Intestinal flu in children treatment. Features of the treatment of intestinal flu in a child

intestinal flu in children- this is a company viral infection, which enters the gastrointestinal tract with food or contaminated water. This disease belongs to the group of "diseases of dirty hands". Therefore, the main precaution is the observance of the rules of personal hygiene.

The peak incidence occurs in the winter. It is diagnosed mainly in children aged 6 months to 3 years. By the age of 4, more than 90% of children have stable immunity to the rotavirus group. Among schoolchildren and adolescents, intestinal flu does not spread and occurs only in children with weakened immune systems.

Rotavirus has a high degree of resistance to adverse environmental factors. In the feces of a sick person or carrier, it can maintain its virulence for 6-7 months. In the air and on household items, pathogenic forms remain viable for 5-8 days. It is reliably known that approximately 40% of the adult population of the Earth are permanent or temporary carriers of rotaviruses of various strains. They have no symptoms of the disease. Therefore, the probability of infection of infants and toddlers in case of non-compliance with hygienic household rules is very high.

The first signs of the intestinal flu

Symptoms of intestinal flu in children appear a day after infection. Parents should pay attention to the following characteristic symptoms:

the baby's body temperature rises to 38-39 ° C;
appears (up to 15 times a day);
stool light color, watery with impurities of mucus;
diffuse abdominal pain, tenesmus;
rumbling in the right side of the abdomen along the way small intestine.

In the future, symptoms of intoxication and dehydration of the child's body join. The incubation period is 24 - 48 hours. With a favorable course, the disease recedes for 5-7 days, and the child is on the mend.

Clinical symptoms of intestinal flu

In the diagnosis of intestinal influenza, clinical symptoms are important for the doctor to differentiate from other forms of intestinal infection. The determining factor is the isolation of rotavirus in the feces during a bacterial study.

The following clinical symptoms of intestinal flu are important for diagnosis:

compliance with the seasonality of the spread of infection (the period from November to March);
the age of the child is up to 3 years;
characteristic consistency and color of feces;
abrupt onset of the disease;
bacterial research.

For preventive purposes, all family members are examined. To rule out more severe forms of infection, differential diagnosis with shigellosis, cholera.

Treatment of intestinal flu and its complications

Specific treatment for intestinal flu modern medicine not known. Does not exist pharmacological preparation, which has a pathogenic effect on rotavirus. Therefore, therapies for rotavirus infection are as follows:

prevention of development of dehydration;
reduction of hyperthermia in children;
increase the level of resistance of the baby's body.

In practice, the treatment of intestinal flu is as follows:

the child is placed on bed rest;
increased drinking regimen;
for symptomatic purposes, antispasmodics, means to lower body temperature are used;
an appropriate sparing diet is prescribed;
vitamin therapy is provided to replenish the costs that are necessary for the regeneration of the intestinal mucosa.

During the treatment of intestinal flu, spicy, fried, irritating foods should be excluded from the child's diet. You should completely abandon products that increase gas formation. These are legumes, carbonated drinks, spices, sweets, meat, cabbage. The child can be given mashed boiled vegetables, mucous porridges, kissels, crackers, unsweetened cookies. fruit juices and fresh fruits are excluded until the complete cessation of diarrhea. Mineral waters, decoctions of vegetables, compotes from bird cherry are used for drinking.

Complications of intestinal flu can be various erosions, intestinal ulcers, hypovolemia, chronic colitis. With the right approach to the treatment of intestinal flu in children, complications develop extremely rarely.

Prevention of intestinal flu in children

Specific methods for the prevention of intestinal influenza have not been developed. There is no vaccine for this disease. Therefore, the main prevention of intestinal flu comes down to observing the rules of personal hygiene. When caring for a baby, you need to keep your hands clean. When preparing food for a child, it is not recommended to use common household items. All diapers, baby clothes should be carefully ironed on both sides. For bathing, only boiled water should be used.

The symptoms and causes of stomach flu are often caused by an invading viral infection. Professors have described a large number of strains of viruses. The causative agents of intestinal flu are known, often the causes are:

Rotaviruses.
Astroviruses.
Noroviruses.
Caliciviruses.
Adenoviruses.

Viral strains cause acute inflammatory process in the digestive tract. There are clinical symptoms of intestinal infection, symptoms of acute respiratory infection, similar in symptoms to the flu.

Similar symptoms coli in children.

Infection occurs when a microorganism enters epithelial cells mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. The severity of clinical symptoms depends on the number of pathogens in the body, the state of the child's immune system. Symptoms and treatment differ depending on the nature of the pathogen.

Ways of infection are determined based on the nature of the disease:

Alimentary infection. Pathogens enter the child's body with unwashed fruits and vegetables. You can get infected with poor-quality expired dairy and meat products.
E. coli in a child can be transmitted through unwashed hands.
Stomach flu in children can be transmitted through water contaminated with the appropriate strain of the virus, bacteria.
An airborne route of infection with viral stomach flu is possible. The causative agent is transmitted from a person when talking, sneezing.
Signs of intestinal flu are observed during the contact-household route of infection of a child. It is enough for the kid to hold in his hands the toy that the sick child played the day before, to hold on to the door handle in kindergarten, school.

Rotavirus influenza is resistant and viable. A variety of infectious pathogen is able to withstand heating to a temperature of 60 degrees, freezing.

Not all detergents destroy the virus environment. Prevention of spread in the environment is carried out with chlorine-containing antiseptic solutions of high concentration.

The disease is transmitted only through the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. The rate of development of intestinal flu and the severity of the disease depend on the immunity of the child. It may also depend on the number of pathogens.

Since the flu is a contagious disease, it is transmitted:

Food way. The pathogen can enter the body if the child has eaten an unwashed vegetable, fruit or milk product Low quality. Intestinal flu also appears if a person has dirty hands. Also, one of the most common ways of infection is water that has not been boiled.
Airborne. Rotavirus enters through breathing, sneezing and coughing.
Household path. Patients with intestinal infections took a toy in their hand. After that, a healthy child took her. He can transmit the virus.

Note! The virus is very persistent. It easily withstands detergents, low and high temperatures. But you can get rid of it with chlorine.

Before the doctor arrives, you can give your child first aid so that the symptoms subside. You need:

Give your child plenty of fluids. When vomiting, the child's body loses a lot of water, which can lead to dehydration. This is very dangerous for babies. It is necessary to give children warm tea, compote or water.
Check that the child is lying correctly on the bed. This is necessary so that he does not choke on his vomit. The child should be placed on its side. It is advisable for an adult to be nearby.
Control the temperature. If it is not very high, you should not give the child drugs. Thus, the body will be better able to deal with toxins. If it is high, paracetamol works well. It can be given to infants older than one month, after crushing the tablet.
Follow nutrition. If the child wants to eat, this is good, because the toxins will later be excreted from the body along with bowel movements. You need to eat often, but the portions should be small. It is allowed to give only boiled natural products. Light soups, cereals on the water or mashed potatoes are good.

Stomach flu in children can be transmitted in several ways. This pathology is also called the disease of dirty hands, which speaks for itself. You can pick up an infection along with poor-quality food or by getting pathogens from your palms into your mouth. Viruses infect humans through the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract.

The infection can be transmitted through a towel and household items.

The incubation period has a wide range. Signs of intestinal flu in children can appear as early as 16 hours after a viral infection enters the body. If the patient's immunity is stronger, then the pathology manifests itself after a few days (up to 5 days).

Why is the disease called "intestinal flu"? Symptoms in children that appear very first will be: cough, pain, sore throat, runny nose. All this is very similar to the classic course of infection. That is why the pathology was nicknamed the flu. In the future, additional signs of the disease are added, which indicate an intestinal infection.

If the stomach flu progresses, the symptoms in children appear as follows:

Catarrhal phenomena(runny nose, cough, sore throat). As you already know, they pass literally the next day without any treatment.
Increased body temperature. In young children who have not previously experienced infectious diseases digestive tract fever is quite pronounced. Body temperature reaches 39 degrees. For stronger children, the thermometer value stops at 37.5-38 degrees.
Liquid stool. The urge to defecate is present in the daytime as well as at night, which is especially exhausting for an exhausted body. Stool from 5 times a day with pieces undigested food.
Abdominal pain . The children complain of seething, bloating, discomfort. There is a tendency to flatulence.
Nausea, vomiting . These signs may be absent. Vomiting occurs more often when large amounts of food or drink are consumed, and can occur from one to several times a day.
Weakness, tearfulness. If there is an intestinal flu in the baby, then the child becomes very restless, cries all the time. The kid still can not talk about what hurts him.

A child with intestinal flu may have a stomach ache

If you notice the described manifestations in a child (single or all at once), then you should get to a pediatrician or an infectious disease specialist as soon as possible. Remember: the younger the patient, the more dangerous this disease is for him.

The infection develops rapidly, spreading from infected children and adults. The causative agent is rotavirus, which is easily transmitted from an infected person to a healthy one. Therefore, the patient must be isolated for several days. People of all ages acquire the disease. Children are much less likely to get sick infancy, as they receive powerful temporary protection of the immune system from the mother. The risk of infection increases with the transition to the mixture, when the baby begins to accustom to the food that adults eat.

The infection gets to a person due to a violation of personal hygiene, the virus often causes epidemics in schools, preschool institutions, lives in crowded places, toilets. Educational institutions during outbreaks of the disease are quarantined, the building is disinfected. The main time of the year for the spread of stomach flu is the off-season: the transition from autumn to winter, from winter to spring.

The infection affects the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, disrupts the absorption of food, the result is the appearance of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. The most susceptible to the disease are the elderly and children, this is justified by the weakness of the immune system. Children are extremely difficult to tolerate intestinal infections. You can get infected from an outwardly healthy person, since adults have stronger immunity, the symptoms of the disease do not always appear, they can be confused with respiratory infections.

There are several main ways to get the intestinal flu:

airborne (through coughing, sneezing, during a dialogue);
through biological fluids (saliva);
violation of hygiene rules (through dirty hands);
the use of running water;
contact with a carrier of the virus.

The main causative agents of this gastrointestinal disorder are:

rotavirus;
astrovirus;
norovirus;
calicivirus;
adenovirus.

Children's immunity is much weaker than that of an adult, so it may be necessary long-term treatment. The rate of spread of infection, the severity of the disease depend on the strength of the immune system, the level of development of the pathogen.

Strains of these microorganisms provoke acute inflammation esophagus, the symptoms are very similar to the manifestation of influenza, respiratory diseases, indigestion, E. coli.

Symptoms, treatment and proper nutrition for intestinal flu in children

The disease is divided into two stages. At the initial stage, the child has the following clinical symptoms:

Cough.
Sore throat.
Runny nose.

These symptoms pass quickly. After a couple of hours, the second stage begins - a breakdown of the digestive system. In other cases, it all starts with vomiting, nausea or diarrhea, which is the difference between intestinal flu and other diseases.

The second stage is more serious. There are such signs of intestinal flu:

Throat redness.
Pain and sore throat.
Sneezing, runny nose and cough.
Diarrhea (stools will be about 10 times a day, stools - gray or yellow color With strong smell, there are quite a few of them).
Pain in the intestinal region (sometimes rumbling).
Heat.
Weakness.
Vomiting and nausea.
In severe form - dehydration.

Symptoms may vary depending on the form of the disease. For example, one child may only have nausea and vomiting, while another may have a high fever.

If a child falls ill, then a pediatrician is needed to determine the possibility of treatment at home or hospitalization in a hospital. As a rule, if vomiting occurs no more than 5 times, and stools no more than 10 times a day, outpatient treatment is acceptable. The incubation period for the flu is about 5 days. Its symptoms are quite acute and violent.

The easiest way to avoid contracting the stomach flu is to wash your hands thoroughly.

Literally a few hours before the onset of dyspepsia (gastrointestinal upset), first there is a slight cough, runny nose, sore throat, which quickly pass. This is what distinguishes intestinal flu from other infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the symptoms of which do not begin with indigestion, but with rapidly passing catarrhal phenomena. The main signs of gastric flu:

Sore throat when swallowing, redness in the throat
Catarrhal phenomena - a slight runny nose, cough, sneezing, which quickly pass
Loose stools up to 5-10 times a day, stools are plentiful, gray-yellow, clay-like, with a pungent odor, but without mucus and blood
Abdominal pain, rumbling
Nausea, vomiting
High fever or subfebrile
Growing weakness
With severe development of gastric flu, it is possible dehydration (symptoms)).

Similar symptoms may accompany other diseases, for example, cholera, salmonellosis, food poisoning, therefore, to differentiate the diagnosis, you should immediately consult a doctor (see also causes of vomiting and diarrhea in a child without fever).

If a child has such unpleasant symptoms as abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, his parents most often diagnose food poisoning in the baby.

However, these symptoms may indicate the presence of another pathology - intestinal flu, a disease caused by a virus.

The virus enters the body through dirty hands and food, therefore, in order to prevent the development of symptoms, it is necessary to early childhood teach the baby to be clean. We will talk about the symptoms and treatment of intestinal flu in children in the article.

What is the stomach flu? What is it called?

Intestinal flu is classified as a rotavirus infection. Please note

Pathology is caused by a pathogen that enters the child's body through contaminated food and water, dirty hands, upon contact with a sick person.

Pathology occurs, mainly in young children (up to 3 years). In older children, the disease is extremely rare, since at this age the child's immune system is already sufficiently developed, his body can already withstand the negative effects of the virus.

If the baby's immunity is weakened, there is a risk of developing pathology in a school-age child.

Characteristic symptoms diseases manifest themselves quite sharply, however, after a certain period of time (7-10 days), recovery occurs. In rare cases, complications may develop that are very dangerous for child health that can even lead to death.

So, in the feces of a sick person, he retains his vital activity for six months, on the surface of household items, food - up to 1 week.

Interestingly, about 40% of the total population of our planet is infected with the virus, while it manifests itself only in a few. That is why, if the family has a small child whose body is very susceptible to the effects of rotavirus, it is important to carefully observe the rules of hygiene.

Golovkina Irina Nikolaevna

Pediatrician Pulmonologist

Volohatyuk Natalia Dmitrievna

Marudova Natalya Stanislavovna

Intestinal flu is a common disease among children different ages. Actually, this disease called rotavirus infection or gastroenteritis, which clearly indicates the minimal similarity of intestinal flu with the flu itself. According to statistics for 2017 annually intestinal infection claims about 4,000 children's lives.

Therefore, the symptoms and treatment of intestinal flu in children is important information for any parent, since the probability of transferring this infectious pathology to a child is quite high. Statistics indicate that almost all children under 5 years of age suffer from intestinal flu.

In this case, both a child under one year old and a child of 3 years old can become infected.

Rotaviruses replicate by infecting a number of villous epithelial cells, provoking a local inflammatory process and subsequent cell death. The result is structural changes and dysfunction of the intestines.

For intestinal flu, several stages of development are characteristic:

The incubation period of the disease is from 1 to 5 days, depending on the immune system of the child. At this stage, the disease does not manifest itself;
The acute period of the disease can be from 3 to 7 days or more, depending on the severity of the course of the pathological process. At this stage, the symptoms of the disease first appear, and stay throughout the entire period, but towards the end, their intensity decreases;
The recovery period is from 4 to 5 days. At this stage, the symptoms either disappear completely or appear to a lesser extent. The child may feel healthy, but the pathological process has not yet come to an end;

Symptoms of intestinal flu appear very aggressively at the beginning of the disease and often clinical picture constitute respiratory symptoms and symptoms of gastrointestinal disturbances. Symptoms may be as follows:

Initially, intestinal flu manifests itself as a common acute respiratory disease. There are symptoms such as discomfort in the throat, especially on swallowing. Mild rhinitis, sneezing can also be observed;
Weakness, there is a decrease in the activity of the child;
Body temperature rises sharply and can reach 39 degrees. At the same time, the temperature is stable and lasts throughout the acute period, decreasing towards the end of this stage;
Vomiting, the appearance of vomit;
Pain in the abdomen;
Headache is noted frequently;
Diarrhea. This symptom is perhaps the most characteristic of rotavirus infection. Bowel movements occur up to 10 times a day, feces have a specific color (the 2nd-3rd day of illness is accompanied by a gray-yellow color and has a clay-like shape). At a certain stage, the stool has a light color, and the urine is a rich dark yellow color. In the feces may be observed blood clots. With a bowel movement more than 10 times a day, the stool resembles foam and consists, practically, of a liquid;
There is a decrease in the child's appetite. It can be expressed in a complete / partial refusal to eat;

Separately, it is worth mentioning the dehydration of the body of children with this infection. With intestinal flu, it is very important to use a large number fluid, since it is exsicosis that becomes the main cause of death in rotavirus infection.

It should be understood that the treatment infectious disease can be performed both at home and in the hospital ward. Hospitalization of young patients with rotavirus infection is not uncommon. Indications for hospitalization are the following symptoms:

Acute and persistent pain in the abdomen, indicating a violation of the integrity of the intestinal tissues;
The appearance of blood clots in the feces, blood impurities. This indicates the presence of internal bleeding;
Frequent bowel movements and frequent vomiting. The term "frequent" should be understood as bowel movements more than 10 times a day and vomiting more than 7-8 times a day. These processes contribute to the development of severe dehydration, the elimination of which is possible only with the help of intravenous administration specific drugs;

However, the treatment of this disease is aimed at reducing the intensity of symptoms and accelerating the recovery of the body. In fact, today, specific medications directed action against rotaviruses (and many other viruses, including) simply does not exist.

Therefore, the treatment of rotavirus infection in children is as follows:

It is necessary to provide the child with peace to reduce the load on the organism weakened by the disease. If the child is still quite a baby, it is necessary to seriously approach the issue of controlling vomiting, as the baby can simply choke on vomit;
It is mandatory to increase the diet of fluid intake. The word "liquid" should be understood as various compotes from berries, fruits and dried fruits, weak tea, jelly, water, natural juices (not store-bought, but made from fruits and vegetables);

Note. If a child under 1 year old is sick, the frequency of breastfeeding should be increased. Milk consists of 95% water, so for the baby it is both nutrition and the necessary liquid. If the child's diet consists of artificial mixtures, then it is necessary to choose a mixture with a low presence of lactose in the composition.

It is strongly recommended to follow a diet that excludes any heavy food (fried, spicy, smoked, etc.). You should eat 5 times a day in small portions, the diet should be balanced, with the inclusion of vegetables, fruits and berries. Cooking should be done by steaming or by conventional boiling. Grains with a high fiber content should also be included in the diet. If it is often impossible to feed due to the child's refusal to eat, then it is necessary to feed at the request of a small patient, that is, without violence;
Soldering with saline, which can be prepared at home or purchased at a pharmacy. For cooking, dilute 3 tsp. sugar with ½ tsp. salt in 1 liter of boiled water. For children under 2 years old, Regidron or Pedialyte should be used;
It is recommended to use zinc preparations that help reduce the intensity of diarrhea and vomiting. The recommended dosage does not exceed 20 mg per day;
When the temperature rises above 39 degrees, children's antipyretic drugs (Paracetamol or Ibuprofen) should be given to the child. However, it should be understood that an increase in temperature occurs due to the activity of the immune system. We can say that the increase in temperature is a protective mechanism. Therefore, one should be careful when using antipyretics and give them only when clearly necessary;
Probiotics are indicated to restore normal intestinal microflora - Linex, Bifidum, Laktofiltrum and others. It is reasonable to start giving these drugs during the recovery period of the body;
Sorbents. Enterosgel, Polyphepan, Smecta, etc.;

Complications

The causative agent of intestinal flu survives in most weather conditions and has serious consequences for the health of children. Even after cleaning with household chemicals, dangerous bacteria remain on the surfaces.

The main problem with rotavirus infection is dehydration. The mineral substances necessary for the body are washed out, the water-salt balance is disturbed. For recovery, it is recommended to use a lot of liquids: chamomile decoctions, water, tea.

hypovolemic shock.
Impaired cardiac performance vascular system.
The development of pathologies of the kidneys, liver.
Otitis.
Cystitis.
Pneumonia.

If the course of the disease is mild, then complications will not be detected. But in other cases, there is a possibility of developing adverse situations after the transferred rotavirus. The following complications and consequences may develop:

violation of the normal functioning of the heart;
the appearance of problems with the kidneys and liver;
cystitis;
otitis;
hypovolemic shock caused by dehydration;
pneumonia;
skin erythema.

These complications most often appear as a result of inopportunely started therapy or independent attempts to cure the child. In addition, if the child has previously suffered from chronic diseases, then the intestinal flu can translate these diseases into sharp shape.

Serious Complications appear rarely. But if you do not visit a doctor in a timely manner, their chance increases. They can also appear in infants and children with weak immune systems.

There are the following complications:

kidney failure.
Dehydration (very dangerous as it can be fatal).
Problems with cardiovascular system and blood flow.
All this can be avoided if you visit a doctor in a timely manner, follow all his recommendations and stick to a diet.

Please note: the symptoms of the disease may be hidden behind high temperature. Therefore, if you notice any violations of the digestive system, consult a doctor. Hospital treatment is recommended.

If a child has stomach flu, there should be no blood in the vomit or stool. If it is, it's bad. Seek immediate medical attention as this is a sign of a bacterial infection and therefore requires a different approach.

Diagnostics

Diagnostics includes the following research methods:

General analysis of urine and blood.
Linked immunosorbent assay.
immune fluorescence.

An experienced pediatrician or infectious disease specialist can determine the diagnosis by the first clinical manifestations. Often, viral and bacterial infections show significant external similarities. Under the guise of influenza, salmonellosis, dysentery can be hidden. Possible development of food poisoning. To differentiate between intestinal infections, bacteriological studies are prescribed.

Virus particles are too small to be seen under a microscope. Bacterial infections are detected. The causative agent is distinguished by the characteristic color of the cell nucleus.

Useful and reliable diagnostic information is obtained during research:

Polymerase chain reactions.
Methods of immunofluorescent analysis.
ELISA research.

These tests will detect rotavirus. Research is expensive and rarely used.

For intestinal flu, a standard list is prescribed diagnostic procedures:

General blood analysis.
General urine analysis.
Analysis of feces for a coprogram, bacteriological culture.

Analyzes reveal signs of an inflammatory process in the body, check for a possible bacterial infection.

You should not treat the disease yourself. This can lead to complications. The treatment of intestinal flu is carried out by a pediatrician. If the child does not feel well, you should call the doctor at home. Most likely, the child will be sent to the hospital, where he will be looked after by a gastroenterologist.

By the symptoms alone, the doctor can determine the diagnosis.

But these symptoms are very similar to other bowel diseases:

salmonellosis.
cholera.
Dysentery.
Food poisoning.

Therefore, it will be difficult to make an accurate diagnosis without tests.

Most the best analyzes to check for intestinal flu:

immune fluorescence.
enzyme immunoassays.

They are very expensive, because they will be done only with complications of the disease.

Required research:

Clinical Analysis blood.
Analysis of urine.

First aid at home

Intestinal flu develops rapidly, and after 1-3 days, in most cases, the first symptoms appear. However, the group of diseases that are united by this name includes viruses that differ from each other, the incubation period of which is from 1 to 10 days. Doctors refer to the primary signs of pathology:

an intensive rise in temperature on the first day - up to 39 degrees;
repeated loose stools, the frequency of which can reach 20 cases per day;
the stool is watery in nature, and particles of mucus join the masses, the color of the feces is light;
weakness, headaches and vomiting;
in the stomach of the child from time to time there are painful sensations of varying intensity;
increased rumbling is observed along the small intestine.

Gradually, signs of intoxication, as well as dehydration, join the usual symptoms, if adequate treatment was not started immediately after the onset of signs of intestinal flu.

The symptoms of intestinal flu are often confused in children with other diseases, for timely treatment it is necessary to carry out accurate diagnosis in accordance with clinical features diseases. These include, first of all, the seasonality of the infection - from November to March.

Most often, pathology is diagnosed in children under 3 years of age. It is also necessary to determine the compliance of fecal masses with the standards characteristic of the disease. Bacteriological examination is ideally performed to confirm the diagnosis.

To prevent a doctor, you need to visit all family members of an infected child.

If an enterovirus is diagnosed, then the disease can affect other organs, responding with unpleasant symptoms from the skin, heart, central nervous system, vision and liver.

Be careful! Dehydration is the most serious consequence of any intestinal flu.

In young children, dehydration develops in an extremely short time. If the moment is missed, you should immediately consult a doctor. Among the signs of dehydration are: dry mucous membranes, pale skin, constant thirst.

You need to drink water! Small portions and often.

You should immediately consult a doctor or call an ambulance team in the following course of the disease:

acute symptoms do not pass within 3-4 days, while the child is more than 2 years old;
if the symptoms in the newborn persist for 2 days or more;
severe vomiting that does not bring relief, during the day - more than 6-7 times;
during the day there is no urination, and the child refuses to drink water;
the temperature persists for 2 days or more, while severe dryness and cracks are observed on the lips;
streaks of blood are observed in the stools excreted by the body;
the child is worried about severe drowsiness and fatigue, while he is naughty;
eyes sink, severe colic disturbs, and limbs become cold.

In older children, dehydration is indicated by excessive lethargy and symptoms of pallor, dryness.

If this is a baby, they give him 1-2 tsp. every 10-20 minutes. If the baby is older, then he should be given ¼ glass of water every 20-30 minutes or as needed.

Instead of ordinary water, you can give the child "Rehydron" to drink.

Important! It is forbidden to drink milk and any dairy products, including yoghurts and kefirs.

You should not give your child freshly squeezed, store-bought juices and any drinks with a high acid content, including berry fruit drinks. On the first day, it is better to exclude any products from the diet. If the child is breastfed, the portion size is reduced.

Doctors do not recommend giving any medication unless approved by a doctor. Even foods that are healthy at first sight are not recommended to be added to the diet: strong tea, chicken broth, any soft drinks, apple juice. Any foods with a high concentration of sugar are very dangerous for a baby in this state.

Within 24 hours after the onset of the disease, a child of any age must comply with bed rest. If there is a temperature and fever, every 4 hours it is necessary to record the features of the child's condition and record the thermometer numbers. If vomiting, nausea, stomach pain or diarrhea do not go away after 3-4 days after starting therapy, hospitalization may be required.

If a breastfed child suffers, then it is necessary to transfer him to a sparing way of eating:

they feed more often, but in smaller portions (on the first day - up to 40% of the usual volume);
for 2-3 days you can increase the amount of food received;
if complementary foods were introduced, then for 4-5 days you can introduce cereals on water or vegetable broths.

When treating infants, it is forbidden to independently prescribe medications and take any measures.

Antivirals general action . Use "Kipferon" in the form of candles - a safe drug for newborns. It increases the body's resistance, as it contains immunoglobulins in combination with interferons. Only on the basis of interferons can you use Viferon or Genferon Light.

Products to prevent dehydration with a balanced composition of salts and electrolytes. The most popular representative is Regidron. You can also buy Oralit, Gastrolit, Humana Electrolyte.

Enterosorbents for removing microorganisms and harmful substances. They stop the process of rapid elimination of fluid from the body and help normalize the stool. Newborns are often prescribed "Smecta", and older children - "Enterosgel" or "Polysorb".

Antipyretic drugs that also have an anti-inflammatory effect. For children, "Nurofen" or "Panadol Baby" is often prescribed from 2 months. These drugs also have an analgesic effect.

Preparations for the normalization of enzymatic activity of the intestine. Babies are shown the use of "Creon" in the form of granules. The tool restores the lack of enzymes in the small intestine. For older children, it is possible to use Mezim and Pancreatin.

Probiotics for the normalization of intestinal microflora. Gastric flu is accompanied by a strong imbalance of useful and harmful bacteria. Probiotics help restore this balance. Often prescribed "Normobakt", which includes bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Sometimes they use Linex or Lactobacterin, Normoflorin, Bifidumbacterin.

Before using any medication, a doctor's consultation is required. It should be remembered that without following a specialized diet, no pills will be effective.

The main principle of the diet is the complete exclusion of any dairy products. If the child has no appetite, you can not force him to eat. It is useful on the first day to give the child, regardless of age, purified water, rice water, raisin infusion. All raw vegetables and fruits are excluded until the baby is fully recovered.

Gradually, you can add to the menu products such as: dried white bread, fruit puree, lean meat. But do this only after the symptoms begin to subside.

The following actions can help the child before the arrival of the doctor:

constant abundant fluid intake: it is important to remember that dehydration is especially dangerous for infants, as well as babies under 3 years old;
babies are provided with a safe stay in bed so that the baby does not choke on vomiting - they turn their heads to one side, constantly monitor the condition of the baby;
to reduce the temperature, use tablets or suspension with paracetamol (for children from 1 month old);
to feed young children during illness should be steamed or boiled food. They also eat cereals, vegetable soups without meat.

It is important that parents begin first aid for the baby before the arrival Ambulance or the doctor will come to your home. The condition of a toddler with profuse vomiting and severe diarrhea can deteriorate very quickly, there is a risk of dehydration, which is why it is so important to help the child in time and somehow alleviate his condition.

First of all, take care of sufficient and even plentiful drinking. It is important that the little one gets it as much and as often as possible. You need to drink mainly water in order to restore the lost fluid from the body due to vomiting and diarrhea, as well as to normalize the water-salt balance.
If the baby vomits, you need to lay him on his side to prevent choking.
Keep track of temperatures. If hyperthermia is above 38 degrees, and the condition of the little one is noticeably worsening, give antipyretics without waiting for the arrival of doctors.
If the child has not lost his appetite, then you can feed the baby. Just give the little one light, boiled food.

The course of taking medications includes the following drugs:

Antidiarrheal drugs: Smecta, Hilak-Forte, Baktisubtil. In order to neutralize the action of toxins, enterosorbents are prescribed: Filtrum, Enterosgel, Laktofiltrum.
Rehydration agents: Regidron, Citroglucosolan, Enterodez. These drugs are prescribed to maintain the balance of water in the body of the baby.
Antipyretic, if the baby has a fever. Choose the drug that is more suitable for your child, Panadol, Nurofen.
Probiotics. It is mandatory to take such medications to restore the intestinal microflora. The following drugs may be prescribed: Acylact, Linex, Bifistim, Bifiform.
Enzymatic preparations: Mezim, Pancreatin, Creon. Such medications can be prescribed to a child, since, at the time of illness, the digestive organs suffer greatly, a large load goes to the liver and pancreas.

Remember that at the first symptoms of a rotavirus infection, you should immediately contact your pediatrician. Only a doctor will be able to determine the exact diagnosis, if necessary, prescribe clinical researches and then a course of treatment. This is not a situation where one can hope for traditional medicine and self-medicate. In this case, you can ruin the child, you can’t do without the help of an experienced specialist.

We confirm the diagnosis

Diagnosis begins with examining the patient, describing the symptoms, collecting tests in order to exclude dysentery or salmonellosis, gastroenteritis, dysbacteriosis and other diseases similar in symptoms.

Used to detect rotaviruses laboratory methods:

PCR analysis - accurate, sensitive detection of pathogens;
indirect hemagglutination reaction test;
complement fixation reaction;
immunofluorescence to detect antibodies in tissue samples.

Such diagnostics are quite expensive, so more often they do general analyzes blood, urine, coprogram, bacteriological culture. With an intestinal infection in the blood, the indicators of leukocytes and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate increase. In the urine, the content of protein, leukocytes increases.

Medicines

Full course drug therapy carried out over 10 days. Anti-epidemiological agents help to raise the body's immune defenses, prevent the spread of the disease. Pathogenetic treatment selected individually for the child based on his condition.

Used to relieve signs of dehydration saline solutions inside, parenterally. If, after treatment with drinking solutions, vomiting does not stop, dehydration increases, switch to intravenous infusions. They are carried out in the conditions of the infectious diseases department of the hospital for acute life threatening states. Inside, use Enterodez, Regidron. You can make your own drinking mixture at home.

To remove pathogenic particles from the body, drugs from the group of sorbents are used. Medicines- Polyphepan, Laktofiltrum or Enterosgel. The appointment helps to quickly cleanse the body of viral particles, bacterial toxins.

To restore non-pathogenic intestinal flora faster, give your child probiotics. They will help to quickly restore epithelial cells affected by intestinal infection, normalize bowel activity. Acipol, Lineks are effective. The preparations contain lyophilized live cultures of beneficial intestinal bacteria, quickly restore normal microflora in the intestine.

If the child has a fever, fever, chills, give antipyretic drugs. Paracetamol, Efferalgan, Nurofen - medicines for children are available in the form rectal suppositories, potions, syrups for oral administration.

Enzymes are prescribed to the child to normalize the digestive processes. With rotavirus infection, there is a decrease in the normal enzymatic function of the intestine - it must be maintained so that the child's body can adequately absorb the incoming nutrients. The enzymatic preparations Creon, Mezim, Pancreatin proved the effectiveness.

Appointed medications depend on the body, age and severity of the disease of the child. Doctors recommend the following drugs:

Rehydration. Essential to avoid dehydration. These drugs are suitable for any diseases associated with the digestive system. Enterodez and Regidron are used.
Remedies for diarrhea. In order for the body to fight toxins, enterosorbents will be needed. Coal (black and white), Enterosgel, Laktofiltrum, Bio-norm, Atoxil, Smecta and Hilak-Forte are well suited.
Probiotics. These drugs protect and restore the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract. Suitable Linex, Acipol, Bifistim, Bifiform and Atsilakt.
Antipyretic. If it is necessary to lower the child's body temperature, take Paracetamol, Panadol, Nurofen, Efferalgan and Cefecon D.
Enzymes. An irritated digestive system secretes insufficient enzymes. Such drugs help digestion and reduce the burden on the digestive tract. The following drugs are well suited: Creon, Mezim, Pancreatin and Ermital.

All of the above medicines should be taken with the advice of a doctor.

Treatment with folk remedies

Of the traditional methods of treating gastrointestinal infections, they use:

honey - three to four times a day they drink a glass of water, adding a spoonful of honey and a slice of lemon. It is permissible to simply eat half a teaspoon daily;
- pine buds - 10 gr. pour a glass of boiling water, heat in a water bath for half an hour. Take after meals 100 gr.;
St. John's wort - a tablespoon of the plant is added to a glass of boiling water, insist on a couple. The mixture is filtered, drunk half an hour before meals, 1/3 cup 3 times / day;
- blueberries - cook compote from dried berries. You can add dried apricots, other dried fruits;
to replenish the water balance, carrots are prepared: clean, washed carrots are crushed, boiled for thirty minutes in lightly salted water. The broth is allowed to cool, decanted, stored in the refrigerator. They give the patient a little to drink, the shelf life of the drink is one day. Such a decoction is suitable for children older than a year;
for babies up to 6 months old, chamomile or herbal infusions are prepared. To do this, mix equal portions of chamomile flowers, cumin, dry blueberries, strawberries. Pour one teaspoon of the mixture with boiling water, leave for 15 minutes to half an hour, then decant. They drink such herbal tea often, in a tablespoon, without adding sweeteners.

Diet

During illness, there is a decrease in appetite, you should not try to feed the patient against his will. The main thing is to drink more liquids, except for soda, juices, milk. From drinks, decoctions of rice, raisin infusions, green tea, and water are recommended. With the active manifestation of pathology, babies are given liquid chicken broths, rice porridge on the water.

When the disease becomes less active, bread, fruit puree, lean meat are added after five or six days. They prefer chicken, boiling it without skin. Products are boiled or steamed, fried foods are prohibited. After a week, the introduction of kefir, cottage cheese is acceptable, milk should be diluted with water. Be sure to bake fruits and vegetables. They return to their usual diet slowly, usually the process takes about a month.

It is important to understand that with such a diagnosis, when the peanut has serious digestive problems, it is necessary to adhere to a strict diet.

So the baby's diet should include the following products:

Cereals boiled in water (mainly buckwheat or oatmeal).
Cooked vegetables.
Meat of low-fat varieties (rabbit, chicken).
Drying, crackers.
Dairy products, in particular, acidophilus, kefir and yogurt, but with a small percentage of fat.

If your baby is breastfed, then you need to follow these rules:

It is necessary to feed the little one, but it should be borne in mind that portions should be small, however, frequent.
On the first day after an exacerbation of the disease, you need to reduce the amount eaten per day to 40%.
On the third day, you need to slightly increase the amount of food eaten, and the duration of the intervals between meals.
Only on the fifth day you can bring the amount consumed to the usual norm.
On the recommendation of a doctor, you can partially replace breast-feeding lactose-free mixture, since during infection with rotavirus infection, dairy products are difficult to digest by the body.

During recovery, the child will be given a diet. It will tell you what you can and cannot eat. The following dishes will be useful for his body:

Light soups.
Boiled meat (twisted in a meat grinder is good).
Fish and meat broths (they should not be greasy).
Boiled fish.
Stale bread or crackers.
Omelette.
Porridge on the water.
Cookies (they should not be rich).

During illness, it is forbidden to eat the following products:

Smoked products.
Canned food.
Dairy.
Seasonings and spices.
Garlic, radish and green onions.
Fried and fatty foods.

It takes about a month to stick to the diet. Then it will be possible to gradually return to the usual mode.

The diet of a child infected with rotavirus should be strictly thought out. It is necessary to remove sour milk and dairy products from the menu - all this contributes to the reproduction of viruses inside the intestines, and also activates them. Vegetables and fruits should also be avoided, as they contain a lot of fiber, which is difficult for the body to digest.

It is also necessary to stop drinking juices, eating fruits and other carbohydrate-rich foods. This will allow you to quickly get rid of loose stools.

In the first week, the child should not be given meat, even lean types. Even dietary meals during the period of illness will be too heavy for the child's body.

With such a diet, the child, of course, will lose weight. But parents should not worry - during the recovery period, the weight will return.

It will take about two months for the recovered body to recover. During this period, it is important not to pounce on food that was banned due to illness. Remember that the inflamed intestinal mucosa and stomach should return to normal. Stick to your usual diet for 2-3 weeks.

After this period, gradually expand your menu. First, introduce lean fish and meat into your diet, since protein is very important for a young recovering body. But smoked meats can not be all the same, since there can be a strong blow to the kidneys and liver, and the body is still at the stage of recovery. Vegetables must be cooked. From fruits, you can baked apples without peel. From sweets, you can dry biscuit cookies Maria.

Intestinal flu - dangerous disease which, if left untreated, can lead to serious complications. You can not self-medicate, even if the symptoms of the pathology in question are not intense.

Disease prevention

The main preventive measure is hygiene to prevent bacteria from entering the body. Wash your hands regularly, especially after going to the toilet. The products used must be clean, of high quality and not expired. It is worth buying food and eating only where establishments have passed the control of sanitary authorities.

Rotavirus remains viable even when in water for a long time, so you should control the quality of the liquid for cooking, as well as the water with which the baby is washed. If an increase in the disease or an epidemic is established in the region, then any liquid that is used for the baby is boiled. Even an adult body can suffer from intestinal flu, immunity is not developed over time.

It is better to prevent the disease. The most effective method of preventing the disease is vaccination. But, unfortunately, it only protects against rotavirus infections. It is powerless against other pathogens. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the following measures:

Compliance with hygiene rules.
Keep children away from sick people.
Parents should disinfect household items and toys.
Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
Use only boiled water.
The child should eat foods that have undergone heat treatment (especially fish and meat).

The stomach flu is highly contagious. But at the same time, it does not belong to the category of dangerous diseases. The disease begins with symptoms that are similar to the common cold. And after a while, signs associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract appear. If you consult a doctor in a timely manner, you will be able to avoid complications.

Clinical signs pass on their own. There are symptoms of an intestinal disorder. The sequence distinguishes the intestinal flu from another infection that affects the child's digestive tract. The latter begin with manifestations of dyspepsia.

Rotavirus infection, stomach flu proceeds according to a characteristic pattern:

The appearance of pain, congestion of the throat and nose. On examination, the throat in young children is hyperemic.
Catarrhal phenomena of the upper respiratory tract- cough and runny nose, sneezing, hoarseness.
Diarrhea develops on day 2-3. In mild stages of the disease, diarrhea is recorded up to 10 times a day. Stool grayish color, pungent odor. At severe forms disease, the number of urges to defecate reaches 50 times a day.
The child complains of pain in the abdomen. Periodically, the baby feels a seething in the tummy, bloating. The child is in excruciating pain. He screams, thumps his feet.
The temperature in newborns is subfebrile, reaches febrile numbers.
Nausea and vomiting, frequent diarrhea lead to the development of dehydration in the child.
Signs of intoxication - the child is lethargic, does not sleep well or is excessively sleepy. Skin color is pale. Facial features are sharpened.

To deal with intestinal flu, symptoms, you need to know the distinguished forms of severity of the disease.

Classification of the disease according to signs:

According to the severity of the condition, the disease is mild, moderate, severe.
Clinical manifestations distinguish - typical and atypical forms of the disease. The first form proceeds according to the scheme described above. The second form may not have clinical symptoms, flow erased. A typical form also occurs in the monthly, one year old baby. Atypical form typical for teenagers. In adults, the disease may not have clinical symptoms.

Treatment of intestinal flu in children at home is allowed if the disease is light form. Other forms of the disease require inpatient treatment.

Intestinal influenza caused by rotavirus infection is distinguished by specific prevention through vaccination. No specific prophylaxis has been identified for other viruses. It remains to follow the general rules that prevent an infectious disease of the digestive tract.

To avoid infection with intestinal flu, follow general hygiene rules:

Avoid contact with patients with intestinal infections. During the epidemiological peak, it is better to limit contacts. You can get infected both from a sick child, and from a healthy carrier.
If there is a patient with an intestinal infection in the house, he uses separate utensils and household items. The room and household utensils are disinfected.
Wash hands when coming from the street or from public places, as well as after contact with a sick or carrier of viral intestinal flu. Also, do this procedure after going to the toilet and before eating.

Why is the stomach flu dangerous?

Dehydration causes severe harm to health, important trace elements are released with the liquid: potassium, sodium, calcium. To avoid this, they drink plenty of green tea, decoctions of herbs, solutions of rehydron. Severe dehydration can lead to coma and fainting.

The risk is elevated temperature, fraught with the occurrence of fever. It is necessary to knock it down with drugs with paracetamol or by cooling the body. If it is not possible to lower the temperature below 38 degrees, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Some facts about the stomach flu

Does the flu shot help with stomach flu?
It's absolutely various diseases that provoke various infections, despite the presence of some similar signs - intoxication, weakness, elevated temperature. The flu does not cause intestinal upset. The vaccine against the rotavirus form of the disorder is put in Europe, the USA, the Russian medical community has not yet introduced it.
The stomach flu is highly contagious. Most often, epidemics of intestinal infections occur in the summer.
Viral gastroenteritis can enter the stomach through the fecal-oral route, for example, when healthy man touches dirty surfaces. This is prevented by thorough hand washing before eating. Often antibacterial wipes and sprays offered by stores do not protect against germs, they are better used as an addition to basic hygiene procedures.
The causative agents of the disease survive in almost any external environment; you can become infected on vacation, swimming, eating dirty foods or food prepared by the carrier of the virus.
Even after cleaning, the infection remains on surfaces, while babies can become infected from a small amount. It is recommended to use products with chlorine for cleaning the children's room, to ventilate the room thoroughly.
Symptoms of the disease - stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting - appear a day after the penetration of the virus, since the infection takes time to get to the intestines and settle there. More serious pathogens - salmonella, begin to act after a couple of hours.
The greatest danger to patients is dehydration. Since the disease is accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea, the body is deprived of many important minerals. Chamomile decoctions are used to replenish the water balance, mineral water, tea. Exclude milk, bread, products containing sugar. To normalize and maintain potassium levels, it is worth eating bananas, rice.
You can not treat intestinal flu with antibiotics, such drugs will not help with a viral disease. Symptoms and treatment of intestinal flu in children, the doctor determines in accordance with these data.

Intestinal flu in children is a consequence of infection of the body with various viruses. It most often affects babies aged 2 to 3 years. Viral enteritis is a dangerous disease. It gives such complications as chronic colitis, hypovolemia, ulcers and erosion of the stomach. Dehydration of the body also belongs to the adverse consequences of the pathology.

Types of intestinal flu viruses

Modern doctors know about a hundred varieties of intestinal flu. The most common strains are:

Rotavirus, dangerous for newborns and children under the age of 1.5 years. The virus contributes to the development of gastroenteritis - stomach flu. If the baby falls ill after 2 years, but receives adequate treatment, he recovers quickly and avoids consequences.
adenovirus. This strain usually affects children from birth to 4 years of age. The infection is hidden. In rare cases, the child develops nausea and malaise.
Astrovirus. The infection is dangerous for both kids and adults. A variety of symptoms of infection with the virus appear throughout the week.

Children's doctor Yevgeny Komarovsky recalls the inadmissibility of children drinking raw milk and water, poorly processed meat, dirty vegetables and fruits. From an early age, it is important to instill hygiene skills in babies and prevent them from sitting at the table with unwashed hands. This is the only way to protect yourself from the intestinal flu.

Symptoms of viral enteritis

With the first symptoms of intestinal flu, the child's body is faced a day after infection. The child has abdominal pain, weakness and nausea. Vomiting opens up to 15 p. per day. The baby refuses to eat, his body temperature rises to 38 - 39 ° C.

Intestinal symptoms of viral enteritis are manifested by multiple liquid stools (up to 10-15 rubles per day). The color of stool products may change. Sometimes bloody streaks are visible in the feces. In the right side of the abdomen at the place of passage small intestine rumbling occurs.

Understanding that a child is developing intestinal flu relieves signs of a cold, intoxication and dehydration:

runny nose;
sore throat;
nausea;
vomit;
lethargy;
fainting;
headache;
dizziness;
enlarged lymph nodes;
tearless crying in the baby;
parched lips and marbled skin;
prolonged absence of urination, with intermittent emission of dark, foul-smelling urine.

The incubation period of viral enteritis takes 1-2 days. Timely treatment the disease promises a favorable prognosis - a small patient recovers after 5 to 7 days.

Diagnosis and treatment of intestinal flu

All symptoms are important in the diagnosis of intestinal flu, but the most important of them is diarrhea - watery and frothy, yellow or yellow-green, possibly mucous. In a mild form of enteritis, the stool is mushy. The determining factor is the rotavirus detected by a bacterial study (children give feces for analysis).

Therapy of an infectious condition is reduced to several measures:

elimination of the pathogen;
prevention of dehydration;
stabilization of body temperature;
strengthening immunity to increase the body's resistance to pathogenic strains.

Treatment of children with intestinal flu is not complete without dieting and taking vitamins and antispasmodics that help eliminate the symptoms of the disease. Parents provide independent assistance to the baby at home by organizing plenty of drinking and preparing solutions that help replenish the water-alkaline balance. For this purpose, apply:

To adjust the stool and remove toxins, children are given antidiarrheal drugs and enterosorbents - Smecta, Polypefan, Activated charcoal, Motilium. To prevent bacterial damage to the intestines, antimicrobial agents are used - Enterol or Enterofuril.

High temperature with viral enteritis is knocked down with antipyretic drugs:

Antispasmodics - No-shpa or Drotaverine - will save the baby from unbearable discomfort in the abdomen. Specific treatment is carried out with antiviral drugs (Anaferon, Viferon, Interferon). For adjustment intestinal microflora prescribe probiotics (Linex, Bifiform). Therapy of patients under the age of one year is carried out in a clinic.

When the baby refuses to eat, it is not necessary to force-feed him. It is useful to organize drinking - frequent and in small portions. It is forbidden to drink juices, soda and milk during the period of illness. The baby is given rice water, purified water, raisin infusion, unsweetened tea. Fatty broths, spices, raw vegetables and fruits, salty and spicy, beans are excluded from the diet.

The nutrition of infants who are on breastfeeding does not change. Children continue to suckle at the breast, and "artists" continue to eat fermented milk mixtures. While treatment is in progress, no complementary foods are administered.

Once acute manifestations pathologies subside, bread, fruit purees, lean meat are introduced into the diet. Products are steamed or boiled. Do not give fried food to the baby. After a week, the menu is gradually enriched with fermented milk products and diluted milk is added at the end.

Remember that intestinal flu viruses are transmitted through dirty hands, poor-quality food and raw water. Even swimming in a body of water can be dangerous if the child swallows the water.
Specific prophylaxis and vaccine against viral enteritis has not yet been invented. Just follow the rules of personal hygiene, and when caring for a baby, use boiled water and iron his things on both sides.
Do not try to treat intestinal flu with antibiotics, as they are passive against viruses.

The body does not develop a strong immunity against intestinal flu, so children can suffer from viruses many times. With repeated infection, the disease is more easily tolerated, but this is not a reason for neglecting prevention.

Hello dear readers. Today we will talk about the flu, which affects the digestive system. In this article, you will learn what is the intestinal flu in children, symptoms and treatment. this disease. We will also consider what complications this disease can cause, how it is diagnosed, and find out what first aid the baby's parents can provide in such a situation.

Characteristics of the intestinal flu

The official name for this disease is gastroenteritis. The site of injury is the gastrointestinal tract. Most often, rotaviruses become the causative agents of this disease, which is why this pathology is also called rotavirus infection. Also, the development of intestinal influenza can be provoked by adeno-, noro-, astro- and caliciviruses.

Once in the body of a baby, the virus adversely affects the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, as a rule, the ciliated epithelium of the small intestine suffers. There is a violation of the process of digestion of food, it cannot be broken down normally, diarrhea and vomiting occur.

Children and the elderly are most likely to become infected. This is due to the weakened immune system and with its imperfection in these age groups. It should be noted that this disease is most severe in children. Since an adult has strong immunity, he can become a carrier of this virus, while he himself will feel normal, while spreading pathogens in his environment.

The spread of the disease occurs in autumn and winter, capturing the beginning of spring.

As a rule, the acute period lasts up to seven days, and after the same time, recovery occurs. But it should be borne in mind that during such a period a person can still infect people who closely communicate with him.

There are three forms of the course of the disease:

Easy. Signs of the disease disappear on the second day, intoxication is practically absent. Hyperthermia up to 38 degrees, vomiting up to five times a day, diarrhea up to four times, lasts up to three days.
Medium-hard. Symptoms of the disease disappear already on the fifth day. Hyperthermia up to 38, 7, lasts up to five days, vomiting up to 12 times, diarrhea up to 15.
Heavy. The strongest intoxication of the body, hyperthermia over 39.5 degrees, very frequent vomiting and diarrhea, pronounced dehydration. Recovery does not begin until the seventh day.

Fortunately, my little son did not face the intestinal flu, and in general, there were no such cases in the circle of my friends children. But once, my teacher mowed down the intestinal flu (she was 23 years old). She then got very tired. Due to profuse vomiting, she was hospitalized, placed under a drip. She couldn't eat anything for days useful material and glucose entered through the blood. During her illness, the teacher lost a lot of weight and was very weak. So, I'm even scared to imagine how it feels Small child when he catches a virus, and his body hits the intestinal flu.

How can you get infected

There are several routes of infection. The virus spreads especially quickly in public places, that is, where there are large clusters of children.

When a child eats unwashed vegetables and fruits, stale foods, drinks unboiled water.
If the rules of personal hygiene are not observed.
Contact - household. When using toys or personal hygiene items of an infected baby.
Airborne by droplet when communicating with a sick person.

Intestinal flu symptoms in children

When the virus enters the baby's body, the primary signs begin to appear only twelve hours after infection, and sometimes after a day or even five days. Symptoms appear abruptly, there is an acute onset of the disease.

Typical primary symptoms are:

A sharp jump in temperature.
Frequent and profuse vomiting.
Diarrhea up to 15 times a day.
Redness of the throat, runny nose, cough.
Painful sensations in the abdomen.
Lack of appetite.
General deterioration in health.

Then the disease progresses, intoxication of the body is connected, due to frequent diarrhea and vomiting, dehydration occurs. The child's condition is now characterized by the following symptoms:

Weakness, lethargy, capriciousness.
Weeping with dry eyes is characteristic.
The child is less likely to empty the bladder.
Urine darkens, a sharp unpleasant odor appears.

Complications of the disease

hypovolemic shock.
Violation of the working capacity of the cardiovascular system.
The development of pathologies of the kidneys, liver.
Otitis.
Cystitis.
Pneumonia.

Diagnostics

Diagnostics includes the following research methods:

General analysis of urine and blood.
Linked immunosorbent assay.
immune fluorescence.

Diet

It is important to understand that with such a diagnosis, when the peanut has serious digestive problems, it is necessary to adhere to a strict diet.

So the baby's diet should include the following products:

Cereals boiled in water (mainly buckwheat or oatmeal).
Cooked vegetables.
Meat of low-fat varieties (rabbit, chicken).
Drying, crackers.
Dairy products, in particular, acidophilus, kefir and yogurt, but with a small percentage of fat.

If your baby is breastfed, then you need to follow these rules:

It is necessary to feed the little one, but it should be borne in mind that portions should be small, however, frequent.
On the first day after an exacerbation of the disease, you need to reduce the amount eaten per day to 40%.
On the third day, you need to slightly increase the amount of food eaten, and the duration of the intervals between meals.
Only on the fifth day you can bring the amount consumed to the usual norm.
On the recommendation of a doctor, you can partially replace breastfeeding with a lactose-free mixture, since during infection with a rotavirus infection, dairy products are difficult to digest by the body.

First aid

It is important that parents start giving first aid to the baby before the ambulance arrives or the doctor comes to your home. The condition of a toddler with profuse vomiting and severe diarrhea can deteriorate very quickly, there is a risk of dehydration, which is why it is so important to help the child in time and somehow alleviate his condition.

First of all, take care of sufficient and even plentiful drinking. It is important that the little one gets it as much and as often as possible. You need to drink mainly water in order to restore the lost fluid from the body due to vomiting and diarrhea, as well as to normalize the water-salt balance.
If the baby vomits, you need to lay him on his side to prevent choking.
Keep track of temperatures. If hyperthermia is above 38 degrees, and the condition of the little one is noticeably worsening, give antipyretics without waiting for the arrival of doctors.
If the child has not lost his appetite, then you can feed the baby. Just give the little one light, boiled food.

The course of taking medications includes the following drugs:

Antidiarrheal drugs: Smecta, Hilak-Forte, Baktisubtil. In order to neutralize the action of toxins, enterosorbents are prescribed: Filtrum, Enterosgel, Laktofiltrum.
Rehydration agents: Regidron, Citroglucosolan, Enterodez. These drugs are prescribed to maintain the balance of water in the body of the baby.
Antipyretic, if the baby has a fever. Choose the drug that is more suitable for your child, Panadol, Nurofen.
Probiotics. It is mandatory to take such medications to restore the intestinal microflora. The following drugs may be prescribed: Acylact, Linex, Bifistim, Bifiform.
Enzymatic preparations: Mezim, Pancreatin, Creon. Such medications can be prescribed to a child, since, at the time of illness, the digestive organs suffer greatly, a large load goes to the liver and pancreas.

Remember that at the first symptoms of a rotavirus infection, you should immediately contact your pediatrician. Only a doctor will be able to determine the exact diagnosis, if necessary, prescribe clinical studies, and then a course of treatment. This is not a situation where you can rely on traditional medicine and self-medicate. In this case, you can ruin the child, you can’t do without the help of an experienced specialist.

Preventive methods

In order to protect the baby from possible infection, the following measures must be observed:

Teach your toddler to personal hygiene.
Isolate the child from contact with infected people.
Vegetables and fruits must be washed thoroughly.
Do not drink raw water.
Fish and meat should be consumed only after deep cooking.

Any treatment viral disease complicated by the fact that its pathogens mutate very quickly. Immunity to them is either not developed or has a short period. Intestinal flu, symptoms and treatment in children and adults, is also of a viral nature that is difficult to eliminate.

Intestinal flu symptoms in children

Pathogen so-called intestinal flu children have rotaviruses. In the people, the disease is called intestinal flu. Despite the fact that the causative agents of diseases are different, both influenza and intestinal flu, the symptoms in children are very similar.

As a rule, these diseases begin acutely. Against the background of full health the child suddenly becomes lethargic. In the first hours, the disease is manifested not only by intestinal disorders, but also by respiratory symptoms.

Like the flu virus, the causative agent of intestinal flu has several strains. Rotavirus strain A is the most common throughout the Earth. It is very dangerous for children, especially the first year of life. The main symptom is very severe diarrhea that cannot be controlled by conventional means.. In addition, there may be other symptoms:

A sharp rise in temperature.
Chill and feverish condition.
Pain in the abdomen, may be paroxysmal in nature.
Runny nose, sore throat.
Weakness, lack of appetite and weight loss, anemia.
Indigestion, nausea, vomiting and repeated diarrhea. The diarrhea may have a characteristic clay-like texture and a yellow-gray color.

All these symptoms appear within 1-2 days. Since the disease is quite dangerous for children, we will try to find out how to deal with it.

Intestinal flu in children symptoms and treatment

Rotavirus infection or intestinal flu in children, symptoms and treatment require immediate action. They should be taken after the first signs of the disease and diagnosis. It is put on the basis of the clinical picture and after a special study of the feces of a sick child. Now there are test systems that can detect any type of rotavirus. As with any pathology caused by viruses, the treatment of intestinal flu is mainly symptomatic.

Primarily child support is:

Plentiful warm drink. It is advisable to give berry and fruit compotes, tea with lemon. If a child has a tendency to be allergic to the listed products, boiled water will save the situation.
The right diet. Feed your baby in small portions. It is best to cook him sparse cereals, pureed soups, vegetable purees.
In the first days of the disease, it is necessary to organize bed rest or semi-bed rest.
In order to prevent asphyxia by vomit, keep an eye on the awake and sleeping baby.

Main treatment consists in normalizing the salt and water balance and removing toxins. The child is given drugs with a rehydration effect. Helps reduce toxicity smecta or Activated carbon . At all small children at severe diarrhea Can you give probiotics? from the group of lactobacilli. Effective drugs to combat rotavirus infection does not yet exist. Intestinal flu symptoms and treatment in children and adults may have some differences.

Intestinal flu symptoms in adults

The development of rotavirus infection adults are a little different. than in children. This is due to differences in digestive system. Usually, gastric juice an adult is more saturated with acid than a baby and cope better with viral lesions. If the patient has stomach flu, symptoms in adults appear as follows:

rise in temperature;
chills;
signs of intoxication, nausea;
abdominal pain caused by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines;
loose stools up to 5-8 times a day;

Symptoms of a sore throat, cough and runny nose may appear. In adult patients with good immune protection, the disease proceeds in a milder form. Such people have improvement occurs in 7-8 days without special treatment . However, in severe cases, and to reduce the risk of infecting others, symptomatic treatment is necessary.

Intestinal flu in adults, symptoms and treatment

You should not endure the intestinal flu on your feet; in adults, the symptoms and treatment of the disease are interconnected. To avoid disturbance of water and salt balance the patient must take one of the following drugs:

rehydron solution;
hydrovit forte;
trisol;
trihydrone.

To relieve intoxication, adult patients are shown to take the drug Polysorb. It refers to modern means adsorbing unwanted substances and toxins in the gastrointestinal tract. Within two to three minutes after taking the drug begins to work actively.

If adult patients have frequent stool, in which case it is necessary to take medicine furozolidone. In some cases, the patient cannot do without taking digestive enzymes, for example, pancreatin. After recovery, in order to normalize digestion, adult patients need to “populate” the gastrointestinal tract with beneficial microorganisms. Here it is recommended to take Linex, Hilak forte. During the period of illness, with a satisfactory state of health, the patient should lead a semi-bed rest.

How to treat stomach flu

If the diagnosis of intestinal flu is confirmed, the symptoms and treatment in children and adults should be adequate to each other. Just like regular flu use of antibiotics for rotavirus infection is useless. Viruses, by virtue of their structure, are insensitive to the effects of antibiotics.

All clinical manifestations intestinal flu can be divided into three groups:

symptoms of gastritis and colitis;
signs of intoxication;
respiratory events.

How to treat intestinal flu depends on the symptoms that worsen the patient's condition the most. Sometimes not only drugs, but also additional measures help to cope with them.

In the absence of special medicines, restore the water-salt balance drinking plenty of water will help. At home, it is enough to dissolve 20 g of table salt, 7 g of soda and 40 g of sugar in a liter of boiled water or in a decoction of chamomile. Take immediately after each loose stool. An adult should drink 180 - 200 ml at a time. Drink for a child, depending on age, from a few teaspoons to 100 ml.

You can get rid of diarrhea and strengthen the stool with a decoction of burnet roots or oak bark. The role of the sorbent, in the absence pharmaceutical products, will perform a slimy decoction of rice. By itself, rice water will not stop diarrhea, but it will absorb all unwanted substances and toxins. Proper nutrition during illness will help the patient to quickly cope with the consequences of rotavirus infection. The diet should have enough liquid, compotes, jelly, fruit drinks. Pureed soups, liquid porridges and steam dishes are shown. Protecting yourself from the intestinal flu is difficult, but possible.

Prevention of intestinal flu

There are two main modes of transmission of rotavirus infection.:

fecal - oral;
through the air with close contact.

The causative agents of intestinal flu remain active on various surfaces for several hours. Therefore, during the period of stay in institutions and public places, the best flu prevention is thorough hand washing. If there are sick people in the team, then it is advisable to send them home at the first sign of malaise. The rest of the team needs to immediately take measures to strengthen immunity. This may not save you from the disease, but its course will be easier.

The main form of prevention is timely vaccination. Currently, many parents have a negative attitude towards vaccinations. However, they should consider that in almost 80% of cases severe diarrhea in children under 5 years of age is caused specifically by intestinal flu viruses. They are especially dangerous for weakened babies. Before you refuse vaccination, you need to weigh the pros and cons.

In winter, it is difficult to stop the intestinal flu, symptoms and treatment in children and adults require timely assessment and adequate measures. In mild cases, it is enough just to stay at home for a few days and not go to school or work, adhere to a sparing regimen. In severe cases, hospitalization is indicated.

Intestinal flu is a common disease among children of all ages. In fact, this disease is called rotavirus infection or gastroenteritis, which clearly indicates the minimal similarity of intestinal flu with the flu itself. According to statistics for 2017, an intestinal infection takes about 4,000 children's lives every year. Therefore, the symptoms and treatment of intestinal flu in children is important information for any parent, since the probability of transferring this infectious pathology to a child is quite high. Statistics indicate that almost all children under 5 years of age suffer from intestinal flu. In this case, both a child under one year old and a child of 3 years old can become infected.

The disease itself is provoked by active activity in the intestines of viruses from the Reoviridae family, where they enter by the fecal-oral route, and there is also a chance of becoming infected by airborne droplets. Perhaps this is the similarity between rotavirus infection and influenza, since both diseases are provoked by viruses, but rotaviruses and influenza viruses are completely different. Rotaviruses replicate by infecting a number of villous epithelial cells, provoking a local inflammatory process and subsequent cell death. The result is structural changes and dysfunction of the intestines.

For intestinal flu, several stages of development are characteristic:

The symptoms of intestinal flu appear very aggressively at the onset of the disease, and often the clinical picture is respiratory symptoms and symptoms of gastrointestinal disturbances. Symptoms may be as follows:

Initially, intestinal flu manifests itself as a common acute respiratory disease. There are symptoms such as discomfort in the throat, especially noted when swallowing. Mild rhinitis, sneezing can also be observed;
Weakness, there is a decrease in the activity of the child;
Body temperature rises sharply and can reach 39 degrees. At the same time, the temperature is stable and lasts throughout the acute period, decreasing towards the end of this stage;
Vomiting, the appearance of vomit;
Pain in the abdomen;
Headache is noted frequently;
Diarrhea. This symptom is perhaps the most characteristic of rotavirus infection. Bowel movements occur up to 10 times a day, feces have a specific color (the 2nd-3rd day of illness is accompanied by a gray-yellow color and has a clay-like shape). At a certain stage, the stool has a light color, and the urine is a rich dark yellow color. There may be blood clots in the stool. With a bowel movement more than 10 times a day, the stool resembles foam and consists, practically, of a liquid;
There is a decrease in the child's appetite. It can be expressed in a complete / partial refusal to eat;

Separately, it is worth mentioning the dehydration of the body of children with this infection. With intestinal flu, it is very important to drink plenty of fluids, since it is exsicosis that becomes the main cause of death in rotavirus infection.

It should be understood that the treatment of this infectious disease can be carried out both at home and in a hospital ward. Hospitalization of young patients with rotavirus infection is not uncommon. Indications for hospitalization are the following symptoms:

However, the treatment of this disease is aimed at reducing the intensity of symptoms and accelerating the recovery of the body. In fact, today, there are simply no specific drugs for directed action against rotaviruses (and many other viruses, including).

Therefore, the treatment of rotavirus infection in children is as follows:

It is necessary to provide the child with peace to reduce the load on the organism weakened by the disease. If the child is still quite a baby, it is necessary to seriously approach the issue of controlling vomiting, as the baby can simply choke on vomit;
It is mandatory to increase the diet of fluid intake. The word "liquid" should be understood as various compotes from berries, fruits and dried fruits, weak tea, jelly, water, natural juices (not store-bought, but made from fruits and vegetables);

If a child has such unpleasant symptoms as abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, his parents most often diagnose the baby food poisoning.

However, this symptomatology may indicate the presence of another pathology - intestinal flu, diseases, caused by a virus.

The virus enters the body through dirty hands and food, therefore, in order to prevent the development of symptoms, it is necessary from early childhood teach the baby to be clean. We will talk about the symptoms and treatment of intestinal flu in children in the article.

diet therapy

An important place in the treatment of intestinal influenza is the observance of special diet.

It is important to follow the rules of eating:

It is necessary to take food in small portions (serving size is half of the normal).

Dairy and dairy products necessary exclude.

Carbohydrate foods, as well as fruits and freshly squeezed juices, contribute to the development of fermentation processes in the intestines. Therefore, these products are must be removed from the diet.

In the early days, it is not recommended to give the child meat (even low-fat varieties should be excluded), because this product hard to digest. After 5 days, meat can be carefully introduced into the diet. It is best to give preference to poultry meat, boiled without skin.

The child's diet should include cereals boiled in water.

You can drink liquid only 30-40 minutes after eating, otherwise vomiting may occur.

Prevention measures

The main preventive measure to protect a child from infection with the intestinal flu virus is hygiene.

It is important to teach a child from childhood to wash hands before meals, after the street and the toilet.

Vegetables and fruits eaten must be thoroughly washed meat products must be subjected to mandatory heat treatment. Watch the quality of the water your child drinks.

intestinal flu- a viral infection, the symptoms of which are similar to those of food poisoning.

However, intestinal flu has a more severe and dangerous form for the child.

The reason for the development of pathology - rotavirus, penetrating the body through contaminated products, household items. Treatment consists in taking numerous medications, dieting. The main preventive measure is hygiene.

Dr. Komarovsky about rotavirus infection in this video:

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