Can a baby get rotavirus? Rotavirus infection in infants. Rotavirus in infants treatment

Rotavirus occurs quite often in infants, and almost every child suffers from this disease. The disease manifests itself in the form of vomiting and diarrhea. Often combined with signs of a cold.

In infants, this disease can quickly cause dehydration, so babies need careful monitoring. In this case, the body loses much more fluid than it receives. This can cause serious health problems.

Rotavirus infection spreads quite quickly, being excreted in the feces of a sick child. Outbreaks often occur in winter. The virus is highly contagious and enters the mouth with dirty hands. If you do not thoroughly disinfect all surfaces, it can live on them for several days.

Feature of the disease

Rotavirus appears quite often in infants. This is a very dangerous condition that requires adequate treatment and adherence to a certain diet to normalize intestinal function.

The virus gets its name because the bacteria that causes it look like a circle. This disease is also called intestinal flu. Rotavirus enters the baby's body and multiplies on the mucous membranes of the small intestine. It is lined with villi, which facilitate the absorption and breakdown of carbohydrates. The virus leads to exfoliation of these areas of the mucosa, which leads to a lack of enzymes and disrupts the absorption of milk sugars.

Symptoms of rotavirus in infants manifest themselves in the form of lactase deficiency. The child cannot digest and absorb milk normally due to a lack of enzymes. In addition, there are quite painful symptoms that lead to severe dehydration. This condition requires urgent treatment, immediately after the first signs appear.

Causes of occurrence

Rotavirus in an infant (1 month old or more - it doesn’t matter) develops when the virus enters the body. The pathogen can be detected in stool during culture. Often, infection occurs directly from the mother, since the baby is in close contact with her.

In infants, rotavirus infection cannot be destroyed directly in the stomach or intestines. It easily overcomes low temperatures and does not lose its properties. Therefore, viruses can persist for a long time and do not lose their harmful properties. In this case, upon penetration into the body, they begin to actively act and multiply.

The source of infection is a person who is a carrier of rotavirus infection, or a patient with an acute form of gastroenteritis. Infection often occurs in the following ways:

consumption of contaminated water;
infected products;
dirty hands, household items, toys;
through mother's milk.

The virus, having penetrated the digestive organs, affects the small intestine. From the moment the pathogen enters the body until the first signs of illness appear, 1-5 days may pass. The length of the incubation period depends on the level of human immunity and the number of viruses.

Main symptoms

The very first symptom of rotavirus in an infant is vomiting, after which diarrhea usually begins and the temperature rises. The stool is very liquid without any blood, and quite a lot of it is released. The most severe period of diarrhea lasts 4-8 days, but its residual manifestations can persist even after improvement in health, up to several weeks.

Rotavirus diarrhea, especially when combined with vomiting, can quickly cause dehydration. Therefore, it is very important to feed your baby breast milk as often as possible and be sure to give him water. Among the main signs of rotavirus in infants, the following symptoms should be highlighted:

dry tongue and lips;
lethargy, drowsiness;
sunken eyes;
deepened fontanelle;
rapid breathing and heart rate;
decrease in the amount of urine.

If such symptoms appear, you should immediately call a doctor at home. This can be very dangerous, as it provokes the development of dangerous complications.

Symptoms of rotavirus in infants largely depend on the severity of the disease. In mild cases, the child experiences severe weakness and loss of appetite. Then the temperature rises to 37-37.5 degrees and lasts for 1-2 days. After a few hours, vomiting appears, and this does not depend on whether the stomach is empty or full. Loose stools are observed almost immediately 2-3 times a day. After two days, the symptoms weaken, and by about 4-5 days complete recovery occurs.

The average form of the disease is characterized by an increase in temperature to 37.5-38 degrees. Vomiting precedes the appearance of loose stools and can be repeated many times within two days. Painful cramps appear in the abdomen, often in the navel area. There may also be watery stools up to 7-15 times a day. Moreover, diarrhea can last 1-3 days, subject to proper treatment. When the child begins to recover, vomiting initially goes away, and then the temperature returns to normal.

Symptoms of rotavirus in infants, which occur in a severe form, are characterized by the fact that the disease has an acute onset. The peak severity of the condition occurs on days 3-4. As a result of severe and prolonged vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration occurs. The level of acidity in the stomach increases. The baby is constantly tormented by thirst, and dry mucous membranes and skin appear.

Carrying out diagnostics

Laboratory tests of stool, blood and urine are used to detect infection. But basically, treatment begins as soon as symptoms of the disease appear. Tests are required to accurately diagnose, confirm or refute the presence of a bacterial infection. As a result, it will be possible to avoid complications.

There is also a special rapid test for rotavirus that can be done at home. It includes a substance that reacts to the virus. The test is similar to a pregnancy test.

Features of treatment

When the first symptoms of rotavirus appear in an infant, treatment should be started immediately to prevent serious complications. Therapy takes place strictly under the supervision of a specialist. If a child develops diarrhea with vomiting along with a rise in temperature, you should immediately call an ambulance and begin treatment to prevent severe dehydration. Competent actions will allow the baby to recover much faster.

The ambulance team will examine the child and decide whether he needs hospitalization. If the development of cholera or another infection is suspected, as well as severe dehydration, the child may be admitted to a hospital, where they will take stool for analysis and administer the required fluid intravenously.

If the disease is mild, then treatment of rotavirus in an infant is carried out at home under the supervision of a local pediatrician. First of all, it is important to combat dehydration. It is necessary to feed the baby, gradually increasing the volume of liquid and the intervals between doses. If the child has had profuse and repeated vomiting, then you need to give him salt solutions often and little by little. On the first day, you need to feed your baby with a spoon every 5-10 minutes.

On the third day, infants are given probiotics to populate the intestinal microflora. Since the gastrointestinal tract suffers greatly from infection, it is important to follow a special diet during the course of the disease and carefully introduce the same complementary foods into the diet of children under one year old.

Treatment at home

As Komarovsky says, the symptoms and treatment of rotavirus in infants may vary somewhat, but there is a certain algorithm of action that is common to all cases. In case of diarrhea, you need to leave the diaper with the baby's feces. This way the doctor will be able to make a diagnosis faster, and the likelihood of errors will be reduced.

For rotavirus in an infant, Komarovsky does not recommend taking homeopathic medicines. They do not produce the required result, and as a result, the therapy process can only be delayed. Also, you should not give your baby antiviral drugs. Komarovsky recommends treating rotavirus in infants with plenty of fluids.

Therapy is aimed at reducing body intoxication and restoring fluid balance. Parents must provide the baby with all the required minerals. At home, only mild forms of the disease can be treated.

The first step is to eliminate dehydration. For this purpose, the doctor mainly prescribes the drug “Regidron” to the baby. You can also use products such as “Hydrovit” and “Humana”. The powder dissolves in water and is given to the child in small portions. You can give your baby clean water if he refuses to take medicinal solutions. If the baby’s well-being deteriorates and dehydration occurs, it is necessary to carry out therapy in a hospital setting, by drip intravenous administration of glucose-saline solutions.

To eliminate the symptoms of rotavirus in infants, treatment is also carried out using sorbents that help remove the virus. Among them, “Karbolen” and “Smecta” are very popular. They can only be used for a limited time. Otherwise, there may be constipation.

A bacterial infection can be associated with a rotavirus infection. The drug “Enterofuril” is used as a prophylaxis. Antibiotics should not be used for treatment, as they only weaken the body’s protective functions. They are prescribed only in case of emergency, after an examination.

To restore the intestinal microflora, Linex or Hilak are prescribed. It is necessary to bring down the temperature only if it rises above 38 degrees. Antipyretic rectal suppositories are best suited for this. The drug "Cefexon" is well suited, as it can be used from the age of 1 month. The dosage is selected separately for each baby.

It is recommended to breastfeed your baby as often as possible, since mother's milk perfectly replenishes the loss of moisture in the body. However, if the child is severely weakened, the doctor recommends interrupting breastfeeding for the duration of treatment and giving lactose-free formulas.

It is important to properly care for your baby’s buttocks, as loose stools can cause irritation. Every time you change a diaper, you need to wash your baby with warm water and care for his delicate skin using baby protective products.

Diet

It is important not only to know how to treat rotavirus in an infant, but also what he can eat. Inflammation caused by rotavirus infection is characterized by the fact that it almost completely stops the production of enzymes required for the normal breakdown and absorption of consumed food. In children under one year of age who are breastfed or bottle-fed, the amount of lactase decreases and a general enzyme deficiency develops.

It takes quite a lot of time for the villi on the mucous membrane and their production of the required enzymes to fully recover. In order not to provoke indigestion and not cause disturbances in the functioning of the child’s intestines, it is important to follow a gentle diet throughout the entire period of treatment.

During the active stage of the disease, children under one year of age are not fed (if there is no appetite). It is enough just to feed them with saline solutions during the day. The next day, when the baby feels a little better and has an appetite, the process of restoring villi and lactase production will just begin in his body. Breast milk or milk feeding will only lead to the recurrence of diarrhea. Since the child’s gastrointestinal tract cannot break down lactose normally, he needs to be given a lactose-free formula.

At the beginning of the second week, you can try replacing one lactose-free feeding with breast milk or your usual formula. In this case, it is very important to carefully monitor the reaction of the infant’s intestines.

If the child has already started receiving complementary foods, then part of the lactose-free food can be replaced with dairy-free rice porridge and mashed potatoes. Gradually, pureed meat and dairy products are added to the baby’s diet. The very last thing to introduce is fruit puree.

Possible complications

Rotavirus in infants can be accompanied by a bacterial infection caused by Proteus, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella, and Escherichia coli. Then the child's stool becomes very liquid and foamy, gray in color with a foul odor. The stool often contains blood and mucus. The baby's health deteriorates sharply. In this case, treatment in a hospital is required.

Carrying out prevention

Prevention of rotavirus in infants is important. Often, adults are carriers of the infection, which is completely asymptomatic. To eliminate the possibility of a child becoming infected with rotavirus infection, you need to carefully observe personal hygiene, wash your hands with soap, carry out daily wet cleaning and ventilate the room. In addition, it is important to observe sanitary standards when preparing food and iron all of the child’s things. Cleanliness is the key to the normal health of the baby.

If the child is bottle-fed, then before each feeding you need to thoroughly boil the bottle and pacifier. If one of the family members shows signs of illness, then it is necessary to urgently isolate the baby so that he does not come into contact with a person who has an infectious disease.

After recovery, the risk of re-infection is unlikely, since the child has already developed immunity to this disease. However, if this happens, the disease will be milder and will not cause any complications.

It is worth remembering that when the first symptoms of rotavirus appear in an infant, you should immediately contact a doctor who will be able to provide timely qualified assistance and prescribe the required treatment. This will help avoid complications of the disease and prevent the infection from becoming severe.

Vaccination against rotavirus

The only effective prevention of rotavirus is vaccination. There are now 2 vaccines that have passed all the required clinical trials. They contain a weakened virus and have almost no side effects.

The vaccine is taken orally. The vaccine is given to children between 6 and 32 weeks of age.

According to reviews, rotavirus in infants is a very complex and dangerous disease, which is mainly treated in a hospital setting, since various types of complications can arise if therapy is carried out incorrectly. All medications and courses of treatment should be prescribed only by a doctor, since the health and life of the baby largely depends on this.

Rotavirus is the causative agent of an infectious disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract and occurs in an acute form. In infants, this pathology occurs quite often, due to insufficient maturity of the immune system. The most important thing with this disease is to consult a doctor in time, and then the outcome of the disease will be favorable for the baby.

Causes of rotavirus infection

Rotavirus enters the baby's body through the digestive system, fecal-oral or household contact. It is most often transmitted to the baby from a sick mother, since she has the most contact with her child. Infection is possible from brothers and sisters who attend kindergarten or school. Typically, the infection enters the body during eating or drinking that was prepared in violation of sanitary standards, as well as through dirty hands.

A mother nursing a baby may have a rotavirus in her body that does not cause clinical symptoms (i.e. the mother is a carrier of the virus), and then the risk of contracting an infection to the baby is very high. This disease is dangerous because rotavirus multiplies quickly in the body, and the child’s condition can rapidly deteriorate.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection

Rotavirus infection in infants manifests itself immediately. But it is often confused with a common cold, since the symptoms of this infection are initially similar to the signs of any ARVI. The disease develops in this way:

The temperature rises, up to 38-39 degrees. Often a child’s nose becomes blocked, then the throat becomes inflamed, followed by a runny nose, sneezing and coughing.
Vomiting begins, which can occur many times during the day, regardless of food intake.
The child is bothered by intestinal spasms, flatulence and abdominal pain, he cries and kicks his legs.
Diarrhea occurs. The stool becomes liquid, often with foamy discharge and an unpleasant odor.
Intoxication of the body increases. The baby becomes lethargic, apathetic and often sleeps. The skin becomes pale, the baby refuses to eat and drink.
Dehydration occurs due to fluid loss through vomit and loose stools. The child's lips and skin become dry, there is no urination or sweating, and breathing and heart rate increase.

Sometimes rotavirus infection develops very quickly, which becomes deadly for infants. The child may experience convulsions and loss of consciousness. All this suggests that the baby needs to be hospitalized immediately to avoid possible complications that can lead to serious problems and, often, death.

Treatment of rotavirus in infants

To combat rotavirus infection, complex treatment is used, and it is aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease and all its symptoms. Since this infection in infants can develop rapidly, the mother should first call an ambulance or a local pediatrician. If the disease occurs in a severe or moderate form, the child is hospitalized in an infectious diseases hospital. Only in cases of mild rotavirus infection is it possible to treat the baby at home, under the supervision of a pediatrician from a children's clinic.

For this purpose the following methods are used

1. Taking the necessary measures to neutralize dehydration of the body and replenish lost fluid in the body. A powder preparation such as Regidron restores the water-salt balance well. You can also use the preparations Humana or Gidrovit. The powder is dissolved in water and given to the baby to drink in small portions. You can also give your child clean water if he refuses to drink medicinal solutions. In cases of deterioration of the baby's condition, rehydration is carried out in a hospital setting, by drip intravenous administration of glucose-saline solutions.

2. Restoration of intestinal microflora. This requires the use of probiotics and sorbents. Such ones as Hilak or Linex are good.

3. Normalization of temperature. It is necessary to bring down the baby’s temperature if it rises above 38 degrees. Antipyretic rectal suppositories are best suited for this. Cefekon is perfect, as it can be used from one month of age. The dosage of drugs is carried out taking into account the age category of the baby.

4. If a bacterial infection is associated with rotavirus, treatment is carried out with antibiotics. The drug Gentamicin, which is administered intramuscularly, helps well.

It is recommended to breastfeed your baby more often, as mother's milk perfectly replenishes the loss of moisture in the body. But if the child is weakened, the doctor advises to interrupt breastfeeding during treatment and give the baby lactose-free formulas. This is explained by the fact that sucking milk from the mother’s breast requires significant effort from the baby, and the lactose contained in milk enhances fermentation processes in the intestines.

You should not forget to properly care for your child's buttocks, as he may experience skin irritation from loose stools. When you change the diaper again, you need to wash the baby with warm water, care for his delicate skin using baby protective products, and remove excess moisture.

Possible complications

Rotavirus in an infant may be accompanied by the addition of a bacterial infection caused by staphylococcus, Proteus, E. coli, Klebsiella, etc. Then the child’s stool becomes very liquid and foamy, gray in color, with a fetid odor. There is often an admixture of mucus and blood in the stool. The baby's condition deteriorates sharply: this situation requires hospital treatment.

Preventive actions

The best way to protect your baby from rotavirus is vaccination. The vaccine is administered to the infant orally. Vaccination is carried out at the age of 6-32 weeks from birth. It is absolutely harmless to the child and does not give any side effects. The effect of the vaccine is aimed at strengthening the child’s immunity.

Most often, adults are carriers of the infection, which is asymptomatic. In order to exclude the possibility of the baby becoming infected with rotavirus infection, you need to carefully observe personal hygiene, wash your hands with soap, carry out daily wet cleaning and ventilate the room, follow the rules of sanitary standards in food preparation, and iron the child’s things. After all, cleanliness is the key to health.

If the child receives artificial feeding, then before feeding it is necessary to thoroughly boil the nipple and bottle. If one of the family members shows signs of illness, the baby must be isolated so that he does not come into contact with a person who has an infectious disease.

After recovery from rotavirus infection, the risk of re-infection is unlikely, since the baby has already developed immunity to this disease. But still, even if re-infection occurs, the disease will be mild and will not cause any complications.

It should be remembered that at the slightest symptoms of the disease in an infant, you need to consult a doctor who will be able to provide qualified assistance in a timely manner and prescribe the necessary treatment. This will help avoid various complications of the disease and prevent the infection from becoming severe.

Rotavirus occurs frequently in infants due to their weak immunity. What to do if a child is diagnosed with this disease?
During the illness of newborn children, one must not lose vigilance. Any new symptoms should be reported to the child's health care provider, who will prescribe medications appropriate for the infant.

The danger of the disease is that the baby’s condition can worsen in a short period of time, literally in a couple of hours.

An increase in body temperature, vomiting and an upset stomach are obvious symptoms of this disease. The newborn has loose stools without bloody discharge. Diarrhea may bother the baby for about a week. If the disease turns out to be complex, then such a symptom can bother you for up to 15 days.

Body temperature often rises to 39º. Often rotavirus in infants provokes inflammation of the throat and the appearance of mucous discharge from the nose. That is why parents often make the mistake and confuse rotavirus infection with a common cold.

How can you protect your baby from rotavirus and why is it dangerous? Because the baby can become dehydrated in a short time. It is difficult to notice the emerging thirst in such a small baby; he cannot yet accurately indicate this. If the newborn refuses to drink water, it is necessary to offer milk or formula.

What indicates a baby is dehydrated?

Lack of tears when crying and sunken eyelids;
Drowsiness and lethargy;
The presence of a dry crust on the lips;
Rare urination;
Dry body skin;
Sunken fontanelle;
Rapid breathing.

All of the above signs indicate that the child needs urgent hospitalization.

In addition to being able to tell the difference between a cold and a rotavirus infection, parents need to recognize and rule out common food poisoning.
If poisoning is always associated with one of the products, after consumption of which corresponding signs will appear, then the determining factor for rotavirus infection in an infant is always the connection with the site of infection. If the baby is breastfed, then there will be a clear connection between the mother's food poisoning and him through breast milk. A newborn can become ill with rotavirus infection after being in a public place where this rotavirus was rampant.
How is the disease treated?
This disease in newborns is quite dangerous, so its treatment should occur in a hospital. Infants under 6 months of age with loose stools are subject to mandatory hospitalization. Without examination and consultation with a doctor, you should not give your baby medications. Before the doctor arrives, the child is provided with rest and fluids. It is recommended to carry the baby in your arms if hugs make him feel calmer.
It is necessary to treat the infection by replenishing the mineral salts and fluids lost by the newborn’s body. A popular remedy for these purposes is Regidron, Gidrovit, Human. It should also be understood that due to the absence of ordinary food poisoning, drugs such as Mezim and Smecta should be abandoned.
In difficult cases, healing mineral solutions should be absorbed in an amount equal to 2 glasses. To avoid vomiting, portions should be small (one teaspoon). It is recommended that newborn babies be put to the breast more often.
An infected, upset intestine must be returned to a normal state; for this, probiotics are prescribed. Linex Forte or Hilak are suitable for this role.

And we must not forget that after the baby becomes infected, attention will also need to be paid to the condition of the skin of the buttocks, which may suffer from loose stool in the diaper.
Each time the next diaper change occurs, it is necessary to wash the baby with warm water, remove moisture well and treat the folds with baby skin care products (creams, oils, powders).
What needs to be done to prevent rotavirus
It is known that you can become infected with rotavirus infection by exactly 8 typical pathogens. They are designated by letters of the Latin alphabet from A to N. But most often the human body (child) is attacked by rotavirus type A, and in the cold season.
Since the causative agent of this infection is sown along with feces, at a young age the baby becomes infected to a greater extent from the mother, and when he begins to go to a nursery or kindergarten, infection can await him already in a child care facility. Virus bacteria multiply in the intestines.
Rotavirus infection in an infant does not occur immediately at the time of infection, because the incubation period in a child can last 1-5 days.
It is no secret that an adult may not get sick from the virus, because the immune properties of his body are higher than those of an infant. Therefore, even if they have not been attacked by this infection, they can be its carriers.
To avoid causing a relapse of the disease, adults need to take antiviral drugs as a preventative measure.

The baby himself must be kept in quarantine for 10 days, excluding contact with other children.
If the treatment takes place at home, disinfection must be done. This involves frequent wet cleaning, boiling used dishes, washing clothes and then ironing them. After the infant is healthy, it is recommended to carry out general cleaning using antibacterial products.
It is worth mentioning that medicine knows of a vaccine that is used against rotavirus infection, but it has not found widespread use in our country. In other countries, children under two years of age are subject to vaccination.

Good afternoon, dear readers. Today Alena Bortsova is with you. It’s literally been a week since I recovered from rotavirus. During her illness, I was very worried that my daughter would get sick. And I immediately remembered how the little girl was sick two years ago. Rotavirus in infants is a very terrible disease, unpleasant in its unpredictability and uncontrollability.

How does the disease progress?

Lisa was the first to get sick then. The two-month-old baby began to spit up profusely and began to have diarrhea. Not the kind of loose stool that can happen when breastfeeding up to 12 times a day. And the constant pumping of green water. The course of the disease in a newborn is rapid.

Just a couple of hours after the diarrhea, the temperature rose to 38 degrees. The regurgitation became less, but Lisa slept poorly. She was constantly crying, blushing, and sweating. Terrible. We were waiting for the doctor.

That same day, in the evening, my son showed signs of illness. He has a classic picture of rotavirus. I had dinner, watched cartoons, and sat down to play with Legos. He stands up abruptly, says “Maaam...” And he vomits like a fountain. It shook so much that the floor was washed several times.

After taking the medications, the vomiting did not stop, and diarrhea began. It became clear that this was a rotavirus.

What to do to heal 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 appear under the eyes. Therefore, the main treatment in the first hours of rotavirus is to drink a little often. But how to treat a two-month-old baby, how to get a baby to drink?

Lisa and I worked out a plan. I diluted smecta in a glass, a dose for an adult. I filled a syringe with 1 ml and poured it into my daughter’s mouth. After five minutes I gave her breasts for 1 minute. And so on every 10 minutes. I carried my daughter in my arms all the time, she slept on my shoulder while I was sitting.

It's terribly difficult and exhausting. But I had a clear task - to quickly cure. Even if not exactly 5 minutes have passed, the liquid must be dosed and given a little at a time to eliminate the symptoms of the disease. I specially constantly changed my breasts so that only foremilk, not fatty milk, came in. The vomiting stopped immediately as soon as she stopped producing a lot of milk. Diarrhea became less frequent at night.

She didn’t lower the girl’s temperature, she simply wiped her hands and feet with water. The temperature did not rise above 38. I gave my son paracetamol when the temperature dropped to 39.

The night, of course, is like a fog. From daughter to son. He did not vomit again, only severe diarrhea. Therefore, it turned out to be easier with him. Every two hours he took medications: nifuraxazide, smecta, nosh-pa. How does dehydration manifest? The child has gray skin, trembling hands, dry lips, dry mouth. To eliminate this, my son drank Regidron every time he went to the toilet. The next morning, Andryusha’s diarrhea stopped and he calmly swallowed his saliva.

I remember I fell into a short sleep, and Lisa ate more than usual and her fever subsided. And I woke up from the fact that I wanted to go to the toilet.

Here I want to make a digression specifically for nursing mothers. Dear girls! Remember, with rotavirus you lose precious fluid! You need to drink not only after every trip to the toilet or vomiting. You need to drink after every feeding!

How long does the difficult period last? Lisa felt much better within 24 hours, but she was literally hanging on her chest. Apparently, nature intended it so that the child is treated with breast milk. The diarrhea stopped and she ate, ate, ate. And I felt terribly bad, I ran to the toilet, drank rehydron. The night became easier, we went to bed, Lisa took the breast and I fell into sleep like into a hole. I woke up with my tongue literally stuck to the roof of my mouth. My heart was pounding like crazy. I started drinking faster.

In general, taking adsorbent and rehydron is enough for a quick recovery in older children and adults. But a breastfed baby needs breast milk. What would I do if I didn't breastfeed Lisa? I would go to the hospital. I definitely would not be able to maintain the water balance of such a baby.

Will prevention help?

What to do to avoid getting sick? Wash your hands and constantly remind your children about this. Andryusha came home from school to wash his hands. After using the toilet, wash your hands. Before eating, wash your hands.

If someone in the family is already sick, it makes sense to give the baby an immunostimulant. This year we used Viferon candles. Lizka didn’t like the procedure of inserting a candle into her butt, but the main thing is that the girl didn’t 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 good about this? It’s better not to get sick at all.” If you have a choice, it is better for the nursing mother to get sick first, and then for the child.

With breast milk, the baby receives a kind of “vaccination” - the weakened virus enters the baby’s body, but cannot “run around in full force.” As a result, the child either does not get sick at all or suffers a mild form of the disease. So, if you have a cold, you should never stop breastfeeding, such prevention can cancel treatment!

Lizka is already two years old, and I can’t even imagine how I... .

Good day everyone, good health everyone! We are waiting for you on the blog pages with new interesting stories and practical advice.

A sick baby causes a lot of anxiety among its parents. From the moment of birth, the child needs special care and supervision. Infectious pathologies are a serious threat to the fragile immunity of a newborn baby.

Rotavirus infection is a common infectious disease that affects the intestines. Among newborn children, the highest prevalence of this pathology is observed.

In terms of frequency of occurrence, this disease is in second place after ARVI. From the moment pathogens enter the baby’s body until the first symptoms appear, 1 to 5 days pass. The incubation period of this disease depends on the number of pathogens ingested and the level of the child’s body’s defenses.

The causative agents of this disease are rotaviruses, which enter the body of newborns through contact with carriers of the virus. The source of this pathology is a carrier of the virus or a person suffering from a severe form of rotavirus gastroenteritis. A newborn baby often becomes infected with the virus from his mother.

Penetrating into the baby’s digestive system, the virus infects the epithelium of the small intestinal mucosa, which leads to the development of functional changes.

Symptoms of the disease

In infants, this disease is more severe than in adults and older children. Symptoms of the disease in newborns depend on the severity of the disease:

Mild form of flow. In this case, the newborn baby’s appetite worsens, he becomes lethargic, and is often capricious. Body temperature often rises to within 37.5 degrees. After a couple of hours, the baby develops vomiting, regardless of food intake. In addition, mild forms of rotavirus infection are characterized by stool disorders in the form of diarrhea (3-4 times a day).
Moderate severity. With a moderate course of the process, the baby’s body temperature increases to 37.5-38 degrees. The newborn actively regurgitates food and has loose stools up to 7 times a day. The duration of diarrhea with proper treatment is 2-3 days. When the baby recovers, his vomiting and watery stools disappear.
The severe form of the disease is characterized by an acute onset. A newborn baby often vomits and has frequent diarrhea (up to 15 times a day). This condition threatens the child’s life as it leads to dehydration. Due to fluid loss, the child experiences dry mucous membranes and skin. With timely initiation of treatment, the duration of the disease is up to 10 days.

Newborn children are characterized by moderate and severe degrees of rotavirus infection. In some situations, this pathology may be confused with salmonellosis and dysentery. With rotavirus infection, there is no blood in the stool. The baby's stools are of normal color, they are watery and abundant.

If there is mucus in the baby's stool, then we are talking about a bacterial infection. You can find detailed information about the reasons for the appearance of mucous stool in the article at the link

This disease often has a gradual onset. The child's appetite initially decreases and he becomes lethargic. Then the body temperature rises to 37.2-37.5 degrees. Very often, with rotavirus infection, newborns experience a runny nose, enlarged cervical lymph nodes, and sunken fontanel. If at the moment of rumbling in the stomach the child begins to cry, then this indicates the presence of pain.

Weight loss is often observed when a newborn is infected with rotavirus.

If parents do not provide timely assistance to the baby, then this condition threatens the development of total dehydration. Signs of this condition include dry tongue, crying without tears, no urination for 3 hours, and no sweating. In severe cases, the baby develops convulsions, which is life-threatening.

Diagnostics

To determine this pathology, laboratory tests of blood, urine and feces are used. There is also a rapid test that allows you to quickly determine the presence of infection in a child. This test can be performed at home.

Treatment

Treatment of this disease in newborns should be comprehensive.

Fighting dehydration

The primary task in the treatment of rotavirus infection in newborns is to replenish lost fluid. When treating this pathology, it is prohibited to use activated carbon, Smukta and Mezim. A special solution, Regidron, will help replenish lost fluid. If there is no Regidron, then it is recommended to use solutions such as Hydrovit and Humana.

To prepare a solution from Regidron powder, you need to dissolve the contents of 1 sachet in 1 liter of boiled water. During the day, parents should give the resulting solution to the baby in small portions. If severe dehydration occurs, the baby should drink up to 500 ml of solution during the day.

Restoration of intestinal microflora

Digestive disorders due to rotavirus infection lead to an imbalance in the baby’s intestinal microflora. To correct this condition, medications containing beneficial lacto and bifidobacteria (probiotics) are used.

Normalization of body temperature

It is necessary to bring down a child’s body temperature if it has reached 38 degrees or higher. In this case, antipyretic rectal suppositories will help. In children, Cefekon suppositories are used from birth. The dosage of the drug depends on the age of the baby. The safety of this antipyretic drug allows it to be used in children from the first days of life.

The frequency of setting candles is 1 time every 2-3 hours. It's important not to overdo it. When the body temperature rises, it is strictly forbidden to wrap the child in warm clothes and a blanket. You can cover your baby with a light sheet while sleeping.

Prevention

Vaccinating your baby is the only way to protect him from this disease. The vaccine, consisting of a weakened virus, is administered to the baby orally. The vaccine is administered between 6 and 32 weeks of age from birth. This drug is safe for the baby and does not cause serious side effects.

Other means of prevention include maintaining good personal hygiene. This applies to all people who come into contact with the newborn baby. Before picking up your child, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap. The child's utensils and accessories must be kept clean.

If the baby is bottle-fed, then bottles and nipples must be boiled before feeding. If one of the family members has an intestinal infection, then the child must be completely protected from contact with the sick person.

After recovery, the newborn baby does not risk encountering any complications. Partial immunity is formed in the child’s body, which protects the baby from re-infection. If re-infection occurs, the disease is mild.

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Every year, experts identify billions of cases of rotavirus infection in infants. At home, it is difficult to distinguish it from ordinary poisoning, so it is better to immediately consult a doctor when the first signs of the disease appear.

Symptoms and treatment are inextricably linked. Therefore, the more accurately you describe the child’s condition to the doctor, the more correct the therapy will be. We will tell you in this article what to do if you suspect rotavirus in your baby.

Rotavirus infection in a newborn

The digestive system of a person, and especially a child, is one of the most sensitive. Every day, the gastrointestinal tract has to process large volumes of food and liquid. Sometimes the quality of consumed products leaves much to be desired - they are contaminated with viruses, contain heavy metals and microorganisms, and are toxic.

Rotavirus infection is easily transmitted. This is due to the fact that transmission of infection has a nutritional mechanism. Viruses that manage to enter the environment settle in the most unpredictable places (mobile phones, door handles, clothes, shoes, toys). For the infection to begin to spread, it is enough for 1-2 replicas of the virus to enter the oral cavity.

Can you get infected?

The infection most often occurs in children under one year of age.. Infection of newborns and older children occurs from a carrier, for example, from a mother or brother (sister). If parents were in contact with a person suffering from an intestinal infection, then they could become carriers of the virus, and, having infected the child, they themselves could not get sick.

Virus shedding usually lasts up to 8 days.. But sometimes it can take up to 3 weeks. Viruses can be excreted in feces and during asymptomatic disease. Rotavirus is not excreted through the respiratory tract.

There are also cases of asymptomatic disease in children who are breast-fed or mixed-fed, whose mothers (in their milk) have antibodies to the pathogen. In children who have recovered from the disease, antibodies are then detected in the blood.

First signs

The disease manifests itself when the virus invades enterocytes. When a certain concentration of rotavirus in the body is reached, cells begin to die and the infection affects the intestinal environment.

Some viruses are eliminated by the body, but the predominant component continues to poison the body and multiply.

Once in the digestive system, the virus causes damage to the epithelium of the small intestinal mucosa. Desquamation of infected cells leads to their replacement. This leads to functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and intestinal hypermotility with the development of diarrhea is observed.

From the moment an infant is infected with rotavirus until symptoms appear, it can take from 15 hours to five days. The disease begins acutely and progresses rapidly. Therefore, it is important to notice them in time and promptly help the child by prescribing a competent course of treatment.

Symptoms in an infant

Rotavirus is much more severe in infants than in older people. The manifestation of symptoms depends on the severity of the disease. Let's look at three typical forms.

Light form

In this situation, the baby's appetite noticeably decreases, the child looks lethargic, cries and is capricious. In most cases, the temperature level rises, but does not exceed 37.5 degrees.

After a few hours, the baby may begin to vomit, regardless of whether he has eaten. In addition, a mild form of infection is characterized by stool disorders and diarrhea.

Medium form

In this case, the temperature rises. The baby regurgitates milk or baby purees, and the frequency of loose stools reaches 7 times per day. With proper treatment, signs of diarrhea should disappear after 2-3 days.

Severe form

It has an acute onset. The child immediately begins to vomit, which is systematic, and diarrhea occurs up to 15 times a day. This condition can be called critical; it threatens life, as it directly leads to dehydration of the body.

Due to a lack of fluid in the body, the child experiences dryness of the epidermal layers of the skin and mucous membranes. If treatment is started on time, the duration of the disease will be no more than 10 days.

Moderate and severe forms of rotavirus infections occur more often in newborns and infants. In some cases, the disease is confused with dysentery and salmonellosis. Therefore, it is important to correctly differentiate the diagnosis from acute intestinal infections, in the clinical picture of which the gastroenteritis syndrome is decisive (for example, gastroenteritis itself, cholera, foodborne toxic infections).

Important! With the development of rotavirus infection, no blood was observed in the child’s stool; the color of the stool is normal, has a watery consistency and is abundant in nature. If mucus appears in the stool, this indicates the growth of a bacterial infection.

This disease can also develop gradually. At the very beginning, the baby’s appetite decreases, lethargy and drowsiness appear.

Parents cannot always immediately pay attention to these primary signs and often perceive them as the child’s whims, which occur due to changes in mood.

At first, the temperature may rise to 37.1-37.2 degrees, but not everyone takes this as a pathology, since for many children this temperature is normal.

Often, when rotavirus develops in infants, it may:

runny nose appears,
enlarged lymph nodes in the neck,
sink a fontanel.

When the stomach growls, the child may cry - this indicates that he is in pain and uncomfortable. Abdominal pain is weak and constant, rarely cramping.

What to do: diagnosis and treatment

To accurately determine the diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct blood, urine and stool tests in a special laboratory. Pharmacies also sell special rapid tests that help determine rotavirus at home.

So, you should immediately consult a doctor if your child:

is capricious and cries constantly. Draws in the legs - this indicates pain in the abdomen;
looks lethargic, refuses to take the breast (a bottle with formula), or eat usual or favorite foods;
complains of nausea or vomits more than twice in an hour;
diarrhea;
has a body temperature of 37.2.

If at least two or three signs are present, it is important to suspect the presence of infection in time and start fighting the virus to prevent it from multiplying in the body.

How to treat

Treatment of rotavirus must be comprehensive.. Loss of water and salts in the stool can lead to mild dehydration. You can determine that dehydration in an infant has reached a critical point by the following signs:

dry tongue
constant crying for no reason,
no urination for more than 3 hours,
no sweat is produced
convulsions begin, the child loses consciousness.

Replenishing fluid balance. Since the most dangerous thing with this infection is dehydration, the main and primary task will be to replenish the balance of fluid lost in the first days of the disease.

Regidron,
Hydrovit,
Humana.

To prepare the solution, you need to dissolve one sachet in 1 liter of boiled water. It is necessary to give it to the child throughout the day. He should drink about 500 ml per day.

It is also important to give the baby clean water and breastfeed. Mother's milk is half water, so it will well replenish lost fluid in the body. Treatment with rehydration drugs is the only method recognized by the World Health Organization (hereinafter referred to as WHO).

We normalize the balance of intestinal microflora. With rotavirus infections, intestinal disorders occur, in which the microflora is washed out, and an imbalance of beneficial bacteria in this environment occurs. To correct the balance of intestinal microflora, doctors prescribe medications that contain the necessary lactobacilli and probiotics.

Adjusting the temperature. The temperature should be reduced only when it reaches 38 degrees and above. In such situations, antipyretic suppositories help well:

"Nurofen". Used from 3 months;
"Cefekon". Possible from birth.

The child must be undressed and the diaper removed. It is recommended to wipe with warm water, then cover the baby with a diaper. You should not wrap your child up, as this may increase the temperature. It is forbidden to rub down with vodka or vinegar, as this can cause intoxication of the body.

How to treat at home

If parents manage to recognize the symptoms in time, they can prevent the baby from being hospitalized. The main thing is to start giving your child as much fluid as possible.. For a child aged 0 to six months, offer clean, boiled water at room temperature (maybe lukewarm). If your baby has already tried compotes, then cook them from dried fruits, black currants, but without adding sugar.

Don't let the temperature rise. If the thermometer shows 37.5 or higher, then:

do wiping (wet a towel in warm water),
undress the baby
temporarily stop wearing diapers (wear them only at night).

It is easier to prevent a temperature jump than to deal with a high temperature later. Call your local doctor and make an appointment. The pediatrician will prescribe competent treatment, which you can carry out at home.

When is hospitalization required?

It is necessary to call an ambulance if:

convulsions;
noticeable lethargy. If a child (especially an infant - up to 6 months) has stopped responding to his parents;
temperature from 39 degrees. It is almost impossible to bring down such a fever on your own; doctors will inject a special lytic mixture;
severe diarrhea.

If, after the local pediatrician has prescribed treatment, but the symptoms remain (within a week), you should also go to the hospital.

How not to treat

Rotavirus is an intestinal infection that cannot be treated with antibiotics.. If diarrhea (diarrhea) is observed, then antibiotics are prescribed if:

when studying the anamnesis, a diagnosis of “Cholera” was made (suspicion of it),
There are blood clots in the stool,
diarrhea does not stop for more than 14 days,
Worms were found in the stool.

Features of the diet for infants and artificial babies

Inflammation in the intestines inhibits the production of enzymes, such as lactase.. This enzyme is responsible for the breakdown of milk sugar. If treatment is started in a timely manner, the body's production of this substance begins to recover, but this takes about 20 days.

After your child feels better, he or she will have an appetite.. You should not stop breastfeeding during illness, but you should reduce the number of feedings. Do not let your baby hang on your breast 24/7; feed as needed and monitor his reaction.

If your baby is bottle-fed, switch to lactose-free formulas. If you have managed to introduce complementary foods, then completely eliminate dairy products from your diet.

Prevention and vaccination against disease

Vaccination is the only method of preventing rotavirus infection. The vaccine is only effective between 6 and 32 weeks of age. Today there are two vaccine options:

monovalent. It's called "Rotarix";
pentavalent. It has the name "RotaTek".

In Russia, the second option is used, since it is based on a human strain. Vaccination does not pose any danger and has no adverse reactions. Given orally as drops.

Contraindications to vaccination:

allergy to the components of the vaccine,
if the child has recently been ill, then you should wait 2-3 weeks with the vaccination,
history of intestinal diseases.

What Komarovsky says

The pediatrician claims that the main causative agent of the infection is failure to comply with basic rules of general hygiene. Therefore it is imperative:

store food correctly,
wash your and your child’s hands before eating, after a walk,
Do not allow insects to appear in the house.

To prevent the child from being hospitalized, the main task of the parents is to give the baby water to avoid dehydration. It is only for this reason that the child is admitted to the hospital so that the situation does not worsen without timely medical assistance.

The doctor recommends feeding the baby with pharmaceutical saline solutions. But you can prepare them yourself: mix three teaspoons of sugar (without top) and half a teaspoon of salt with a liter of boiled water. Fluid consumption should correspond to the norm of 100 ml per kilogram of the child’s weight.

If the baby refuses the solution, then give him plain water or dried fruit compote. If there is a categorical refusal, the doctor advises giving the child any liquid.

Conclusion

At the first sign of rotavirus in a newborn or infant, seek medical help. Only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis by excluding other diseases with similar symptoms.
The presence of the virus in the body will be confirmed by laboratory tests of stool and blood. The infection can be asymptomatic, so to avoid infection in young children, it is worth getting tested after suspected or actual contact with a sick person.
The most pronounced symptoms will tell you where to start treatment. The main danger is dehydration, and hospitalization in a hospital is usually carried out in order to exclude this manifestation of the disease. Drinking plenty of fluids and rehydrating with saline solutions will restore the water-salt balance in the baby’s body and allow him to be treated at home under the supervision of a local pediatrician.

Rotavirus infection in infants occurs with primary damage to the digestive system. The disease is acute and with medical care provided, doctors give a favorable prognosis. Chronic rotavirus infection is rather an exception to the rule.

Incidence of rotavirus infection

According to statistics, intestinal infection in infants is often the reason for contacting pediatricians and infectious disease specialists. As television pediatrician Komarovsky notes, high mortality from rotavirus infection has been detected in children in the first three years of life.

The percentage of rotavirus infections in infants is similar among countries around the world. The spread of this pathogen does not in any way affect the standard of living in the country. The number of severe cases and deaths due to rotavirus and its complications may vary. Young children are more susceptible to infection. The number of registered cases of rotavirus intestinal pathology in infancy is increasing every year.

Rotavirus in infants is transmitted through the fecal-oral route. This means that the pathogen penetrates the baby’s digestive tract. Most intestinal infections have this route of transmission, including hemolyzing Escherichia coli in infants.

A simple and common route of transmission of the pathogen is through contaminated food or water, from where it enters the body. The virus enters the intestines with food or water, as well as through unwashed hands. No less often, the virus penetrates through food that was prepared with technological violations or was stored incorrectly. An infant may become infected through contact with a sick mother. Whether a newborn can become infected with rotavirus from its mother is an interesting question. This depends on her health and the state of the baby’s immunity. If a nursing mother has rotavirus in her body, the risk of infecting the child is high. At the same time, the mother may not have a clinical diagnosis of the disease - she remains a healthy carrier. This is the answer to the question of whether a baby can get sick while breastfeeding.

If the mother herself is sick with rotavirus, it is allowed to continue breastfeeding subject to the rules of hygiene and antiseptics, since rotavirus is not transmitted through breast milk to the baby. There is no danger for the child. In addition, he will receive antibodies to the virus with milk, which are contained during lactation in a nursing mother who has recovered from rotavirus.

Incubation period

The incubation period is the time from the first penetration of the virus into the baby’s body until the first signs of illness appear. As a rule, this time is 1-2 days. During this period, the rotavirus manages to penetrate the intestines and multiply there.

Initially, the pathogen enters the baby’s oral cavity, and then from there it easily reaches the lumen of the small intestine.
Having penetrated the intestines, the virus invades the intestinal epithelial cells and begins to multiply intensively there. As a result, intestinal epithelial cells are destroyed and fluid absorption in the intestine is impaired.
As a result of cell destruction, the normal functioning of the intestines is disrupted. Enzyme deficiency develops. Sugars stop being broken down and absorbed in the intestines. They enter the lumen of the colon and disrupt the transport of fluid there.
An increase in the amount of liquid and mineral elements in the intestinal lumen leads to the development of severe diarrhea in the newborn.
In addition, an acute inflammatory process develops in the intestines.

As diarrhea and vomiting worsen, clinical dehydration develops.

Clinic for infants

Pronounced clinical manifestations in infants concern the digestive organs. In addition, rotavirus invades the epithelial cells of the upper respiratory tract and causes catarrhal respiratory symptoms. Symptoms and treatment of rotavirus infection in an infant depend on the severity of the disease. There are three degrees of severity of the infectious process.

First clinical symptoms

As a rule, in infants, rotavirus infection debuts acutely and is manifested by an increase in temperature to febrile levels and respiratory symptoms. Catarrhal symptoms with rotavirus infection are similar to those with a respiratory viral infection and do not cause severe anxiety in parents. The first signs of an intestinal infection in a baby do not appear immediately. Therefore, rotavirus received a second name - intestinal flu.

Nausea and vomiting

Vomiting appears on the first day after the onset of the disease. Reflex eruption is allowed both once and repeatedly. As a rule, vomiting continues throughout the day.

Loose stools

On the second day, infants develop frequent and profuse diarrhea. Less commonly, these symptoms of rotavirus appear on the first day from the onset of the disease.

The child's stool is initially yellowish in color and then becomes gray. The consistency of the stool is initially mushy, but then becomes liquid. There are cases when impurities in the form of foam are found in feces. There may be signs of a bacterial infection in the form of impurities in stool, mucus and blood.

A distinctive feature is the sharp, foul odor of children's feces. The frequency of the urge to defecate is from 10 to 50 times a day. This will depend on the severity of the condition and the number of viral particles in the baby’s body.

Abdominal pain and bloating

Frequent vomiting and diarrhea are caused by increased motor activity and irritation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines. Together, this provokes spasm and pain in the abdomen.

Of course, the baby will not tell you what is bothering him. The symptom can be determined by the sharp cry and restlessness of the child. When he cries, he jerks his legs. The baby's belly is swollen, and upon palpation, seething or rumbling can be clearly heard.

Dehydration Clinic

Repeated repeated vomiting and diarrhea lead to the child developing severe dehydration. The body of a newborn loses a large amount of fluid in a short time. Critical dehydration without restoration of fluid volume is called exicosis.

If the disease in a child under one year of age occurs at lightning speed, it is extremely dangerous for the life of the infant. Rapid exicosis leads to loss of consciousness and can even lead to death! The risk is high for premature babies with low body weight. It is customary to distinguish three stages of child dehydration.

General intoxication

There are symptoms that characterize intoxication:

An increase in body temperature to febrile levels, which is accompanied by chills.
Lethargy and drowsiness, apathy.
Pallor of the skin with a marbled tint.
Refusal of food and drink.
Convulsive syndrome and loss of consciousness.

Attachment of a secondary infection

In severe cases, when the child’s immune defense is extremely weak, a secondary acute bacterial infection can quickly develop. Escherichia coli in infants, which is assumed to be a normal variant, causes an inflammatory process and further aggravates the course of the disease.

Hemolytic Escherichia coli is dangerous. Often, opportunistic flora - Klebsiella or Proteus, as well as staphylococci - act as a secondary infection. Klebsiella infection is a frequent accompaniment of rotaviruses.

Diagnosis of rotavirus infection

As a rule, diagnosis consists of examination and careful history taking. This is enough for an experienced medical professional. To confirm the presence of inflammation in the child’s body and the possible addition of a secondary bacterial infection, a general blood test and stool are taken for bacteriological examination to determine sensitivity to antibiotics.

A proven and informative option for diagnosing rotavirus infection is the enzyme immunoassay method. This method detects pathogen antigens in biological media. The method also detects the pathogen in the early stages of the development of the pathological process.

Principles of treatment

Treatment of rotavirus infection is complex. Properly selected treatment is aimed at the pathogenesis of the disease and at eliminating disturbing symptoms. Specific etiotropic treatment of rotavirus in medicine has not been developed.

First of all, measures are taken to prevent dehydration of the child’s body. In addition, the intestinal microflora is normalized and damaged cellular structures of the intestine are restored. For this purpose, the patient is given orally sorbents and preparations from the group of probiotics for intestinal infections.

Symptomatic treatment includes reducing pain and fever, as well as nausea and vomiting. Giving children antipyretic and painkillers orally is not possible in all cases. In case of severe vomiting, it is better to use rectal suppositories or parenteral medications.

If there has been a secondary bacterial infection, antibacterial etiotropic therapy is carried out. The effect of an antibiotic with a wide therapeutic spectrum – Gentamicin – has been proven. It is administered intramuscularly for 5 days.

Often nursing mothers ask on forums and at appointments with infectious disease specialists the question of whether it is possible to breastfeed with intestinal rotavirus infection. Since during an acute process, a deficiency of the lactase enzyme develops in the intestines, which is responsible for the breakdown of milk sugar, milk, including mother’s milk, is excluded from the child’s diet. During illness, the baby is given special lactose-free formulas.

Treatment of rotavirus in infants begins with dehydration. For this purpose, the baby is soldered with saline solutions, glucose solution or chamomile decoction. Drinking plenty of fluids both helps treat dehydration and provides a detoxifying effect. A one-month-old baby takes drinks in small portions, but often. Too large doses of liquid at one time cause a new attack of vomiting.

The question of what to give to a baby with an acute infectious intestinal disease is decided by the attending physician.

Baby nutrition and fluid replenishment

In severe cases, when the disease is severe, breastfeeding has to be stopped and the baby must be switched to lactose-free formulas. This feeding will have to be maintained for 2-3 weeks.

To replenish lost fluid volume, give your child saline solutions. The recommended drug for feeding children with intestinal infections is called rehydron. This medicine contains sodium citrate and sodium chloride. With its help, the acid-base balance and water-salt balance are restored in children who suffer from intestinal infections and suffer from dehydration.

If the diarrhea is mild, they are prescribed to drink saline solutions at the rate of 50 ml per 1 kg of the child’s weight at the time of birth.

Infants with severe diarrhea receive 100 ml of solution per 1 kg of body weight per day.

Newborn babies are given a teaspoon of drink every 10 minutes. Infants who have already learned to drink on their own drink 1-2 sips after each bowel movement.

Although breast milk is an incomparable nutrition for a baby in the first months of life, in the acute period there is a need to stop breastfeeding. The child is fed with adapted formulas that do not contain lactose. If the baby is on combination feeding, complementary foods are chosen that are gentle and do not cause irritation in the intestines. Choose products that do not contain milk during complementary feeding.

Restoration of normal intestinal microflora

To protect the intestinal epithelium from rotavirus and restore normal intestinal microflora, give your child medications containing probiotics.

In infants, the balance of normal intestinal microflora is easily disrupted. This leads to the development of dysbiosis. Dysbacteriosis itself causes abdominal pain and diarrhea or constipation in children. Therefore, it is so important to take timely measures to restore the intestinal microflora.

Probiotics are medications that contain live cultures - lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. There is another group of medications called prebiotics. Prebiotics are substances that affect the development of normal flora in the body.

Should I call an ambulance?

Infants suffer acute intestinal infections much more severely than other children and adults. In a premature infant, the clinical picture of dehydration occurs already half an hour after the appearance of the first clinical symptoms. Timely medical care will help to avoid serious complications, and in some cases, save the life of a newborn child.

As soon as a child has vomiting or diarrhea, emergency help should be called immediately. Until the doctor arrives, take measures to prevent the development of exicosis. To give your baby something to drink, use a baby bottle with a nipple, as well as a teaspoon or a plastic disposable syringe. If you don’t have rehydron on hand, brew a weak solution of chamomile or tea. In cases of severe vomiting, hospitalize the child for fluid resuscitation.

If a child develops repeated, uncontrollable vomiting, it is important to ensure that the baby does not choke on the vomit. It is better to place the child so that the head is turned to the side. It is important to keep him in sight and not leave him alone while he is vomiting.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection

The danger of the disease is that the baby’s condition can worsen in a short period of time, literally in a couple of hours.

Body temperature often rises to 39º. Often rotavirus in infants provokes inflammation of the throat and the appearance of mucous discharge from the nose. That is why parents often make the mistake and confuse rotavirus infection with a common cold.

What indicates a baby is dehydrated?

Lack of tears when crying and sunken eyelids;
Drowsiness and lethargy;
The presence of a dry crust on the lips;
Rare urination;
Dry body skin;
Sunken fontanelle;
Rapid breathing.

All of the above signs indicate that the child needs urgent hospitalization.

In addition to being able to tell the difference between a cold and a rotavirus infection, parents need to recognize and rule out common food poisoning.

If poisoning is always associated with one of the products, after consumption of which corresponding signs will appear, then the determining factor for rotavirus infection in an infant is always the connection with the site of infection. If the baby is breastfed, then there will be a clear connection between the mother's food poisoning and him through breast milk. A newborn can become ill with rotavirus infection after being in a public place where this rotavirus was rampant.

How is the disease treated?

This disease in newborns is quite dangerous, so its treatment should occur in a hospital. Infants under 6 months of age with loose stools are subject to mandatory hospitalization. Without examination and consultation with a doctor, you should not give your baby medications. Before the doctor arrives, the child is provided with rest and fluids. It is recommended to carry the baby in your arms if hugs make him feel calmer.

It is necessary to treat the infection by replenishing the mineral salts and fluids lost by the newborn’s body. A popular remedy for these purposes is Regidron, Gidrovit, Human. It should also be understood that due to the absence of ordinary food poisoning, drugs such as Mezim and Smecta should be abandoned.

In difficult cases, healing mineral solutions should be absorbed in an amount equal to 2 glasses. To avoid vomiting, portions should be small (one teaspoon). It is recommended that newborn babies be put to the breast more often.

An infected, upset intestine must be returned to a normal state; for this, probiotics are prescribed. Linex Forte or Hilak are suitable for this role.

And we must not forget that after the baby becomes infected, attention will also need to be paid to the condition of the skin of the buttocks, which may suffer from loose stool in the diaper.

Each time the next diaper change occurs, it is necessary to wash the baby with warm water, remove moisture well and treat the folds with baby skin care products (creams, oils, powders).

What needs to be done to prevent rotavirus

It is known that you can become infected with rotavirus infection by exactly 8 typical pathogens. They are designated by letters of the Latin alphabet from A to N. But most often the human body (child) is attacked by rotavirus type A, and in the cold season.

Since the causative agent of this infection is sown along with feces, at a young age the baby becomes infected to a greater extent from the mother, and when he begins to go to a nursery or kindergarten, infection can await him already in a child care facility. Virus bacteria multiply in the intestines.

Rotavirus infection in an infant does not occur immediately at the time of infection, because the incubation period in a child can last 1-5 days.

It is no secret that an adult may not get sick from the virus, because the immune properties of his body are higher than those of an infant. Therefore, even if they have not been attacked by this infection, they can be its carriers.

To avoid causing a relapse of the disease, adults need to take antiviral drugs as a preventative measure.

The baby himself must be kept in quarantine for 10 days, excluding contact with other children.

If the treatment takes place at home, disinfection must be done. This involves frequent wet cleaning, boiling used dishes, washing clothes and then ironing them. After the infant is healthy, it is recommended to carry out general cleaning using antibacterial products.

It is worth mentioning that medicine knows of a vaccine that is used against rotavirus infection, but it has not found widespread use in our country. In other countries, children under two years of age are subject to vaccination.

Fortunately, this infection does not promise terrible consequences, but only if severe dehydration does not occur and droppers are not required.

But parents, in any case, must be on alert and protect their child, since children are susceptible to rotavirus infection as often as regular ARVI. Children aged 0.5-3 years are susceptible to this disease. In third world countries, newborns often die from rotavirus, where the level of medicine leaves much to be desired.

The most common cause of the disease is a simple lack of personal hygiene - “dirty hand disease”, although this virus is also transmitted by airborne droplets.