Patient Education
Rotavirus infections are very common, especially in children under two years old, with watery diarrhea being the most common symptom. Other symptoms include vomiting and fever. Diarrhea may be severe, leading to dehydration.
Diarrhea usually lasts about 3-7 days in most children with rotavirus infection, but some episodes may last as long as two weeks. Although there is no there is no cure or medication for rotavirus infections, treatment with extra fluids is recommended and can prevent dehydration. The main problem from having diarrhea with or without vomiting is that it can lead your child to get dehydrated. The first sign of dehydration is that your child will urinate less frequently (your child should be urinating every six to eight hours). Other signs include a dry mouth, sunken eyes, and decreased activity, or increased irritability.
The fluids given need to replace the salts and water lost in the stools and provide a little sugar for energy. Oral rehydration solutions containing these substances as an electrolyte or homemade oral rehydration solution can be given.
Less Than 1 Year Old
Infants with frequent, watery diarrhea:
Fluids: Oral glucose-electrolyte solutions for 4-6 hours. Or homemade solution as follows: mix ½ cup of rice powder with 2 cups of water and ¼ level teaspoon of salt.
Returning to the formula: After being given clear fluids for 4-6 hours, your baby will be hungry, so begin her full strength formula or continue with normal breastfeeding but at frequent intervals. If your baby eats solids, give her the following starchy foods until the diarrhea is gone: any cereal, strained apple, strained banana, strained carrots, mashed potatoes, and other high fiber foods as a lot of starch are more easily digested than other foods. Avoid all fruit juices because they make diarrhea worse.
Infants with mild diarrhea:
Continue a regular diet with a few simple changes. Give full strength formula as much as your baby wants or continue with normal breastfeeding. If your baby eats solids then offer more rice, mashed potatoes, apple strained, strained bananas, and strained carrots.
Older Children (over 1 Year Old)
With frequent, watery diarrhea: -
Fluids: Give your child water for the first 24 hours of watery diarrhea. (Most toddlers don't need oral glucose-electrolyte solutions unless the child is dehydrated).
On day 2: offer some milk as well as water. Avoid fruit juices, because they usually make diarrhea worse. If your child refuses solids, give your child milk rather than water.
Table foods: Keep giving your child table foods while he has diarrhea. The choice of food is important. Starchy foods are best: examples of such foods are cereal especially rice, bread, crackers, rice, noodles, mashed potatoes, carrots, apple stewed, and banana.
On day 2: if your child some proteins, soft boiled eggs are usually easily digested.
With mild diarrhoea:
Follow a regular diet with simple changes:
- Eat more foods containing starch.
- Drink more water. Avoid all fruit juices.
- Eat or drink less milk and milk products for few days.
- Avoid beans or any other foods that cause loose bowel movements.