to recover from the infection. During this period, it is important to continue to observe certain dietary restrictions. Take some time with the products:

  • cold foods and drinks, including ice cream: they complicate the digestive processes;
  • legumes: can cause flatulence;
  • whole milk;
  • Rye bread;
  • millet porridge;
  • : Contains coarse dietary fiber.

Even if all the unpleasant symptoms have passed, this does not mean that you can transfer your baby to a regular diet. Be patient, and then your baby will emerge victorious from this battle with rotavirus.

Rotavirus infection is an infectious pathology caused by viruses. The disease affects the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines. According to statistics, about ninety-five percent of children under five years of age suffer rotavirus infection.

The immune system usually copes with the attack of these pathogens, but the protective forces of infants are just being formed, so the disease at this age poses a huge danger. Risk factors for the occurrence of the disease include poor social and living conditions, poor nutrition, prematurity, and artificial feeding.

Infection occurs through the fecal-oral route, through dirty hands, personal items, as well as contaminated food and water. The source of infection is a sick person who excretes billions of viral agents in his stool. The causative agent of the infectious process is highly resistant in the environment.

It can be stored in water for several weeks. A distinctive feature of rotoviruses is also their high contagiousness, that is, infectiousness. Pathogens spread quickly in closed children's groups, for example, kindergartens and hospitals. The peak incidence is considered to be the period from late autumn to mid-spring.

Penetrating into the digestive tract, viral agents begin to actively multiply, disrupting the transport and absorption functions of the intestine. Pathogenic microorganisms cause progressive death of mucosal cells, which causes an inflammatory reaction in the intestine.

Due to the development of enzymatic deficiency, digestive function suffers. Enterotoxin disrupts the process of water absorption, which causes profuse diarrhea. Increasing intoxication provokes a gag reflex, which further aggravates the shift in water and electrolyte balance.

In the absence of timely help, dehydration will increase more and more, the volume of circulating blood will decrease and, ultimately, this can lead to death. In this article we will talk in detail about what you can eat if you are infected with rotaviruses. Let's highlight a list of permitted and prohibited products, and also consider a sample menu.

Rotavirus infection most often affects young children.

The disease manifests itself in the form of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weakness, and dizziness. Patients develop symptoms characteristic of an acute respiratory viral infection. Young children become whiny and irritable. They experience crying without tears, rare urination, dry skin and mucous membranes.

All this indicates the development of dehydration. Most often, the infection appears in children between six months and three to four years of age. This is due to the fact that the child switches to artificial feeding, and this increases the risk of transmitting a viral infection through household means. In adults, severe disease is quite rare.

Most often, the disease occurs due to massive contamination of water or food. In most cases, the disease lasts only a few days under the guise of food poisoning. Treatment of the disease includes a whole range of measures and is aimed primarily at combating symptoms. The basis of treatment tactics is the use of oral rehydration solutions.

Diet also plays an important role during rotavirus infection. According to experts, at the moment there are no drugs that would kill rotavirus. That is why symptomatic control and proper nutrition are the basis of the healing process.


Proper nutrition during rotavirus infection is the key to a speedy recovery

When the first symptoms indicating a rotavirus infection appear, it is extremely important to remove dairy and fermented milk products from the diet, as bacteria grow and multiply quickly in them. Most often, patients simply have no appetite; you should not force them to eat; it is better to give them strong tea without sugar, homemade jelly or chicken broth.

If your appetite is still there, then it is better to eat rice porridge, but without adding butter. To prevent the gag reflex, try to drink and eat often, but in small portions. Patients can eat dried wheat bread, lean meat or fish broth, vegetable soup, semolina and buckwheat porridge, beets, carrots, and tomatoes.

Under no circumstances should you consume chocolate, cocoa, or flour products. Dietary nutrition includes the exclusion of certain foods not only during the acute period, but also for two to three weeks after recovery. The method of cooking is also important. It is better to prepare dishes in a gentle way, for example, steamed or in the oven.

Is fasting acceptable for rotavirus infection? Some believe that if you do not eat during this period, the body will not have the strength to fight the infection, but this is not entirely true. If you have no appetite, then you don’t need to force yourself. The body has directed all its strength to fight the infection and has no time to digest food. But you shouldn’t give up liquid!

Permitted and prohibited products

First, let's talk about those products that will have to be excluded. Such restrictions apply to foods that further fuel the infection. This includes foods rich in carbohydrates, confectionery products with sugar, and cow's milk.

Let's highlight the list of prohibited products:

  • fatty meat, fish, broths and soups;
  • sausages;
  • pasta;
  • raw vegetables and fruits;
  • cocoa and chocolate;
  • some vegetables: garlic, onions, white and cauliflower, radishes, radishes;
  • whole milk, kefir, sour cream, cottage cheese, cheese;
  • semi-finished products, fast food;
  • some porridges: pearl barley, millet and barley;
  • fresh bread, pastries, muffins;
  • smoked meats, pickles, canned food.


Diet for rotavirus infection in adults primarily involves drinking enough fluids

What can you eat? The daily menu may consist of the following products:

  • semolina or rice porridge, cooked in water or vegetable broth without adding butter or sugar;
  • delicate broth based on cereals and vegetables;
  • steam omelette;
  • steamed meatballs or meatballs made from lean meat or fish;
  • oven-baked apples;
  • carrot puree;
  • homemade fruit marmalade.

In the first days of illness, you are allowed to eat some dried fruits, porridge with water, a hard-boiled chicken egg, low-fat soup, crackers with tea. Separately, it is worth noting the peculiarity of nutrition for infants. Do not stop breastfeeding under any circumstances. Along with the milk, protective cells will be transferred to the baby.

Children after six months can be given jelly, mashed potatoes, steam omelet, carrot-apple mixture. It may take at least another two weeks for the gastrointestinal tract to fully recover. Diet after rotavirus infection is also associated with some restrictions. It is better to hold off on these products:

  • cold drinks and food;
  • whole milk;
  • legumes;
  • millet porridge;
  • beet;
  • Rye bread.


The child needs to eat properly after recovery

Healthy recipes

During an illness, a child simply needs fluids. This primarily applies to water-salt solutions with a high sodium content. This can be either a self-prepared solution or a ready-made solution purchased at a pharmacy.

Consider a simple recipe for a water-salt remedy with raisins, which can be given even to small children:

  • Pour one hundred grams of seedless raisins into a liter of water and boil for one hour;
  • The broth should be filtered thoroughly. The raisins that remain in the strainer should be mashed so that their small particles get into the solution;
  • add a tablespoon of salt, half a teaspoon of baking soda and two tablespoons of sugar to the filtered product;
  • Boil all ingredients for a few minutes and cool again. The finished product has a pleasant taste, so children use it calmly and without whims.

The solution can be diluted with pharmaceutical tea without additives. After the unpleasant symptoms subside, the child can be given rice water, as well as carrot-apple mixtures. To cleanse the body, use baked apples and decoctions based on dry blueberries and rose hips. Alternatively, you can make herbal tea with chamomile and peppermint.

It should be given to the child in small quantities and only in the absence of an allergic reaction.

Other drinks will help restore water and electrolyte balance:

  • Mix a liter of water with half a glass of fresh lemon juice and 50 g of sea salt. You can add honey, sorghum, or maple syrup as a sweetener;
  • For a liter of water, add a quarter cup of lemon juice, the same amount of lime juice and one orange. Finally add a teaspoon of sea salt;
  • put two bananas, three glasses of coconut juice, two glasses of watermelon, a glass of ice water and a teaspoon of natural sea salt through a blender;
  • Mix sea salt, ascorbic acid, lemon juice and a teaspoon of stevia with water.

To prepare rice water, bring one liter of water to a boil and add four tablespoons of rice. Cook the cereal for two hours until completely softened. Then the resulting mass should be passed through a fine sieve and five tablespoons of sugar should be added. The product is again brought to a boil, after which it is poured into sterile jars. Before use, the rice water is slightly warmed.

The carrot-apple mixture is very easy to prepare. To do this, you need to take half a kilogram of carrots and apples. The products are peeled and then boiled in a liter of water until completely softened. The finished apples and carrots are passed through a sieve, after which five teaspoons of sugar are added to them. Then the product is brought to a boil again, after which it is poured into jars.


A water-salt solution can be prepared at home

Let's look at an approximate daily menu for rotavirus infection:

  • breakfast. You can prepare a steam omelet, pureed non-acidic cottage cheese, semolina or rice porridge, vegetable broth;
  • snack. Baked apples;
  • dinner. Chicken soup with pureed vegetables and cereals, fish or meat balls, rosehip infusion;
  • afternoon tea Homemade fruit marmalade;
  • dinner. Boiled buckwheat or rice porridge, chicken meatballs, carrot puree, unsweetened tea with white bread crackers.

So, rotavirus infection most often appears in children. It is very easy to become infected; the pathogen is transmitted through dirty hands, household items, food, and water. Proper nutrition is the basis of the healing process. Rotaviruses cause severe dehydration, so it is extremely important to stay hydrated.

This can be natural water, rosehip or rice broth, chamomile tea and more. The diet should be maintained not only during the acute period, but also for three weeks after recovery. At an early age, rotavirus infection can cause death, so do not self-medicate, but contact a qualified specialist.



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