Treatment of intestinal flu in children. Intestinal flu in children, symptoms and treatment Intestinal flu without fever in children

Intestinal influenza in children occurs at any time of the year, however, the maximum rise in incidence is recorded in autumn and winter. The disease is widespread, large outbreaks often occur, which is associated with the high resistance of pathogens in the environment. The risk group is preschool children, by the age of 5, almost 95% of them suffer from intestinal flu in a form of varying severity. The disease ends mostly favorably, but if the baby is not helped in time, serious complications are possible.

Synonymous with stomach flu. This is a polyetiological viral disease, the cause of which can be noroviruses, adenoviruses and astroviruses. Rotaviruses play the most significant role in the development of the pathological process.

Being heterogeneous - heterogeneous - in antigenic composition, they successfully bypass the traps of the immune system, hitting the body over and over again: it simply “does not recognize” the pathogenic particle and does not have time to prevent or reduce its harmful effects. Thus, the risk of re-infection for a child of the first year of life is 30%, and by the age of two, at least 70% of children suffer from intestinal flu twice.

Where could the virus come from?

Rotavirus is very stable in the external environment. He is not afraid of a long, up to several months, freezing, and many cleaning products are not afraid. It is viable with ordinary water chlorination, it remains on household items for a long time - it can be found on dishes, clothes, toys. Quickly dies when heated to 80 degrees.

The source of infection is a sick person. In adults, the disease occurs in an erased or asymptomatic form, many do not even suspect that they are infected and dangerous for children. Similarly, without symptoms, stomach flu can occur in teenagers, but affects people over 60 years of age.

A viral particle can enter the intestines:

through dirty hands
through contaminated household items, including toys,
with water - unboiled spring, from the tap, sea and from the pool, which the child could accidentally swallow,
with contaminated food - fruits, vegetables, dairy.

While the latter two mechanisms are more likely to provide mass outbreaks, the former are usually "responsible" for point diseases within the family.

It should be remembered: it is enough for a newborn to visit a public place in order to “catch” a dangerous infection.

What's going on inside

Once in the oral cavity, rotaviruses rush to the small intestine and invade the cells lining its surface. A high reproduction rate allows pests to simultaneously affect a large part of the organ, which naturally leads to a malfunction of the digestive tract. As a result, the absorption of water and electrolytes is impaired. Additionally, a number of complex biochemical processes necessary for the normal digestion of food suffer.

Symptoms

Initially, rotavirus gastroenteritis in 60-70% of children proceeds like a common cold - the child becomes weak, lethargic, there is a slight cough, runny nose and sore throat.

The most common symptoms of intestinal flu in children are:

a sharp increase in temperature, which lasts 2-4 days,
weakness, lethargy,
loss of appetite up to the complete refusal of food,
loose stools (diarrhea) - profuse, watery, frothy, yellow in color, with an unpleasant sour smell, from 4-5 times a day in older children and up to 15-20 in babies,
rumbling, bloating, especially pronounced in children under one year old,
dehydration, loss of important electrolytes - manifested by thirst.

Manifestation of the main symptoms

In young children, the disease occurs with a number of characteristic manifestations:

dehydration develops rapidly
against the background of elevated temperature, convulsions, fainting may occur.

Stages of the disease

Usually, the disease ends with recovery already on the 5th - 12th day, but there may be cases when medical assistance is indispensable.

There are three degrees of severity of rotavirus infection:

mild - minimal intoxication, its symptoms disappear on the second day. The temperature rises no higher than 38 ° C, vomiting appears only 2 - 5 times. Loose stools for 1 - 3 days with a frequency of 2 - 5 times. Symptoms in children in this case disappear already on the 2-3 day of illness,
medium-severe - moderate intoxication, lasts up to 5 days, high temperature persists. Vomiting is repeated, up to 10-12 times. Loose stools for 3-5 days with a frequency of 5-15 times. The child gets better only by 4-5 days of illness.
severe - obvious intoxication, temperature above 39.5 ° C, repeated vomiting, diarrhea. Severe dehydration, symptoms persist for more than 5 to 7 days.

Complications

If the disease proceeds as a mild form, complications should not be expected. In other situations, dehydration and hypovolemic shock may develop as a result of the rapid loss of a large volume of fluid. Damage to the cardiovascular system, liver, kidneys, accession of otitis, pneumonia, cystitis, etc. is not excluded.

If you suspect a rotavirus infection in an infant, you should immediately consult a doctor! With severe dehydration due to the development of hypovolemic shock, the child may die!

Diagnostics

Signs of intestinal flu can be mistaken for food poisoning, a cold (as you know, young children with SARS can have nausea, vomiting, loose stools). But one should be careful about these “usual” symptoms - under the guise of gastric flu, a more dangerous acute intestinal infection, salmonellosis, dysentery, cholera,

Necessary tests for diagnosis:

General clinical blood test;
Analysis of urine.

And at a late stage of the disease, such studies are included:

Immunofluorescent analysis;
Linked immunosorbent assay.

In no case should you treat the baby yourself! Only a doctor can make a final diagnosis and prescribe appropriate therapy that will not harm a small patient.

Hand washing is an important procedure that eliminates the appearance of many viruses.

First aid

Symptoms and treatment are closely related. At home, until the arrival of a medical worker, the baby's condition can be alleviated in the following ways:

plentiful drink - warm water, compote, tea. The body loses a lot of fluid with vomit and feces, and its balance in the body must be maintained. Ideally, if you give a solution of the drug "Regidron",
temperature control, antipyretic use.

It is necessary to monitor the position of the child in bed (a baby up to a year old can choke on his own vomit) and in no case leave him alone.

Treatment

The treatment of intestinal flu in children is based on the following principles:

diet and drinking regimen,
restoration of water balance,
drug therapy with sorbents, probiotics, enzymes,
prevention of bacterial complications

The doctor will prescribe a sparing diet that does not irritate the intestines damaged by the virus, rehydration drugs to restore water-salt metabolism (Regidron, Enterodez, Citroglucosolan), sorbents to remove harmful substances (including viruses and toxins) from the intestines (activated coal, "Smekta", "Polysorb"), it is possible to prescribe drugs "Linex", "Acilak", "Lactobacterin". The use of enzymes ("Ermital", "Pancreatin", "Mezim", "Creon") is associated with a violation of a number of biochemical reactions, it is advisable for a faster recovery of the digestive function.

During treatment, the doctor may prescribe activated charcoal to the child.

Diet

In the acute period of the disease, table No. 4 a according to Pevzner is prescribed, followed by a transfer in 1-2 days to table No. 4 b until complete recovery. Compliance with the diet implies the absence in the diet of foods that increase peristalsis, leading to fermentation in the intestinal lumen.

Forbidden

Everything that cannot be digested normally by a diseased intestine is impossible:

whole milk (children who are breastfed continue to eat mother's milk; correction of the mother's diet is possible),
fatty fermented baked milk and cream,
fiber-rich vegetables and fruits (white cabbage, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce, grapes, plums, apricots, pears),
grain, rye bread,
rich bakery and confectionery products,
carbonated drinks,
canned food, smoked meats, sausages,
oily fish, meat, broths.

Allowed

thermally and mechanically processed vegetables (for example, zucchini puree),
cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal),
hard boiled eggs or scrambled eggs
lean meat, boiled or steamed, lean fish - pollock, pike perch,
crackers, dry

It is necessary to use yogurt, kefir, acidophilus. It is permissible to eat baked apples.

How to save a child

Prevention of intestinal flu in children involves, first of all, vaccination. According to experts of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, at present it is the only effective method of protection against the disease. Vaccination is allowed from the age of six weeks, it is safe, generally well tolerated, some of the post-vaccination reactions are extremely insignificant - only occasionally there may be diarrhea, vomiting, fever.

But vaccination only protects against rotavirus infection, and other viral organisms can also cause "intestinal flu".

An important role is given to the simplest methods of prevention:

drink only boiled water,
wash hands after walking, before eating,
wash fruits, vegetables, herbs, berries before use,
increase overall resistance - harden.

Blueberries - an excellent folk remedy against the disease

You should not start taking antibiotics on your own, without a doctor's prescription - they will not help to cope with the virus and can even worsen the condition by destroying beneficial bacteria in the intestines.
After the disappearance of the symptoms of the disease, it is still necessary to adhere to a diet, only gradually introducing prohibited foods - the intestines need time to recover.
Do not be afraid to take enzyme preparations - they will only help the digestive system, reduce the load on it.
Do not panic - "intestinal flu" occurs in almost all children, and complications can be easily avoided if you contact a specialist in a timely manner.

Summary

Intestinal (gastric) flu is a disease of viral etiology, which most often means rotavirus gastroenteritis. A common disease that activates in the autumn-winter period is especially dangerous for children under 3 years old and the elderly from 60. At the initial stage, the infection behaves like a cold - the temperature rises, a runny nose, cough, headache appear, and intestinal symptoms develop rapidly in the future. In some cases, medical assistance may be required, otherwise the development of formidable complications will not take long.

Treatment is strictly according to the doctor's prescription. It is imperative to adhere to a sparing diet, even if the external signs of the disease have passed. Vaccination will help protect against rotavirus infection, and personal hygiene will protect against other viral particles that cause intestinal flu.

Intestinal flu in children is very common. The younger the child, the more severely he suffers the disease. Babies have a weak immune system, so it is more difficult to fight the infection.

The disease is highly contagious. In this article, you will learn what are the symptoms of the disease, ways of infection, as well as ways to treat intestinal flu.

The stomach flu is a virus that infects the gastrointestinal tract. This disease of the gastrointestinal tract is very common. Most often, babies get sick in autumn and winter. Basically, the disease affects infants and preschool children. It almost never occurs in teenagers.

The causative agents of this disease are viruses. Among them:

Astroviruses.
Rotaviruses.
Caliciviruses.
Adenoviruses.

All of them irritate the digestive system. Apart from problems with the gastrointestinal tract, the symptoms of the disease are very similar to the flu.

This disease is not dangerous, but there are a number of complications.

Causes and ways of infection

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 poor quality dairy product. 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.

Symptoms

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 are gray or yellow with a strong smell, there are quite a lot 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.

Complications

Serious complications are rare. 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:

Renal failure.
Dehydration (very dangerous as it can be fatal).
Problems with the 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 a 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

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.

The best tests to check for stomach flu:

immune fluorescence.
enzyme immunoassays.

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

Required research:

Clinical blood test.
Analysis of urine.

Treatment

No specific treatment is required. Treatment of intestinal flu and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in children should be started as follows:

Cleanse the body of toxins.
Eliminate dehydration.
Improve the functioning of the urinary system.
Provide support for the circulatory and cardiovascular systems.
Protect the body from viruses and bacteria.

Therapy is aimed at reducing symptoms and preventing complications of the disease.

In each case, the treatment tactics will be different.

First aid for illness

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.

Medicines

The prescribed medications depend on the body, age and severity of the child's illness. 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.

Diet

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.

Prevention measures

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.

Stomach flu is a common infectious disease that affects both adults and children equally. The disease is accompanied by digestive disorders. Despite the fact that most often the infection fades away on its own, you should not refuse medical care.

What is a disease? Exciter characteristic

In modern medicine, cases of stomach flu in adults and children are often recorded. In fact, this disease is not a “flu”, just as it does not belong to the group of respiratory infections. Its causative agents are rotaviruses, members of the Reoviridae family. This virus infects the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, in particular, the stomach and intestines (therefore, the disease is often called "intestinal flu").

In medicine, another term is used to refer to this disease - gastroenteritis. According to statistics, outbreaks of this infection are more often observed in the autumn-winter period, although, of course, infection is possible throughout the year.

What happens in the body after infection?

Rotavirus, after entering the body, quickly penetrates into the cells of the small intestine - viral particles in these structures of the digestive tract can be detected already half an hour after infection. The vital activity of the pathogen disrupts the natural structure and functioning of the intestinal mucosa.

In turn, such processes affect the synthesis of digestive enzymes that break down complex carbohydrates. Undigested sugars accumulate in the small intestine, which bind and hold fluid inside - which is why the stomach flu is accompanied by diarrhea and other disorders.

How is the infection transmitted? Risk factors

The source of pathogenic organisms is a sick person. Viral particles enter the body through the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. There are several routes of infection transmission:

Viral particles can enter the body along with unwashed vegetables and fruits, stitched or low-quality food. The pathogen can also spread through running water.
The virus is excreted from the human body along with vomit and feces. Stomach flu belongs to the group of "diseases of unwashed hands".
Airborne transmission is also possible. The infection can be caught when talking or in close contact with a sick person, as viral particles are released from his body during coughing, sneezing.
It is impossible to exclude the contact-household method of spreading the infection. The disease can be caught in public places, such as schools, kindergartens, shops, offices, etc.

It should be noted that these viruses are very resistant to the external environment. The infection dies when treated with chlorine and some other antiseptics, as well as when heated to 70-80 degrees. It should be borne in mind that you can catch the infection in a contaminated reservoir, as well as in a sauna or a public pool (provided that workers do not carry out proper disinfection).

Gastric flu: symptoms, features of the clinical picture

As already mentioned, viral particles enter the body through the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. The incubation period in most cases lasts no more than a day, although sometimes the first symptoms appear after 4-5 days.

The disease begins acutely. There is a general malaise, weakness, headache. Patients complain of body aches. Sometimes there is rumbling and pain in the abdomen.
In the list of symptoms of stomach flu in children, you can add an increase in body temperature up to 39, and sometimes up to 40 degrees Celsius. In adults, fever is observed much less frequently.
Catarrhal phenomena are possible. Patients develop a runny nose, they are worried about burning in the nose, sore throat, and sometimes coughing.
The main symptom is diarrhea. Sometimes defecation is carried out several dozen times a day. The patient's stool is frothy, mushy, yellow or greenish-yellow.
There are other violations of the digestive system. In particular, many patients suffer from pain and rumbling in the abdomen, severe nausea, which turns into vomiting.
Some patients develop secondary lactase deficiency. The use of dairy products against the background of gastroenteritis leads to an aggravation of the above symptoms.
Prolonged diarrhea and vomiting lead to dehydration. Therefore, patients suffer from weakness, increased fatigue. Periodically, dizziness occurs, and in more severe cases, these episodes end with a temporary loss of consciousness.

The acute phase of the disease, as a rule, lasts no more than 5-7 days, after which the symptoms begin to gradually fade. However, the patient's body needs a few more days (in severe cases and weeks) to fully recover.

Stages of development of the disease

Symptoms of gastric flu directly depend on the stage of development. To date, there are four main phases of the development of the disease:

The incubation period can last from several hours to five days. There are no characteristic symptoms of the disease during this period, but patients sometimes notice a deterioration in well-being and the appearance of a constant feeling of thirst.
The catarrhal period lasts from 24 to 48 hours. At this time, nasal congestion appears, a slight runny nose, although these symptoms usually pass quickly.
Then comes the acute period of gastroenteritis. There are violations of the digestive system (in particular, abdominal pain and diarrhea), the body temperature rises sharply, the person becomes weak and lethargic.
The recovery phase is coming. Symptoms begin to gradually disappear, although some lethargy, drowsiness, and fatigue persist for several days.

What complications does the disease lead to?

Treatment of gastric flu in most cases ends successfully - the patient's body is fully restored. It is even believed that to some extent the transferred disease provides temporary partial immunity. For example, it has been observed that the symptoms of stomach flu in adults who had rotavirus gastroenteritis in childhood are less pronounced, and the disease itself is much easier to tolerate.

The disease is often associated with dehydration, which is fraught with a lot of complications. There is a possibility of developing disorders of the circulatory system, up to heart failure. The mortality rate among patients with viral gastroenteritis does not exceed 3%.

Diagnostic measures

In modern medical practice, cases of such a disease as stomach flu are often recorded. Symptoms and treatment in adult patients, features of the clinical picture and therapy in children are, of course, important information. But it is worth considering that the disorders that accompany viral gastroenteritis are also characteristic of some other pathologies, in particular, food poisoning, salmonellosis. That is why the diagnostic process is extremely important - in order to draw up the correct treatment regimen, it is necessary to accurately determine the cause of the inflammatory process in the small intestine.

First, a gastroenterologist will conduct a general examination, collect information about the presence of certain symptoms, and assess the condition of the patients.
The patient must donate blood for analysis. An increase in the number of leukocytes in blood samples, as well as an increase in ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) confirms the presence of an inflammatory process in the body.
A laboratory study of urine and feces is also carried out. Such analyzes help to determine the presence of an infection, an inflammatory process.
PCR diagnostics, immunofluorescence - these procedures help to accurately determine the nature and type of the pathogen.
Instrumental diagnostic methods (for example, ultrasound of internal organs, endoscopic examination of the internal surfaces of the stomach and intestines) are used only if there is a suspicion that patients have concomitant diseases.

Treatment of stomach flu in adults and children with medication

Based on the results obtained, the doctor will be able to draw up an effective treatment regimen. The symptoms and treatment of stomach flu are closely related. Therapy for such a disease is aimed only at eliminating the signs and strengthening the immune system.

First of all, the patient is prescribed antiviral drugs. Such drugs, as a rule, contain ready-made interferon or substances that stimulate the synthesis of interferon by the immune system. Such means as "Arbidol", "Interferon", "Remantadin", "Viferon", "Amiksin" are considered effective.
As already mentioned, gastroenteritis is accompanied by dehydration. That is why it is important to restore and maintain the natural water-salt balance. An effective medicine in this case is Regidron.
With severe vomiting, antiemetics are used, in particular, Ondansetron. This drug blocks gag reflexes.
Antidiarrheal drugs, in particular, Loperamide, are sometimes included in the treatment regimen. Such drugs tend to decrease the motility of the intestinal wall while increasing the tone of the anal sphincter.
With severe symptoms of intoxication, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs are used to help reduce body temperature, eliminate pain and weakness. Paracetamol, Efferalgan, Nurofen, Ibuprofen are considered effective.
Antihistamines ("Loratadin", "Suprastin", "Tavegil") help relieve swelling from the mucous membranes, prevent the development of allergic reactions.
Since the stomach flu is often accompanied by a cough, patients are sometimes prescribed Broncholitin, Bromhexine, and some other drugs that block cough receptors.
Sorbents are also used, which quickly bind and remove toxic waste products of pathogenic microorganisms from the body. In addition, such drugs help cleanse the intestines, cope with diarrhea and nausea. Effective are "Enterosgel", "White Coal", "Smecta", "Neosmectin".
The treatment regimen sometimes includes preparations containing digestive enzymes. Means such as Mezim, Creon are considered effective. Medicines help to digest and assimilate food faster.
Sometimes patients are prescribed potassium preparations ("Panangin") to improve kidney function.
During the recovery period of the body, various vitamin complexes must be included in the treatment regimen, which help strengthen the immune system and speed up the healing process.
Patients also take drugs such as Linex, Hilak, Bifiform. These drugs help to restore the normal intestinal microflora, improve the functioning of the digestive tract.

Is it worth it to use antibacterial drugs for such a disease? Stomach flu is a viral disease, so taking antibiotics is useless. Such drugs are included in the treatment regimen only if there is a secondary bacterial infection.

home remedies

How to treat stomach flu at home? Traditional medicine, of course, offers remedies that can cope with the symptoms of gastroenteritis.

Chamomile decoction is considered effective. A bag of pharmacy chamomile and two tablespoons of dried apricots (can be replaced with raisins) pour a liter of boiling water, cover and let it brew. Infusion drink 100-200 ml every hour.
Ginger infusion will help to cope with the symptoms of intoxication and strengthen the immune system. It is easy to prepare: two teaspoons of the crushed root of the plant should be poured over 500 ml of boiling water and let it brew. You need to drink ginger tea 100 ml several times a day.
Decoctions from marshmallow blood and dill herb are considered effective.

Of course, such decoctions can only be used with the permission of a doctor. Home remedies can only be used as adjuncts - they are not capable of replacing full-fledged drug therapy.

Proper Diet

Treatment of stomach flu necessarily includes the right diet:

The doctor will probably advise you to give up dairy products for a while, as well as foods that contain milk protein. The fact is that such a diet creates in the intestines excellent conditions for the life and reproduction of almost any type of microorganisms, including pathogenic ones.
Since the stomach flu is associated with diarrhea and fluid loss, it is very important to maintain a proper drinking regimen. Patients are advised to drink water, compotes, diluted juices, fruit drinks, teas with lemon and raspberries. Drinking should be frequent and plentiful - at least 2 liters per day.
In the first few days, patients are advised to eat easily digestible food, preferably grated, so that it is easier and faster to digest.
As you recover, the diet can be varied. Nevertheless, fermented milk products should be introduced into the menu gradually, starting with kefir and fermented baked milk.

Preventive actions

You already know how to treat stomach flu in adults and children. But it is much easier to try to prevent infection of the body than to undergo therapy later. The rules here are simple:

it is important to observe the rules of personal hygiene, do not forget to wash your hands before eating;
food should also be thoroughly washed;
do not forget about the correct heat treatment of food;
it is better to drink boiled, filtered water (a small home filter will be enough to purify the liquid);
the room in which people with gastroenteritis spend time should be cleaned and disinfected daily;
do not forget about proper nutrition, taking vitamins, physical activity, stabbing, as a strong immune system will help make the body more resistant to various infections.

Many people are interested in the question of whether there are any vaccinations and other remedies for this disease. It is immediately worth noting that vaccination against influenza A and B in this case will not help, because the stomach flu, in fact, is not the flu.

In 2009, several types of vaccines were introduced to the market, designed specifically to prevent stomach flu. Studies conducted in some Asian and African countries have proven that the developed tools really help prevent outbreaks of this disease. However, mass vaccination against viral gastroenteritis is practiced only in some states - it is not easy to find this medicine in our pharmacies.

Intestinal flu is an inflammatory disease of infectious etiology that occurs in the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.

The disease is contagious and is often confused with common stomach poisoning. In most cases, the infection goes away on its own within a few days.

By taking extra precautions and good personal hygiene, the spread of the disease can be prevented.

Intestinal flu is one of the most common diseases in children.

Studies have shown that most young children experience this disease at least once.

Some of the most common causes of infection in a child are:

The infection entered the body along with contaminated food or water.
The child ate from contaminated dishes.
Contact with contaminated feces - if, without parental supervision, a child accidentally touches them, and then puts his hand in his mouth.
Bacterial infections: Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus, Giardia, Campylobacter or E.Coli.
Giardiasis.
Infection by viruses, including adenovirus, rotavirus, astrovirus, and calcivirus.
The disease can be caused by certain toxins present in plants and seafood.
Use of powerful laxatives to treat constipation.
The use of toxic heavy metals that have entered the body with food.

Intestinal flu - symptoms in children

Depending on the form of the disease and the type of virus, the child may show one symptom, or several at once:

Vomiting/Nausea;
Fever;
Abdominal pain;
Pain in the body;
Severe chills;
Diarrhea.

These stomach flu symptoms in children can be moderate or severe.

They usually last from a few hours to a few days, sometimes a week or two, depending on the severity of the condition.

When should you call an ambulance immediately?

The biggest problem during illness is indigestion in children, nausea and vomiting. They can lead to dehydration (dehydration) of the child's body, which must be avoided at all costs.

Even if it seems to you that this phenomenon is not considered serious, pay attention to the following signs, and then immediately call a doctor.

If a child aged 0-12 months, the symptoms of the intestinal group persist for more than 2 days.
The baby is 2-3 years old and the symptoms do not go away within 3-4 days.
The child has severe nausea and vomiting. Sometimes this condition requires hospitalization.
The baby does not drink water, there is no urination during the day.
After defecation and in the vomit there are impurities of blood.
High fever does not go away after 2 days.
Dry and chapped lips appeared.
Excessive sleepiness.
Capriciousness.
Sunken eyes.
Colic.
Dizziness.
Pale and cold limbs.

What can and cannot be given to a child with intestinal flu?

While the child is experiencing discomfort, pain, fever, and other symptoms of illness, several techniques can be used.

They will help alleviate the condition of the baby with intestinal flu.

Try giving your child water in small portions, at regular intervals.
Do not give milk or dairy products to a sick child.
Don't give him high acid drinks.
Do not give your child foods that are heavy on the stomach. Recommended light vegetable soups, soft cereals (not milk).
It is not recommended to give the child medication without the approval of the pediatrician. Sometimes the disease goes away on its own.
Some of the liquids, such as soft drinks, sports drinks, apple juice, tea, or chicken broth, contain the wrong amount of salt, sugar, and water, which can worsen the condition.
One should avoid feeding the child any fruit juices or foods high in sugar as these tend to make the flu worse.
The child must remain in bed for twenty-four hours until the diarrhea and vomiting stop. If the child has a fever, the temperature should be checked and recorded in a log every four hours.

If symptoms persist after therapy, call your doctor again. After 1-2 days, the first results of therapeutic recovery will be noticeable. If one of the symptoms persists, you may need to be hospitalized with medication.

Intestinal flu - treatment in children

If stomach flu in children is not treated promptly, it can lead to the spread of infection, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances in the body.

In the case of a bacterial infection, the doctor may prescribe special antibiotics that are directed against this type of bacteria.
For viral infections, the doctor may recommend an antiviral agent.
For high fever and body aches, a doctor may recommend a dose of pediatric ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
To make sure the child is getting enough water, rehydration solutions are given and given to the child regularly. This will help restore the salt and mineral balance of the body.
If you have mild diarrhea and no vomiting, your doctor will advise you to continue feeding your baby with breast milk or formula milk.
The oxygen level in the baby's blood is checked with a pulse oximeter.
If there is significant fluid loss, the child is taken to the hospital, where they will be given solutions such as glucose through a drip to keep the body nourished.

Prevention of infection with intestinal flu

Make sure your little one is practicing good personal hygiene and washing their hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap or after every use of the toilet and outside. Parents themselves should wash their hands after the street, work, toilet.
Sterilize baby's utensils properly before use - bottles, plates and spoons. Observe safe food preparation practices. Choose clean dishes, fresh vegetables and fruits, meat and fish checked by veterinary services.
Vaccination of the child against infection is recommended. Three doses of immunization are usually given: when the child is 2 months old, when he is 4 months old, and when he is 6 months old.

If the child is in the hospital, there are a number of preventive measures that help to properly communicate with a sick child in order to avoid infection.

The child may be placed in a separate room and will not be able to visit the playroom until he feels better. Ask the medical staff to bring the baby toys and hand over the necessary things.
Wash your hands often before and after touching the baby, and before leaving the baby's room. Hospital staff should also wash their hands on a schedule.
If a child has flu symptoms and is in the hospital, all staff should wear gloves and a gown while caring for the child.

Video - Intestinal flu: symptoms and treatment in children (Dr. Komarovsky)

So, when intestinal flu occurs in children, it is necessary to pay attention to the dehydration of the child's body, which occurs due to nausea and vomiting that accompanies this disease.

From childhood, parents teach their kids to be clean. And it is right. After all, elementary non-compliance can cause many diseases. In this article I would like to talk about what is intestinal and the treatment of the disease, we will consider in detail.

About the disease

So, at the very beginning, you need to define the concepts and figure out what this disease is. Intestinal flu - it can be attributed to diseases caused by the so-called "dirty hands". Also, the infection enters the human body along with water or food.

It is worth saying that most often this virus affects children aged 6 months to 3 years. After this period, the child's body already develops a strong immunity to the disease. Among children of primary school and adolescence, this infection practically does not occur (children with weakened immunity may be an exception). The illness itself lasts about a week. Mortality in this disease is very low and is approximately 2.4-3.6%.

About the virus

An insidious disease - intestinal flu. Symptoms and treatment in children is what interests many of us. It should be noted that rotavirus has a very high degree of resistance to various factors.

In the feces of a child, he can retain his viral nature for 6-7 months.
In household items and indoor air, the virus remains active for 5-8 days.

Doctors say that about 40% of the total adult population of the planet are carriers of this virus. And while the person does not have absolutely no symptoms. Therefore, if there is a small child in the house, adults should be extremely careful. Indeed, in this case, the likelihood of infection of the baby is very high.

The reasons

Studying the topic "Intestinal flu: symptoms and treatment in children", it is also necessary to talk about what are the causes of this disease in babies. This virus infects the mucous tissues of the intestines of the baby. The mechanism of its distribution is fecal-oral. And this happens, as mentioned above, through contaminated food or water.

If it is food, it is enough to touch it to an infected person to transmit the infection. If the baby takes contaminated food from the hands of an adult, he definitely cannot avoid rotavirus infection. The same applies to water. It is important to remember that young children should only be given boiled water (in this case, infection with rotavirus infection is minimized).

Symptoms

What else is important to say when considering the topic "Intestinal flu: symptoms and treatment in children"? About the symptoms that accompany this disease. However, first of all, it is necessary to clarify that all the signs of the disease will appear only a day after infection with the crumb virus.

The very first and most important symptom is an increase in temperature in a child up to 38-39 ° C.
The child has very frequent loose stools (up to 15 times a day).
The feces of the child are most often light in color, watery. Mucus may also be present.
The baby will have a stomach ache.
In the course of the small intestine, the child may rumble in the tummy (right side).

Symptoms of complications

Studying the topic "Intestinal flu: symptoms and treatment in children", it is also worth saying that it is very important to start timely and correct treatment. Otherwise, severe complications may arise, which are not so easy to cope with. So, it can be dehydration of the crumbs. In this case, the following symptoms may be observed:

Dryness of mucous membranes.
Lethargy.
The appearance of bluish spots on the skin.
Eyes may sink into the eye sockets.
The child may not urinate for 8 hours.
In infants, when dehydrated, the fontanel sinks.

Another complication that can occur with improper treatment or its absence is intoxication of the body. Symptoms:

Chills.
Lethargy.
Apathy.

Intestinal flu: treatment

In children, only a doctor can accurately diagnose this infection. So when the first symptoms appear, you should definitely go to the doctor. Only in this case, you can get competent and timely treatment. What is important to consider for determining rotavirus?

Baby's age.
Feces: color, character.
Time: the infection most often occurs during the cold season - from November to March.
The nature of the onset of the disease.

How to accurately determine that a child has an intestinal infection? To do this, it is enough to conduct a bacterial study of the baby's feces. Important: for prevention purposes, the doctor may advise all family members to undergo the same study. You should not refuse this, since by identifying the carrier of the virus, you can avoid re-infection.

About treatment

Is there a single cure for stomach flu? No. If the baby is sick, all the actions of the doctor will be aimed at preventing intoxication of the body and dehydration. For this, the drug "Regidron" is often impregnated. You also need to ensure that the baby does not overheat (reducing hyperthermia). This will help drugs "Nurofen", "Panadol-baby". And, of course, it is necessary to increase the resistance (ie resistance) of the body. In this case, you can prescribe a drug such as "Aflubin" (helps improve immunity).

Procedure

If the baby is diagnosed with intestinal it, the doctor should tell. After all, self-treatment in this case can be a very dangerous action. In addition to the use of various kinds of medicines, the parents of the child must also remember that certain rules of the daily routine must be observed:

The baby needs bed rest.
The child should be given as much to drink as possible.
If necessary, the crumbs can be given antispasmodics (half a No-shpa tablet, ground into powder).
Vitamin therapy is very important.
And, of course, you need a sparing diet.

Food

Diet is very important for intestinal flu. What foods can a baby, and what is still better to completely avoid? First of all, I want to talk about the smallest. If the baby is about 6 months old and is still breastfeeding, if possible, he should be breastfed as often as possible, while excluding other products. If the baby is completely on an adult diet, in this case, you need to give up spicy, fried foods. The following foods are also not recommended:

Legumes.
Meat.
Cabbage.
Spices.
Carbonated drinks.
Sweets.

What should be the diet for intestinal flu? It is useful for the baby to give mucous porridges, mashed boiled vegetables, crackers, jelly, biscuits. It must be remembered that fresh and fruit juices should be excluded for the duration of diarrhea (although they are a source of vitamins). It is also important to give your child plenty to drink. Well, if it is mineral water (without gas), vegetable broths,

If the crumbs are surrounded by a bad epidemic situation, as a preventive measure, you need to pre-process food. Before giving the baby fruits, they need to be soaked for 10 minutes in a 3% solution of acetic acid.

Prevention

What else is important to say when considering the topic "Intestinal flu: symptoms and treatment"? It is important to pay attention to preventive measures. After all, thanks to certain actions, you can protect your baby from infection. The only and very important rule is the observance of hygiene rules by all family members. You also need to monitor the purity and quality of the food and water that the baby consumes. To avoid infection, it is important to keep the house clean. Clothes and all things crumbs should not only be washed, but also ironed on both sides.

ethnoscience

No medicine for stomach flu will work instantly. But in any case, it will help to fight the symptoms of the disease. However, if parents do not want to resort to the use of medicines, they can turn to traditional medicine.

St. John's wort. It is necessary to prepare a decoction from this plant. So, you can pour 2.5 tablespoons of dry raw materials with a glass of boiling water and simmer all this in a water bath for about 20 minutes. The medicine is cooled and taken in a third of a glass three times a day before meals. If the child is small, the dose can be reduced. The product is stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days.
Intestinal flu in children will also help cure this herb. To prepare the medicine, you need to pour a tablespoon of the dried plant with a glass of boiling water, leave for several hours. After that, strain. Take the drug should be 100 ml before meals three times a day.
And as a prophylactic, a child can be given compote from bird cherry. It helps the body resist viral infection.

That's all you need to know about the stomach flu. Treatment of this disease in children is not difficult and will not make you wait long for positive changes if the diagnosis is made in a timely manner. If you notice something wrong with your baby's health - do not hesitate, immediately consult a doctor. And be healthy!