Rotavirus virus is one of the most common causes of diarrhea in children less than 5 years old. This viral infection is self limiting; with or without treatment, it will run its course. Also, it’s a virus that is usually transmitted orally.
What makes this virus immensely dangerous is it can lead to dehydration due to a lack of fluid in the body. Children less than five don’t have so much fluid in their bodies, so when they lose most of them, they’re prone to death due to severe dehydration. So, the best way to help your child get through it is to give them lots of water.
Key takeaway
Rotavirus is common among children under the age of five. It’s a type of virus that causes dehydration in the body. But it can be treated by giving your baby enough water.
So what is RotaVirus?
Rotavirus is a viral infection that can cause gastroenteritis. It’s a highly contagious virus that affects the gastrointestinal system and causes diarrhea, puking, and abdominal pain. It is most commonly found among children under five, but it can also affect grownups.
How is RotaVirus spread?
Rotavirus is present in the gut (intestines), so it spreads through the poop of an infected person and can contaminate hands, surfaces, and objects. For smaller kids who wear diapers, it may spread by the hands of the person changing the infected child’s diapers.
It is easily contracted from one infected person to another when they come in close contact. This happens because the virus enters the infected person’s hands after they’ve used the toilet, but didn’t wash their hands properly. Therefore it’s easy to transfer the virus to their mouth, or to surfaces they touch, such as toys, furniture, and food. Then, when someone else also touches these contaminated surfaces, they get infected by the virus. Additionally, the virus can spread if the infected person cooks a meal. The common place where outbreaks occur is in nurseries or schools.
Symptoms of RotaVirus
- High temperature (fever)
- Vomiting
- Watery bloodless diarrhea
- Abdominal cramping
- Weight loss
- Poor appetite
The intensity of the diarrhea can range from mild to severe, and it may clear up in 3 days. But in some cases, it lasts up to nine days.
Dehydration is one of the worst symptoms of rotavirus, and even the cause of death in this case. With vomiting and diarrhea, your child loses fluid in their body, which leads to dehydration. If you suspect that your child is dehydrated, go to the hospital immediately. Mild dehydration is quite common, and can easily and quickly be treated by drinking lots of water, milk, or juice. But if the dehydration is severe, it can be life-threatening unless it is treated as fast as possible because the organs need a certain amount of fluid to function properly. So, if they don’t have enough fluids, they can shut down, and this can lead to death.
Symptoms of mild dehydration and severe dehydration in smaller children
To know if the dehydration is a mild one and something you can treat at home. Look out for the following symptoms:
- Passing little urine
- Fewer tears when your child cries
- Dry lips and tongue
- A dry mouth
- Weakness (extreme fatigue)
- Being highly irritable
- Sunken eyes
- Severe dehydration
Symptoms of severe dehydration in children are:
- Drowsiness
- Few or no tears
- Excessive thirst
- Soft spot on the head
- Little to no urine
- Unusual color of urine
- No wet diapers
- Fast (but often shallow) breathing
- Cold hands or feet
- Pale or mottled skin
Treatment for RotaVirus
Treatment for rotavirus infection usually focuses on managing symptoms and preventing dehydration. Here are some guidelines you can follow as a parent or guardian:
1 . Encourage your child to rest and avoid strenuous activities.
2 . Always hydrate your child by replacing lost fluids with water or electrolytes.
3 . Give them bland foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (BRAT diet) to help settle their tummy.
4 . You can give them anti-diarrheal medications like loperamide to slow down bowel movements. However, children under the age of 12 should not be prescribed any medication as it can have possible serious complications. You can give them paracetamol to ease any discomfort linked with a high fever or headache.
5 . Anti-vomiting medications like ondansetron to reduce nausea and vomiting
6 . Electrolyte supplements like coconut water, or electrolyte beverages can help replace lost electrolytes. However, you should take them to the hospital if it is a severe case.
How to prevent the spread of RotaVirus from your child to others
As a parent or guardian, it is your responsibility to protect others from getting infected. If your baby has a rotavirus infection, be careful by washing your hands after changing diapers and before making, serving, or eating food. Make sure you use liquid soap in warm running water, but any sop is equally fine, what matters is that you use soap. Also, don’t forget to dry your hands properly, proper drying of hands is as essential as washing them.
For older children with rotavirus, it’s best to do the following things:
- Regularly clean the toilets that have been used, with disinfectant, not just soap. Clean the toilet seats, flush handles, door handles, and bathroom surfaces, at least daily to keep everywhere safe.
- Always make sure your child washes their hands after using the restroom.
- If your child uses a potty, wear gloves when you clean it and wash it with hot water, and detergent. Again, remember to handle the cleaning of the potty with gloves, don’t use your bare hands.
- Don’t let your child help to prepare food for anyone.
- Don’t let your child share towels with others at home.
- Remove disposable gloves after using throw them away, and take out the thrash. Don’t reuse the gloves or store them anywhere at home, it is very dangerous.
- Your child must avoid close contact with other children during this time. Let them stay home, for at least 2 days, after the last episode of diarrhea or vomiting. Don’t let them go to school, or engage in other activities, so they don’t spread it to others.
Prevention of Rotavirus
As we discussed earlier on the prevention of the spread of rotavirus from one person to another, good hygiene is essential in the spread of many infections to others. One important thing you and your child or family in general should do is handwashing. Additionally, you can help stop the spread and keep them safe by educating them on hygiene practices such as:
- Washing their hands with soap and water after using the toilet.
- Before preparing or touching food or drinks
- Before eating
- Avoid sharing food and drinks with other people at school
- Eating other people’s food
- Touching people and surfaces
- And you as a parent should do the following:
- Wash your hands before making their breakfast and lunch
- Give them enough water to school
- Remove and wash all laundry that may have vomit or poop on them using hot ware and detergent.
- Always clean up the area immediately after someone vomits or has diarrhea.
Whether there is a virus or not, always clean your house and use disinfectants when you do. Take out the thrash and avoid keeping dirty laundry. In addition, allow your home to be well ventilated by opening windows, for fresh air. Also, calmly remind them of the basic safety rules before they leave for school, and tell them you trust and love them.
Rotavirus vaccine
Rotavirus can be prevented and is one of the vaccines that your child must get. The vaccine has been used in many countries, and has been shown to be effective and safe for children.
You Can Also Read:
What is Norovirus and How Does it Spread?
What to Eat And Avoid When You Have Diarrhea.
Malaria: Symptoms and causes in 2024
Dehydration: Is it child’s play or Can it cause a person to lose their lives?
