Rotavirus infection in newborns symptoms. Rotavirus infection. Rotavirus infection: symptoms in children
Parents do not always distinguish intestinal infections from a common bowel disorder, they are perplexed how the child could have been poisoned. After all, he ate everything fresh, they did not offer him any new products, and in the morning he suddenly vomited, diarrhea began. Sometimes parents try to give their baby antibiotics in a rage. But in the case of rotavirus, they are of no use. You need to call a doctor who knows all the subtleties of treating the disease. Usually it affects children under the age of 5 years, when the immune system is not yet strong enough. It is especially difficult for babies under 1 year old.
Sometimes this disease is also called "intestinal flu", but some experts do not believe this name is correct. As noted, for example, by the famous children's doctor E. Komarovsky, influenza is a respiratory infection, and rotavirus mainly destroys the mucous membrane of the digestive system (stomach, intestines, duodenum), which leads to intestinal disorders and dehydration.
Within 5 days after infection, the baby may not show any signs of the disease (the so-called incubation period). Then comes the acute stage. For no apparent reason, he wakes up crying in the middle of the night, vomiting. There are clear signs of poisoning. It is especially bad for the baby in the first 2-3 days. Convalescence occurs approximately 5-8 days. However, signs of the disease may appear within 4-5 days.
A large number of rotavirus pathogens come out with feces, so a sick baby can easily infect other children and adults, especially in the first week. Then he is already allowed to visit child care institutions, if he does not have a relapse of the disease. In order to determine that the child is completely healthy, a rota test is done (an express method for detecting rotavirus in feces). It is done by a specialist.
The disease can proceed in different ways. There are 3 possible options:
- First, there are symptoms of a respiratory illness (runny nose, cough) without fever, and then signs of intestinal upset.
- Digestive upset occurs, and then other signs of rotavirus infection in children appear.
- Weakness, drowsiness appears, appetite disappears, and after a while there is abdominal pain and other symptoms. This condition often occurs in children under 1 year of age. The baby begins to press his legs to his tummy and cry.
Infection symptoms
The main symptoms of rotavirus infection are vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Because of the strong vomiting of the patient, it is impossible to give water to drink, it immediately comes back.
The baby has spasmodic abdominal pain and diarrhea. On the first day, the stool is abundant, frequent (the urge occurs 10-15 times a day). The color of feces is yellow, the consistency is liquid, frothy, the smell is sour. In the following days, the stool becomes thicker, its color is yellowish-gray. The pain occurs mainly in the navel area.
The temperature rises to 39 degrees and above. It is difficult to bring it down with conventional antipyretic drugs.
A warning: Vomiting and diarrhea can be symptoms of food poisoning. The difference is that in case of poisoning, the child becomes easier after vomiting or having a bowel movement. And with an intestinal infection, there is no relief after attacks. Therefore, in order to understand what the baby is sick with, it is necessary to ask him if he has become better.
In addition to these symptoms, with a rotavirus infection, a child develops others: appetite disappears, a headache appears. The baby becomes lethargic and sleepy.
How an infection can enter the body
Rotavirus enters the body of the crumbs through the mouth. A six-month-old baby learns to crawl, pulls various objects into his mouth, and sucks on his fists. Therefore, it can easily become infected. Rotavirus infection can be found on poorly washed hands, dust on toys or furniture. Eating unwashed fruits and vegetables is also a cause of infection.
Rotavirus is present both in feces and in saliva or nasal mucus. If the patient does not wash his hands well after using the toilet, and then touches the door handles, then an infection remains on them, which is transmitted to the baby and other family members. Usually everyone gets sick in turn, but in adults the symptoms are not so strong (1-2 days nausea, there may be diarrhea). Sometimes they do not feel the signs of the disease at all, but they are virus carriers.
Parents of the baby can not always figure out that the cause of the common cold, dry cough and conjunctivitis is rotavirus infection. Another child, after talking with a sick person, easily becomes infected.
Often, outbreaks of rotavirus infection are noted at sea recreation centers, where infection occurs through dirty sea water or sand, where sanitary and hygienic conditions are far from normal. Children are easily infected in kindergarten, school. Infection is possible in hospitals where virus carriers, children or adults are located.
Video: Signs of rotavirus infection, diagnosis, treatment principles, vaccination effectiveness
What complications can be
Rotavirus infection for children is quite dangerous. During illness, they have the following complications:
- Dehydration of the body. This condition occurs due to the large loss of fluid during vomiting and diarrhea. It is very dangerous for a small child, leading to his death. The baby needs to drink a lot of slightly salted water. If it is impossible to drink it, then the solution is injected through a dropper.
- Acetonemic syndrome. Due to dehydration of the body, metabolic disorders occur. At the same time, acetone and acetoacetic acid accumulate in the blood, causing poisoning, increasing vomiting, drowsiness, lethargy, and stomach pain. The smell of acetone from the mouth is felt.
- Convulsions. They can occur in babies due to high body temperature. It is required to knock it down not only with the help of antipyretics, but also by wiping off children (for example, alcohol diluted halfway with water).
- Damage to the nervous system, which is manifested by fainting, delirium. In this case, convulsions appear at normal or slightly elevated temperature. This complication occurs as a reaction of the body to toxins.
Advice: Given the possibility of such serious complications, if a child develops diarrhea and frequent bouts of vomiting, it is imperative to consult a doctor so that the baby can receive timely assistance.
Diagnosing rotavirus infection
Accurate diagnosis is also needed because rotavirus infection can be easily confused with dysentery, salmonellosis, gastritis, food poisoning. In each case, completely different medicines are required. Improper treatment can cost the patient his life, especially if it is a nursing baby.
To establish a diagnosis, a general blood and urine test is done, which allows you to confirm the fact that the cause of the disease is an infection. After recovery, blood counts (leukocytes, erythrocytes) return to normal.
The presence of rotavirus in the blood is established using the ELISA method - an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies to this virus.
The PCR method (polymerase chain reaction) allows to determine the exact type of virus by its DNA, as well as to quantify their content in the body.
These tests make it possible to find out if other types of infections (such as salmonella) are present in the body.
Video: Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment of Rotavirus Infection
Treatment
With viral diseases, antibiotics are powerless. There are no drugs that work against rotavirus. Treatment is not required for the infection itself, but for the symptoms of the disease it causes (symptomatic therapy). It is aimed at alleviating the baby's condition and preventing dangerous complications.
Fight dehydration
The greatest danger for the baby is diarrhea and, as a result, dehydration of the body. In order to prevent this from happening, first of all, measures are taken to replenish the supply of fluid and restore salt metabolism. The baby is given a weak solution of salt or rehydron diluted with water to drink. It is taken in small portions, but often, after each vomiting attack.
Detoxification of the body
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea - all these are signs of poisoning the body with the waste products of rotavirus. One of the important elements of treatment for rotavirus infection is detoxification. Frequent intake of rehydron solution not only helps to restore water-salt balance and maintain metabolism, but is also necessary to remove toxins in the urine.
In order to reduce the toxic effect, the child must also be given sorbents (activated carbon, smectite, enterosgel). They absorb harmful molecules and viruses, while they are not absorbed by the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, but are completely excreted. Reception of sorbents helps to reduce gas formation, intestinal bloating.
Reduced heat
Raising body temperature is the body's way of fighting the virus. Therefore, in case of viral infections, it is recommended to bring down the temperature only if it exceeds 38 degrees. At higher temperatures, babies may have seizures. Antipyretic is given in the form of special children's syrups (Nurofen or Panadol). For a very small child, it is more convenient to use candles with paracetamol (for example, cefekon).
Elimination of intestinal pain
Disruption of the normal environment in the stomach and intestines, fermentation and gas formation lead to cramping and severe pain. In addition to sorbents, it is necessary to give a medicine that relaxes the intestinal muscles and eliminates spasms. Usually no-shpa is used.
Microflora restoration
The treatment ends with the restoration of intestinal microflora in children. A healthy intestine is dominated by beneficial lactobacilli, which inhibit the development of harmful microorganisms. When the virus enters, lactobacilli die, harmful microflora begins to multiply. The restoration of the natural composition of the intestinal environment accelerates the destruction of the virus.
Acipol, linex and the like are used as preparations containing useful bifidobacteria.
Role of diet
Diet, eliminating certain foods that irritate the mucous membranes, cause bloating, or have a diuretic effect that dehydrates the body, is critical in treating rotavirus in children.
Seasonings, milk, fresh vegetables and fruits (cucumbers, tomatoes, plums, apples) should be completely excluded from food. It is allowed to give the child low-fat fermented milk products (the lactic acid contained in them helps to replenish the intestines with lactobacilli).
Fats (butter and vegetable oil) are completely excluded. Food is given only cooked. By the end of the illness, the child can be given a baked apple, as well as a banana. Any carbonated drinks are prohibited.
After vomiting, it is better to feed the child with semi-liquid cereals, jelly. By enveloping the intestinal walls, such products protect them from irritation and promote rapid healing of microdamages. You can give stewed carrots, pumpkin puree.
The main rule, as emphasized by Dr. E. Komarovsky, is not to force the child to eat by force, especially on the first day when he vomits. On days of illness, a nursing baby can only be fed with mother's milk.
Video: Diet for children of different ages with rotavirus infection
Disease prevention
Avoiding rotavirus infection when a child is attending kindergarten is very difficult. If the risk of the disease is increased, as in this case, then the child can be vaccinated. The vaccine contains the rotavirus strain at a minimum concentration. The baby develops immunity, as well as after a real illness. In this case, the treatment of rotavirus infection is either not needed at all, or it will be greatly simplified. Even if the disease occurs, it will be in a much milder form, without complications.
Your child's chances of getting sick can be reduced by keeping their hands clean. Before the child sits at the table, he must wash them with soap and water. It is necessary to ensure that in the toilet the baby does not grab the pot with his hands. The toys he puts into his mouth must be washed thoroughly.
Viruses and bacteria are found on the surface of fruits and vegetables. Therefore, they must be peeled or doused with boiling water after washing.
The room must be clean. If someone in the family has already contracted rotavirus, one should try to protect the child from contact with the sick person.
Rotavirus infection (RVI) is an acute infectious disease caused by rotaviruses. Another name for this disease is "intestinal flu". Rotavirus infection is most dangerous for children under 3 years of age and people with severe immunodeficiency.
General information about the disease
The causative agent of the disease is an RNA-containing virus from the Rotavirus family. Outwardly, the virus looks like microscopic wheels with a thin rim, and it is for this reason that it got its name. Of the 9 known varieties of the virus, only 6 are dangerous to humans. Animal rotaviruses are not contagious to humans.
RVI is ubiquitous throughout the world. The disease is more common in children aged 6 months to 2 years. The symptoms of the disease are not always pronounced. In 10% of children, the infection can proceed without any clinical manifestations. In this case, treatment is not carried out even if the virus is accidentally detected in the body. After a disease, the child develops a type-specific immunity (resistance to only one specific type of rotavirus).
RVI accounts for up to 50% of all cases of severe diarrhea in children. "Traveler's diarrhea" in 25% of cases is also due to infection with rotavirus. In developing countries, rotavirus infection is a common cause of death in children under 3 years of age.
Risk factors
The source of infection can only be a person. Infection occurs within 7 days from the onset of the disease. There are cases when the patient remained contagious up to 21 days. Infection occurs through the fecal-oral route, through unwashed hands and household items. The possibility of transmission of the virus by airborne droplets has not yet been proven.
Compliance with the rules of personal hygiene is the best protection against rotavirus infection.
The likelihood of developing RVI increases in the following situations:
- prematurity;
- congenital or acquired immunodeficiency;
- artificial feeding;
- early start of complementary feeding;
- the presence of chronic diseases of the digestive tract.
Rotavirus infection in children is most common in winter. In countries with an unexpressed change of seasons, symptoms of the disease are observed all year round. RVI is often combined with other infectious processes caused by opportunistic flora. In this case, the signs of the disease in the child may be somewhat blurred, which complicates the diagnosis.
The main symptoms
Rotavirus infection makes itself felt by the following manifestations:
- high body temperature;
- diarrhea (up to 15 times a day);
- nausea and vomiting;
- pain in the projection of the stomach.
The incubation period lasts from 1 to 7 days. Most often, the first signs of the disease appear 2-3 days from the moment of infection. The child's illness begins acutely with an increase in body temperature. In many children, the temperature reaches 38 ° C and above. Severe fever in infants can lead to impaired consciousness and seizures. Mild forms of RVI occur without a rise in body temperature.
Typical symptoms of rotavirus infection are diarrhea and vomiting. The stool of a sick child becomes abundant, watery, with a pungent odor. There are no impurities of blood, pus or mucus in the stool. The severe course of diarrhea in children is most often associated with a layer of secondary infection.
Call a doctor when the first symptoms of the disease appear!
The symptoms of the disease increase during the first day. The child develops vomiting, moderate or severe pain in the epigastric region. Vomiting persists during the first day. In rare cases, vomiting may recur on days 2-3 of the illness.
Rotavirus infection is called "intestinal flu" for a reason. Many children with diarrhea develop typical upper respiratory tract symptoms. Nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, sore throat - all these signs occur in the very first days of the illness. Many experts are inclined to believe that such symptoms are not associated with rotavirus, but are the result of a secondary bacterial infection. In any case, the treatment of all manifestations of the disease is carried out simultaneously.
Dangerous manifestations of rotavirus infection
RVI is dangerous for children in the first years of life, primarily due to the high risk of dehydration. Dehydration (fluid loss) in a child occurs as a result of severe diarrhea and severe vomiting. In infants, dehydration occurs much faster and leads to serious consequences for the body.
Dehydration symptoms:
- decreased motor activity of the child, lethargy;
- dry skin;
- intense thirst;
- dry mouth;
- dry mucous membranes;
- lowering blood pressure;
- increased heart rate;
- decrease in the amount of urine;
- confusion or loss of consciousness;
- convulsions.
In infants, it is quite difficult to identify such symptoms in the early stages. Meanwhile, the treatment of the baby should be started as soon as possible, otherwise dehydration can lead to irreversible consequences for the body. Parents of young children should focus primarily on the general condition of the child, as well as on the amount of urine excreted. If the baby is lethargic and apathetic, the skin is dry to the touch, and urination becomes less and less frequent, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance.
There are no other complications other than dehydration in RVI. In case of recovery, no significant problems are found in the child. The duration of the course of the disease will depend on the immune status of the baby and the presence of a secondary infection.
Rotavirus infection occurs in children and adults several times throughout their lives. Having been ill and receiving appropriate treatment, the baby acquires strong immunity against one of all known types of the virus. In the future, the child may pick up another type of rotavirus more than once. The most severe course of the disease occurs precisely at the first meeting with a dangerous virus.
Diagnostics
Rotavirus infection in infants is easily recognized by a doctor by its typical clinical manifestations. Treatment is prescribed immediately, without laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis. The characteristic symptoms of the disease allow the doctor to have no doubts about the diagnosis and choose the most optimal therapy tactics.
The difficulty arises if the RVI is accompanied by the addition of other dangerous microorganisms. Most often, against the background of rotavirus, conditionally pathogenic flora (Escherichia coli and others) is activated. Often, RVI goes along with adenovirus, which explains the appearance of a runny nose, sore throat and other signs of damage to the upper respiratory tract.
To clarify the diagnosis, a bacteriological culture of feces is performed. Most often, this analysis is taken in a hospital setting with a severe course of the disease. The absence of pathogenic bacteria in the material obtained allows one to suspect rotavirus infection and adjust the treatment based on new data.
Principles of therapy
How is rotavirus infection treated in children? The main task of the doctor and parents is to prevent dehydration in the child. That is why the treatment of RVI includes, first of all, the intake of oral rehydration agents - powders of a special saline solution ("Rehydron" and others). You can buy saline solutions at any pharmacy without a prescription.
Rehydration solution is very easy to prepare. To do this, pour the contents of the sachet into a cup and fill it with plain water. On the packaging of each drug, the scheme of its use is described in detail. The child should be given rehydration solution to drink until the risk of dehydration disappears completely. Usually, such treatment is prescribed in the first 2-3 days from the onset of the disease.
Against the background of the therapy, the symptoms of the disease gradually disappear. The child's condition improves, dry skin disappears, and urination becomes more frequent. If the baby does not get better during the day, you need to call an ambulance.
Treating young children is challenging. Getting your toddler to drink an incomprehensible saline solution can be tricky. In this case, you can give the medicine from a spoon or syringe by gently pouring the liquid into the child's mouth. If the baby actively resists and spits out the saline solution, the treatment will have to be continued in the hospital. In the infectious diseases ward, saline solutions will be administered intravenously.
Can the child be treated with other means? According to the WHO recommendations, rehydration therapy is recognized as the only effective method of treating rotavirus infection in children and adults. In addition to saline solutions, sorbents are prescribed - drugs that collect all the toxins in the intestinal lumen. Antibacterial agents are not used for RVI.
Recovery after therapy
Rotavirus infection causes serious bowel problems. First of all, the breakdown of lactose - milk sugar - slows down. It takes at least 14 days for the intestines to work again. During this time, it is not necessary to load the child's digestive tract with heavy food, so as not to provoke the development of complications.
If the baby is breastfed, many pediatricians recommend transferring the baby to a lactose-free formula during the illness. Such a replacement is temporary and is designed to speed up the recovery of the baby's intestines after an illness. After complete recovery, it will be possible to return the baby to exclusive breastfeeding. If the child is bottle-fed, the usual formula must also be replaced with a lactose-free one.
It is much easier to treat a baby who is receiving complementary foods. In this case, you can not remove night breastfeeding, but only exclude any dairy products from the child's diet. This diet is maintained for 2 weeks, after which the child returns to his usual diet.
Prophylaxis
Vaccination will help prevent the development of rotavirus infection. The vaccine comes in the form of drops and is given by mouth. The recommended age for vaccinating a child is 1.5 to 6 months.
Non-specific prophylaxis of RVI consists in observing basic rules of personal hygiene. Washing hands and drinking only boiled water significantly reduces the risk of infection in both children and adults.
Rotavirus infection in children is a rather serious disease. The name "rotavirus infection" appeared in the lexicon of doctors a decade or two ago, but the incidence of intestinal infections in babies - as the whole group was called earlier - was always high and these diseases frightened parents and doctors with their suddenness and seeming causelessness. Against the background of full health, the child's body temperature suddenly rose sharply and vomiting began, to which diarrhea soon joined - a really alarming situation!
Causes and ways of transmission
The causative agent of the disease is the so-called rotavirus, discovered in the world 30-40 years ago, but in our country it began to be diagnosed in the 90s. It acts on the mucous membrane of the stomach and small intestine, causing gastroenteritis. Up to a year, the disease is rare, since there are antibodies that prevent the virus from multiplying, which the child receives from the mother, even if he is not breastfed. The pathogen is transmitted by contact - through poorly washed hands, food, it can also be transmitted through drinking water. People of all ages suffer from rotavirus infection, but adults tolerate the disease easily, sometimes even asymptomatically, while being carriers of a virus that is dangerous for children. Therefore, preventive measures are simple and everyone understands - wash hands, fruits and vegetables before meals - too, and for small children it is also good to rinse with boiling water. Boil water or disinfect it in some other way. The same applies to milk, in which the virus multiplies well - even steam should be boiled!
Clinical manifestations and treatment
Rotavirus infection in children manifests itself immediately acutely from the temperature rise to 37-39 degrees, in some cases in the first hours there is a sore throat and small manifestations of acute respiratory infections, which causes an incorrect diagnosis - the child is treated for acute respiratory infections or influenza, if the symptoms are more similar to him. After a while, symptoms of gastroenteritis appear - vomiting and loose, repeated stools. Abdominal pain for this infection is uncommon, there may be pain when stroking or touching in the navel, which, in principle, is characteristic of gastroenteritis. There is no cure for the virus, as such, but observation of the child must be carried out by a doctor. Stool frequency with rotavirus infection can be up to 20 times a day, which, together with vomiting, severely dehydrates the child's body. Fluid loss of 8% of body weight is life-threatening, which is very likely with this infection. The issue of hospitalization depends on the child's ability to take fluids, if vomiting is still not so frequent and fluid intake by mouth is possible, the child can stay at home, but everything he drinks and what he loses should be carefully considered. If replenishment of fluid losses is possible only through droppers, the child is hospitalized in the infectious diseases department.
There is no alternative, and due to the fact that rotavirus infection in children spontaneously ends usually after 2-3 days, the child will not need to stay in the hospital for a long time.
We talked about measures to prevent infection above. The last thing I want to emphasize is that everyone needs to be aware of the signs of dehydration. A child 1-3 years old may not complain of thirst, not complain about anything at all - he may simply be abruptly inhibited, lie quietly, not being interested in anything - in this case, severe dehydration will be indicated by: dry mouth, chapped lips, reduced skin turgor, and its dryness and most importantly - notice how often the child visits the toilet or sits on the potty - it is likely that he has not been there since the morning. And that should be a wake-up call.
Experts say that almost every child has had a rotavirus infection at least once in his life. However, most parents know little about this rather serious disease.
What are the symptoms of this condition?
How to distinguish rotavirus from other diseases and poisoning in a child? You can find answers to these and other questions in this article.
What is rotavirus infection
The disease was first discovered in 1973 by Australian scientists. The name comes from the Latin "rota", which translates as "wheel". This is due to the fact that the virus looks like a circle under the microscope. It is not afraid of ☔️ water and withstands low temperatures.
Doctors attribute this pathology to diseases of "dirty hands". Penetrating into the small intestine, the virus causes rotavirus gastroenteritis.
In some sources, you can find another name for the disease - intestinal or stomach flu. However, Dr. Komarovsky, a renowned pediatrician, proves that rotavirus infection it is forbidden called intestinal flu. He claims that the influenza virus develops and multiplies only on the mucous membranes of the respiratory system, in the digestive tract it is impossible for them to be infected. This means that the name "intestinal flu" is inappropriate for this disease.
Rotavirus - description
✅️ However, it is important to note that the infection initially manifests itself with respiratory symptoms, which is why the illness is called intestinal flu. The disease is often called rotavirus because of its causative agent.
Most often, rotavirus infection occurs in children aged six to five years.
With a weakened immune system in a child, the disease can provoke various complications, in some cases it is fatal.
The highest percentage of deaths of children from the disease is in countries with poor living conditions and an undeveloped medical industry. Therefore, children die from rotavirus infection most often in Central and West Africa and in some regions of Asia.
Outbreaks of the rotavirus epidemic in the world Family members also can get infected rotavirus from a child. Infection of adults occurs when caring for a sick baby.
After the virus enters the child's body, the incubation period lasts from two to three days. Then signs of illness begin to appear. On the third day, the largest amount of viruses is excreted in the feces, so during this period the risk of infection increases.
The main causes of occurrence in children
Rotavirus is considered the causative agent of the disease. It is carried by the human body.
Infection can spread in two ways:
- Airborne droplets. Viruses are secreted with saliva when coughing, sneezing and breathing.
- Contact and household. In contact with toys, dishes, doorknobs and other objects, the infection can get on the skin of the hands, and as a result, it enters the body.
- Fecal-oral. This is explained by the fact that in the feces, especially on the fifth day of infection, there is a large amount of rotavirus. In this way, children are more likely to become infected if hygiene rules are not followed after the toilet.
Rotavirus transmission mechanism The virus usually enters the child's body due to such reasons :
- eating poorly washed or unwashed vegetables and fruits;
- drinking raw and contaminated water;
- eating food that is improperly thermally processed;
- violation of hygiene rules;
- swimming in polluted water bodies.
You can catch the infection in public places. A child becomes infected most often in kindergarten or school.
☝️ Children who are breastfed are very susceptible to infection. Factors affecting the development of the disease include:
- a weakened immune system;
- tendency to allergic reactions;
- hypotrophy;
- rickets;
- anemia.
With a weakened immune system, signs of the disease may be observed longer than usual.
Symptoms of the disease
Doctors say there are several stages in the development of the disease. Each of them is accompanied by certain signs. Rotavirus intestinal infection has the following symptoms:
In the early stages of rotavirus infection, children may develop respiratory symptoms. That's why at the beginning of the disease there is rhinitis, nasal congestion, a feeling of soreness and sore throat, redness of the pharyngeal mucosa. In some cases, a cough appears without the formation of sputum and. At this stage, the body temperature may rise slightly.
Rotavirus is dangerous due to dehydration
Second stage characterized by signs of an inflammatory process in the gastrointestinal tract. They can last for three to five days. This condition is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Diarrhea. Feces with rotavirus infection are yellow-grayish and even dark brown. Usually at the beginning of the disease, the bowel movements are yellow. They have a fetid odor, without the presence of greenery and blood. The consistency of the stool is watery or clayey. There may be clear mucus. The frequency of deformations is different - from two to ten times.
- Vomit. This is the first sign of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract (when a virus enters the body, vomiting begins on the third day). After drinking and eating, the child will usually vomit with undigested food or mucus.
- Colic in the abdomen. Most often, pain occurs in the abdomen. After the use of antispasmodics and bowel movements, spasms decrease.
- Hyperthermia. The temperature rises to high levels. It usually decreases briefly after taking antipyretic drugs, and then rises again.
- Loss of appetite, drowsiness. These signs appear at the beginning of intoxication.
Stage Three- intoxication of the body. In this case, the child becomes drowsy and lethargic. In infancy, children have tearfulness, they refuse to eat. The child can draw legs to the stomach, which indicates intestinal colic. There is anxiety in infants, rumbling in the stomach, bloating.
In severe cases, dehydration occurs. With it, the following symptoms arise:
- heat;
- lack of sweating and urination;
- dyspnea;
- convulsions;
- clouding or loss of consciousness.
The following signs may indicate severe dehydration in children under three years of age:
- screaming and crying without tears;
- dry tongue and mouth;
- delay in urination for more than three hours.
Symptoms can last up to one week. Although with a weakened immune system, the duration of the pathological condition can increase to twelve days.
The safety of rotavirus Signs of a pathological condition are similar to infectious diseases such as cholera, salmonellosis or botulism. Therefore, when these symptoms appear in children, it is important to consult a specialist in order to exclude these diseases and determine the correct diagnosis.
Before the arrival of an ambulance, it is not allowed to give children analgesics and antispasmodics.
How to distinguish rotavirus infection from poisoning
To distinguish disease from poisoning, it is important to pay attention to the symptoms. Common symptoms for these conditions are vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. However, there are also distinctive symptoms.
Rotavirus infection, unlike poisoning, is accompanied by fever, chills, sneezing, nasal congestion, and sore throat. The disease can be recognized by the nature of the discharge. With a viral infection, there is:
- darkening of urine, in rare cases - with bloody impurities;
- feces of a liquid consistency with a yellow-grayish tinge.
In case of poisoning, the symptoms of intestinal disorders occur rapidly and suddenly. Similar symptoms are observed in people who ate the same food.
Diagnostic methods
First of all, the pediatrician must take a history and examine the baby. Stool examination is an important method. The pathogen is determined using an electron microscope.
Rotavirus diagnostic methods include :
- radioimmune test;
- latex agglutination reaction.
Rotavirus latex agglutination reaction At home, you can detect the virus using a special rapid test. It is called immunochromatic. It looks like a strip containing antibodies that react to the antigens of the virus.
To carry it out, it is necessary to place the feces in a solvent. When it is completely dissolved, five drops of the formed liquid are applied to the test. After the end of a certain time, the result is decrypted. A pink strip on the test indicates a rotavirus infection.
The above methods will refute the suspicion of other intestinal pathologies and infections, as well as exclude the presence of poisoning.
How to treat pathology in children: traditional medicine
Treatment for rotavirus infection should be comprehensive. Therapy is aimed at eliminating symptoms and preventing dehydration.
E. Komarovsky recommends in every family where the baby is growing, to have a first-aid kit, in which there will definitely be rehydration drugs. These tools include Regidron, Humana electrolyte and Oralite... You can replace it with a solution of boiled salt. Desoldering consists in applying a small amount of liquid every ten to fifteen minutes.
With a severe course of the disease, internal infusions are made ( Refortan, Reopoliglyukin or Perftoran).
Rehydration helps prevent dehydration and eliminate intoxication.
With rotavirus infection, drugs of the following groups are also prescribed:
- Antiviral drugs based on interferon. The most commonly used are Laferon, Viferon and Lipoferon. The dose is determined by a specialist, taking into account the patient's age and the characteristics of his body.
- Means that eliminate vomiting and diarrhea. Enterol, Nifuroxazide and Enterofuril are considered effective for getting rid of such symptoms.
- Sorbents. Helps cleanse the body of toxins. Atoxil, White coal, Smecta and other means are used for this.
- Antispasmodics. Give the child with pain in the abdomen No-shpu or Riabal.
- Antipyretic. Must be used at temperatures above 38.5. The use of rectal suppositories Cefekon and Efferalgan, as well as syrups (Panadol, Efferalgan and Nurofen) is recommended. It is not allowed to use Acetylsalicylic acid and Analgin to normalize the temperature in children.
- Enzymatic agents. Pancreatin or Mezim can be used.
- Probiotics. Designed to maintain normal intestinal flora Bifilact, Hilak Forte, Lactovit, Linex, Lacidophil or Bifidumbacterin.
Drugs in the treatment of rotavirus Antibiotic therapy for rotavirus infection is not used, since these funds are intended to treat diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, they are prescribed at the risk of bacterial infection. In this case, Furazolidone is used.
⚗️ If acetone is found in the urine during rotavirus infection, then it is necessary to increase the intake of fluids and use Stimol or Citrarginine.
Diet for rotavirus infection
A patient with rotavirus disease must adhere to a certain diet.
It consists in the abolition of fermented milk and dairy products in the diet, for example. If the child is breastfed, then weaning him from breast milk is not recommended, however, the number of uses is reduced, temporarily replacing with a lactase-free mixture. In the case of artificial nutrition, the baby is transferred to a soy, lactose-free mixture, for example, Nestogen lactose-free, Nan lactose-free.
Older children are prohibited from eating smoked meats and fried foods in case of a pathological state. Do not drink carbonated drinks.
How to restore water balance In the absence of vomiting, you can give the child the following food:
- decoction of rice;
- oatmeal on the water;
- crackers;
- drying;
- mashed potatoes;
- baked apples;
- chicken bouillon;
- rice porridge cooked in water.
They must be consumed in small portions so as not to provoke the development of vomiting. It is not allowed to force the child to eat. The diet can last from one to three weeks.
Possible complications
Diarrhea during the disease contributes to dehydration of the body. This is especially dangerous for babies, because a child at this age is difficult to drink. In addition, the less the baby's body weight, the more critical the condition. Death is possible due to dehydration.
Another complication of rotavirus infection is an acetonemic state.
As a result of the consumption of carbohydrates and the breakdown of fats, acetone (ketone bodies) begins to form. Such a violation is manifested by drowsiness, lethargy, intestinal cramps, and frequent vomiting. The smell of acetone is felt from the child's mouth.
These complications occur in frequent cases of rotavirus gastroenteritis if proper and timely medical care is not provided.
In addition, there may be other undesirable consequences. These include:
- Neurotoxicosis, in which the nervous system is affected by the virus. It is accompanied by drowsiness, hallucinations, convulsions, loss or clouding of consciousness.
- Convulsions... They develop at very high temperatures.
To prevent the development of these complications, it is important to consult a specialist on time, diagnose the disease and follow all medical prescriptions.
Prevention measures
Vaccination is considered the main method of prevention. 💉 The vaccine is given to a child between the ages of two and eight months. It is generally well tolerated by children and safe. In addition, the method of vaccination is simple - instilling the solution into the baby's mouth.
Hand cleanliness - prevention Other prevention rules include :
- It is necessary to prepare food, adhering to all the rules of heat treatment.
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating.
- Handling toddler toys.
- Maintain cleanliness in the house, ventilate the premises.
- Drink clean, filtered water.
- Eat a balanced and rational diet.
- At preschool age, it is important to teach children to observe hygiene rules.
If these rules are observed, the risk of a rotavirus entering the child's body is reduced several times.
Rotavirus intestinal infection is a dangerous disease, as it leads to severe complications.
To prevent this, it is important that the treatment is comprehensive. Compliance with preventive measures will help prevent the development of pathology in children.
Video: Komarovsky - what is rotavirus afraid of, how is it transmitted, is it infectious or not
Good afternoon, dear readers. Alena Bortsova is with you today. Literally a week has passed since I recovered from rotavirus. During my illness, I was very worried that my daughter would get sick. And I immediately remembered how the little girl was ill two years ago. Rotavirus in infants is a very terrible disease, unpleasant in its unpredictability and uncontrollability.
How does the disease progress
Lisa then fell ill first. The two-month-old baby began to regurgitate profusely, and diarrhea began. Not the kind of loose stools that can be breastfeeding up to 12 times a day. And the constant pooping of green water. The course of the disease in a newborn is rapid.
Literally a couple of hours after the diarrhea, the temperature rose to 38 degrees. Regurgitation became less, but Liza slept badly. She constantly cried, blushed, sweated. Terrible. We were waiting for a doctor.
On the same day, in the evening, signs of the disease appeared in his son. He has a classic picture of rotavirus. I had dinner, watched cartoons, sat down to play with Lego. Stands up abruptly, says "Maaam ..." And he vomits like a fountain. It shook so that the floor was washed several times.
After taking medications, vomiting did not stop, diarrhea joined. At this point it became clear that it was a rotavirus.
What to do to recover faster?
Everyone knows that vomiting and diarrhea are dangerous because they dehydrate a person. At the same time, you can even see how a person loses weight: the skin turns gray, blue circles lie under the eyes. Therefore, the main treatment in the first hours of rotavirus is often to drink a little. But how to treat a two-month-old baby, how to make a baby drink?
Lisa and I worked out a scheme. I mixed smecta in a glass, a dose for an adult. I took 1 ml into a syringe and poured it into my daughter's mouth. After five minutes, she gave her a breast, for 1 minute. And so every 10 minutes. She carried my daughter in her arms all the time, she slept on her shoulder when I was sitting.
It's terribly difficult and exhausting. But I had a clear task - to quickly cure. Let not exactly 5 minutes have passed - the liquid must be dosed and given a little in order to eliminate the symptoms of the disease. I constantly changed my breasts on purpose so that only front milk would come in, not fatty. Vomiting stopped as soon as she stopped giving a lot of milk. Diarrhea became less frequent towards night.
The girl did not knock down the temperature, she simply wiped her arms and legs with water. The temperature did not rise above 38. My son was given paracetamol when the temperature drove under 39.
The night, of course, is foggy. From daughter to son. He did not vomit again, only severe diarrhea. Therefore, it turned out to be easier with him. Every two hours, medications were taken: nifuraxazide, smectite, nosh-pa. How is dehydration manifested? The child has gray skin, trembling hands, dry lips, dry mouth. To fix this, the son drank Regidron every time he went to the toilet. The next morning Andryusha also stopped diarrhea, he calmly swallowed saliva.
I remember that I forgot myself with a short nap, just as Liza ate more than usual, her temperature dropped. And I woke up because I wanted to go to the toilet myself.
Here I want to make a digression specifically for nursing mothers. Lovely girls! Remember, with rotavirus, you are losing precious liquid! You need to drink not only after every trip to the toilet or vomiting. You need to drink after every feeding!
How long does a difficult period last? Lisa felt much better within a day, but she literally hung on her chest. Apparently, nature is so conceived that the child is treated with breast milk. The diarrhea stopped and she ate-ate-ate. And I was terribly bad, I ran to the toilet, drank rehydron. The night became easier, we went to bed, Liza took her chest and I fell asleep, like in a hole. I woke up from the fact that my tongue literally stuck to the sky. My heart was pounding like crazy. I started drinking faster.
In general, taking an adsorbent and rehydron is enough for a quick recovery of large children and adults. But a baby needs breast milk. What would I have done if I hadn't been breastfeeding Lisa? I would go to the hospital. I certainly would not be able to maintain the water balance in such a baby.
Will prevention help?
What to do to avoid getting sick? Wash hands and constantly remind children of this. Andryusha came from school to wash his hands. After using the toilet, wash your hands. Wash your hands before eating.
If someone in the family is already sick, it makes sense to give the baby an immunostimulant. This year we used Viferon candles. Lizka did not like the procedure of inserting a candle into the ass, but the main thing is that the girl did not get sick!
And I noticed another feature. If there is a wave of epidemics, rotavirus, it's good if I get sick first. As my sister asked, “What's so good about that? Better not to get sick at all. " If you have a choice, it is better to get sick first to a nursing mother, and then to a child.
With breast milk, the baby receives a kind of "inoculation" - the weakened virus enters the baby's body, but cannot "roam in full force." As a result, the child will either not get sick at all, or suffer a mild illness. So, having a cold, in no case should you stop breastfeeding, such prevention can cancel the treatment!
Lizka is already two years old, and I can't even imagine how I ....
Good day to everyone, health to everyone! We are waiting for you on the blog pages with new interesting stories and practical advice.
