Rotavirus in a child treatment of Komarovsky. Diet for rotavirus infection in a child; Komarovsky Komarovsky rotovirus

By the age of five, almost all children in the world suffer from rotavirus infection. Do you think this is a good enough reason to talk about such a disease today?

What is a sore, should it be treated and how? Is it possible to protect the baby from the danger of infection, and at what age is the disease most severe? Will a child who has had a rotavirus infection subsequently have immunity to the pathogen?

An insidious rotavirus infection will put the baby out of action for several days.

What is rotavirus?

As the name already implies, the infection is of a viral nature (rota is a wheel, and virus is, well, it is a virus). You don’t have to worry about the “wheel”, apparently, the “pest” seen through the microscope reminds him of something. But the viral beginning of this muck, we will need when we get to the discussion of the treatment of rotavirus in children, and the pointlessness of using antibiotics in this case.

There are five types of microbes. Pundits, without further ado, singled out the first five letters of the Latin alphabet for their classification. Three of them are dangerous for humans, and in more than 90% of cases of infection, rotavirus A is the culprit.

How does rotavirus infection manifest itself in a child?

Another name for this disease is "intestinal flu". Based on this, the main destruction that the scout who has entered the body will produce in the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. Having invaded the cells of the epithelium lining the duodenum, the virus begins to multiply in them, thereby causing their death.

How long, in fact, does all this disgrace last?

• Incubation period- lasting up to 5 days, has no pronounced symptoms and signs. The microbe is still only "looked around" in the baby's body.
• Acute period- the virus begins its "dark business". And if in adults the disease is often asymptomatic, then in a child, especially a baby, everything happens much more seriously.

For 3-8 days, the disease will exhaust its new owner with bouts of vomiting, cramping abdominal pain, general malaise and weakness. Occurs up to 39°C and above. The infection begins to justify its second name, with all the manifestations of the flu - sore throat, runny nose, redness of the conjunctiva of the eyes.

The most characteristic symptom of the disease is a disorder of the stool in an infected baby. Attacks of diarrhea can occur with a child up to 10-15 times a day. On the first day, children carry copious yellow contents with an unpleasant, sour smell. In the following days, the stool becomes yellowish-gray in color and has a clay-like consistency.

• convalescence period- the long-awaited stage of rehabilitation lasts another 4-5 days. At this time, the baby is no longer a source of infection for others, but is still very vulnerable and weakened. The baby can still be disturbed by residual, both intestinal and respiratory manifestations.

Even when the threat has passed, the baby still feels weak for some time.

How does the infectious agent enter the child's body?

Intestinal flu belongs to the traditional series of "diseases of dirty hands." The main ways of transmission of infection are oral and contact-household.

Breeding in the intestines of a sick person, the virus is excreted in the stool. Poorly washed hands, overcrowding of the children's team, insufficient attention to food hygiene - all this gives a wide field for the "activity" of rotavirus.

Lack of attention to hygiene can cause infection.

Despite the fact that the main season for the development of infection is traditionally considered the period from October to March, but in recent years outbreaks of epidemics in seaside resorts have become more frequent. From time to time doctors of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and Bulgarian resorts announce an unfavorable epidemic situation. The reproduction of the virus is facilitated by the mass congestion of people on the beaches, the contamination of sea water with microbes, and non-compliance with hygiene standards.

The doctor diagnosed the stomach flu. How do we treat?

There is no doubt that when the baby got up in the morning sluggish, he vomited on an empty stomach, he refused to eat, and after a few sips of water, he vomited again - You immediately called the local pediatrician.

The complexity of self-diagnosis of rotavirus infection is that at the beginning of the disease, the symptoms of the disease are similar to the signs of most of its intestinal "colleagues", including the most dangerous ones - dysentery, cholera, etc. And here it is unacceptable to let everything take its course.

You can't treat a baby on your own! Seek help from a specialist.

Once the diagnosis has been confirmed, we can begin to take action:

• Rule #1- this sore, like any flu, has a viral nature. No antibiotics work on viruses! It doesn't matter what your neighbor told you.
• Rule #2- it will not "dissolve" itself either. Rather, it will resolve, but with complications. The baby needs help, even if his symptoms are just diarrhea.

So, the treatment of rotavirus infection is symptomatic. What does it mean? Only that if we cannot do anything with the pathogen itself, then reduce the risk of its manifestations, it is entirely within our power.

Diarrhea

One of the most exhausting baby symptoms is diarrhea. From the very first hours of its appearance, we begin the fight against dehydration. You can read more about this on our website. But the general principle of rehydration therapy is to replenish the lost fluid with a little. This is especially important for infants. The consequences of dehydration for a six-month-old baby can be catastrophic.

Regidron will help restore the water-salt balance!

Traditionally, a weak saline solution (at the rate of 1 tsp per liter of water) or preparations of the type is used for rehydration. For children under one year of age, a single fluid intake should not exceed 30-50 ml. to avoid increased vomiting.

Intoxication

Sorbents are used to remove toxins and waste products of microbes that have occupied the baby's gastrointestinal tract. These include activated carbon, Enterosgel. Be sure to consult your doctor about the frequency of administration and dosage! Usually, activated charcoal is taken at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of the patient's weight, the doses of Smecta, etc. are indicated on the package.

With severe intoxication of the body, children are given various sorbents, for example, activated charcoal.

Heat

If the baby is still very small, and does not tolerate temperature well, we use the usual antipyretic for him. , or - what you usually give the kid in such cases.

If possible, bringing down the temperature below 38°C is not recommended. The fact is that the causative agent of the infection, the notorious rotavirus, dies after being "fried" in the heated body of the baby.

With too strong spastic pain, you can give the child No-shpu. For very small ones, it is used in solution.

Pain in the abdomen is not worth enduring, give the crumbs painkillers.

Restoration of microflora

By the end of the disease, after the reduction of the main symptoms, we begin to "restore the national economy." To do this, we use Acipol, Baktisubtil, and similar drugs.

Menu of the child during the illness

On the first day of the acute stage of the disease, if the baby is already vomiting from one type of food, we do not force feed! As the famous doctor E.O. Komarovsky - not a single child has yet died of starvation in one day.

1. The main taboo is milk and milk-containing products. In no case! The exception is infants who are breastfed. On the contrary, we take away everything from them, except for mother's milk.
2. We exclude fried and fatty foods, as they give a big load on the inflamed gastrointestinal tract of the child.
3. Fruits can be irritating to the intestines.
4. Carbonated drinks, juices - for the same reason.

What could be tastier than hot sweet jelly!?

If the baby does not refuse food, jelly boiled on water, because of their enveloping action, steamed vegetables, and other light foods, go well.

Can infection be avoided? Prevention of rotavirus infection

Preventing infection with this microbe comes down to two principles. Specific prophylaxis consists in vaccination with a weakened strain of the virus. Non-specific - in elementary observance of the rules and regulations of personal hygiene: washing hands, vegetables and fruits, drinking boiled or bottled water in areas with questionable purity of sources, attention to food, especially dairy products.

Cleanliness of hands is the key to health.

A person who has once been ill with intestinal flu receives immunity to subsequent infections, just as with vaccination. The disease does not occur, or passes in a mild, weakened form.

The skin of babies is very thin and delicate, extremely susceptible to various aggressive factors from the outside. Sometimes in crumbs. In this case, immediate action must be taken.

Marble skin in a newborn - a dangerous anomaly or the norm? Let's figure it out together.

Moms' opinions about treatment

Irina, Nikita's mother (4 years):

“Girls, to us, in addition to all of the above, - the doctor prescribed. It seems that I read the annotation, the drug is good. But is it worth giving it to a child with a rotavirus infection? How do kids handle it? Nikita immediately had severe diarrhea. He complained of severe abdominal pain. They called me straight from work to the kindergarten, the nurse sounded the alarm. They invited a doctor, he recommended. Has anyone used it?"

Daria Andreevna, Inna's grandmother (2 years old):

“Of course, if the doctor has prescribed, be sure to take it! In this medicine, the children's form, in the form of a suspension, is used from the age of one month. At your age - 200 mg, three times a day (it contains a convenient measuring spoon). By the way, with intestinal flu, it is also convenient in that its intake is not associated with food. Babies often refuse to eat on the first day, they feel sick. And you can drink it regardless of food. Get well soon!”

Veronica B., mother of Denis (1.3 years old) and Mila (6 years old):

“When Mila was sick, my pediatrician prescribed a diet by day:

• Day 1 - unroasted crackers, rice water, tea without sugar.
• Day 2 - grated porridge on water and without oil - rice, buckwheat, oatmeal. Give in small portions, but more often, do not burden the stomach, it is already difficult for him.
• Day 3 - slimy light soups, add a little semolina at the end of cooking, for an enveloping effect.

It is better to stay on a diet longer until the epithelium in the intestine is restored. If you hurry, the baby may still have gases, colic, and other troubles of gastrointestinal motility for a long time. ”

Elena Bondareva

Rotavirus infection is caused by viruses that adversely affect the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, the main symptoms are: diarrhea and vomiting against the background of fever. Doctors note that almost every child has had rotavirus at least once in his life, and many have become ill more than once. Despite such a spread of rotavirus infection, it cannot be considered safe, incorrect actions can lead to serious consequences.

All treatment for rotavirus comes down to three components:

• rehydration,
• diet,
• taking medications.

Regarding the last point, pediatricians disagree. Some people think that you need to take antiviral drugs. And others do not see the need for this, since such remedies do not cure the children's body. Some experts also advise giving vitamins to a child with rotavirus, because they are quickly lost. The other part is inclined to think that for the period of illness it is possible to do without vitamin complexes, since their assimilation is still difficult.

The importance of diet for rotavirus in children is confirmed by all pediatricians. As well as the need for rehydration - restoring the water balance in the child's body. The diet is quite strict, but it must be followed for only a few days. After that, you can stick to a more expanded diet. And drinking plenty of water for rehydration will also be needed for a short time. But these two conditions must be met.

What should I eat and drink with rotavirus in a child?

The first rule is to stay hydrated. A child can drink warm boiled water, but it will come out very quickly (with vomiting and diarrhea). Therefore, it is worth giving sick children:

• a special rehydration solution bought at a pharmacy,
• weak decoction of wild rose,
• tea, not strongly brewed,
• a solution with salt and sugar, prepared independently.

Pharmaceutical products are very effective, they contain potassium, sodium, chlorine, glucose. They can be in the form of ready-made solutions, and can be sold in the form of powders and tablets for dilution in water. If you want to prepare the solution yourself, add one tablespoon of salt, two tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of baking soda to 1 liter of boiled water. Drinking is given to children every half an hour for 50-100 ml, a larger amount can cause even more vomiting.

The diet for rotavirus infection in a child involves a complete refusal to eat on the first day, if the child does not ask for food (only drink plenty of water). Starting from the second day, you can eat permitted foods in liquid and pureed form, with the exception of crackers from white bread. Here are the allowed foods and dishes:

• white bread croutons (better than a loaf),
• broth from meat and fish of low-fat varieties (ideally - chicken and turkey),
• soups on weak broths,
• liquid cereals without milk (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal),
• steamed meatballs from meat and fish of low-fat varieties,
• vegetable puree (pumpkin, zucchini),
• baked apples, banana (a little),
• jelly from berries (homemade).

You need to eat every 2-3 hours up to six times a day. Portions should be small: 100-200 grams, depending on the age of the child.

There are so many prohibitions for rotovirus in children that you can not list them. Nothing fried, spicy and causing fermentation in the stomach, of course, is impossible. You should be careful about giving dairy products to children, although a little low-fat sour-milk products are still possible (if there is no frequent stool or resumption of vomiting!). The exception is breastfed babies, they must be fed with mother's milk. And for the "artists" it is better to replace the mixture with a lactose-free one for the duration of the illness.

The famous doctor Evgeny Komarovsky is very popular among parents. In this regard, many mothers would certainly like to know his opinion on restrictions during rotavirus infection. The diet for rotavirus in children according to Komarovsky includes all permitted foods, but he advises to abandon dairy products completely (with the exception of babies). By the way, Komarovsky is one of the supporters of the fact that with rotovirus it is not necessary to take antiviral agents.

What to do if you have diarrhea, what to eat during an illness? In our article, you can find a way out of this situation. Read our article; diet for diarrhea in an adult.

Diet after rotavirus in children

The same doctor Komarovsky advises to stick to the rejection of dairy products after the illness. However, most pediatricians are still confident that fermented milk products and processed milk will help babies restore the intestinal microflora faster. You also need to add other foods to your diet.

The diet after rotavirus infection in children adds the following foods and dishes to the menu:

• yogurt, cottage cheese and kefir (low-fat),
• omelet with a little milk,
• stew of stewed vegetables (carrots, cabbage),
• fresh fruit (some).

In addition, unlike the diet during illness, you need to eat meat, fish, vegetables and fruits in pieces. After all, prolonged use of pureed food leads to lethargy of the intestines. Restrictions on foods in the diet must be observed for another 2 weeks after recovery.

And the most important rule that parents should learn is do not try to make independent diagnoses. In case of vomiting, diarrhea, high temperature, consult a doctor immediately!

Rotavirus intestinal infection has not bypassed the attention of any person. Everyone (regardless of the state of immunity, gender and race) has suffered this disease at least once. And for those who were born quite recently, they still have to get sick with rotavirus. That is why the well-known pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky considers it his duty to tell parents what this disease is and how to act correctly when the child gets sick.

About the disease

Rotavirus infection is one of the varieties of acute intestinal infection. It is caused by a special type of virus - rotavirus, in the people this disease is often called "intestinal flu".

Yevgeny Komarovsky emphasizes that rotavirus has nothing to do with the influenza virus and any of its specific strains. Any influenza is able to multiply and exist only on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. With rotavirus, everything is different, it “lives” in the small intestine, and therefore it is not very correct to call it the flu as a whole.

For the first time, a virus (under a microscope resembling a wheel with hubs and a rim, and therefore called “rota” - a wheel (lat.) was discovered in 1973 by Australian researchers. 98% of children under the age of 3 years have already had this disease at least once (according to The virus is transmitted by contact - fecal-oral, this is popularly called "dirty hands disease".

A baby can get infected from a sick person through toys, door handles, dishes, household items. The virus is extremely contagious. Although specific immunity to rotavirus is developed, it almost does not matter, since this agent has a lot of strains and varieties. A person is attacked by completely different “modifications” of the rotavirus (more than 9 are known to science, and mutations are still ongoing).

All varieties of this virus are quite resistant to low temperatures, exposure to sunlight and air. For quite a long time, rotavirus survives in spring and sea water.

The incubation period is the time that passes after the virus enters the body, until the moment when the acute stage of the disease begins. This period of time varies from child to child.

The virus accumulates and replicates, usually within 3-7 days. The disease itself lasts about 2-3 days, at least 5 more days the body recovers after recovery.

The child is contagious all the time from the moment of infection until the end of the recovery period. Even if the baby is already feeling well, quite viable microparticles of the virus still continue to stand out with the feces.

That is why Komarovsky strongly does not recommend immediately after the child is better, send him to kindergarten or school. This will certainly lead to mass infection in the children's team.

The likelihood of contracting rotavirus in no way depends on the cleanliness of the family. Even if the mother washes and vacuums everything several times a day, if she makes the child wash their hands with soap every hour, carefully monitors the quality of each product that falls on the table, does not allow drinking water of dubious origin - all this does not reduce the risk of getting rotavirus.

Most often, the virus attacks children aged 6 months to 2 years. In general, children from birth to 5 years of age are at risk. In a newborn, this ailment happens somewhat less frequently, since the first six months after his birth, the child is favorably influenced by maternal “innate” immunity, which usually lasts just a maximum of six months. Then the baby becomes more vulnerable.

The World Health Organization cites the following figures: every day on our planet, about 125 million children become infected with rotavirus. Most recover fairly quickly and on their own. 2 million babies end up in hospitals, about 500 thousand toddlers die, but not from the rotavirus infection itself, but from severe complications that occur during its course.

Symptoms

The following main symptoms can be distinguished:

• Diarrhea.
• Vomit.
• Stomach ache.
• Increased flatulence.
• Increase in body temperature.
• Lethargy, pale skin.
• Lack of appetite.

Yevgeny Komarovsky claims that the vast majority of cases of unexplained diarrhea in children under three years of age are a manifestation of rotavirus infection. In other words, if the child ate everything that is usual, and he does not have signs of food poisoning, then stool disorder in 99% of cases indicates an attack by this particular type of virus.

Rotavirus infection presents with watery diarrhea. Distinguishing it from poisoning (a disorder caused by bacteria) is quite simple - the main clue for parents should be precisely the consistency of feces. Mushy diarrhea is more common with food poisoning. Diarrhea "with water" is a viral diarrhea, and according to Evgeny Komarovsky, there are no other options.

With viral diarrhea, the feces are grayish in color and have a very sharp unpleasant odor. For 2-3 days, the contents of the pot acquire a clay consistency and a yellowish-gray color. The sour smell persists.

Rotavirus infection is characterized by a sudden acute onset - with fever, vomiting. Sometimes vomit may have a specific smell of acetone, similarly it may smell from the mouth of a child. At the next stage, enteritis and gastroenteritis develop, diarrhea (up to 10-12 trips to the toilet per day). Minor respiratory manifestations may appear - runny nose, sore throat, pain when swallowing, cough.

About treatment

Diarrhea from rotavirus infection usually resolves in 2-3 days, but carries a rather serious risk of dehydration. Almost all fatal cases that occurred with this disease became possible precisely because of the critical loss of fluid, severe dehydration. The younger the child, the faster he develops dehydration, the more dangerous rotavirus is for him. The infection is most severe in infants.

A serious complication that gives rotavirus with severe dehydration is pneumonia. Many cases of dehydration are complicated by serious disorders of the nervous system. Rotavirus and dehydration are especially dangerous for underweight children.

The main thing that parents should learn to do is not even to determine the origin of the baby's diarrhea, but to be able to quickly assess whether the child has signs of dehydration. Evgeny Komarovsky recommends that in all cases of diarrhea in a small child, consult a doctor. But you can’t just sit still and do nothing - you need to carefully observe.

If the baby's tongue becomes dry, he begins to cry without tears, does not pee for more than 6 hours and practically does not sweat - this is a good reason for an urgent call to the ambulance. If the baby began to lose consciousness, his eyes “sunk down”, and his facial features “sharpened”, he has a high temperature - these are extremely dangerous symptoms, they indicate severe dehydration. The help of doctors is required immediately.

If dehydration starts, a child who cannot drink enough fluid to restore balance in the body needs to be given intravenous water. This will be the basis of hospital treatment.

If there are no signs of dehydration, parents may well be able to cope with rotavirus intestinal infection on their own. And here the main therapy will be to prevent the onset of dehydration. This child needs to drink. The more often, the better. Drinking should be neither cold nor hot, but exclusively at room temperature, since it is such a liquid that is absorbed as quickly as possible in the small intestine. If the baby refuses to drink in sips, he should be given a teaspoon and more often, but he must drink.

Further, Dr. Komarovsky advises giving special medicines that should be in the first-aid kit of every family that has babies. - means for oral rehydration (for example, Regidron, Humana Electrolyte). If there is no such medicine, it is not possible to buy it, Yevgeny Komarovsky recommends using a recipe approved by the World Health Organization: 2 tablespoons of sugar, a spoonful of salt and a spoonful of soda are taken per liter of water. The task of parents is to give their child this salt solution to drink at any cost. If that doesn't work, it's best to call an ambulance right away.

First aid

In general, Komarovsky says, the algorithm of reasonable parental actions for childhood diarrhea should always look like this:

• Plentiful warm drink. Frequent and fractional. Plain water and saline solution. If a child pees every 3 hours, then he consumes enough liquid to prevent dehydration. If you can’t get drunk even with a disposable syringe without a needle, call an ambulance.
• Place a small child on its side so that in the event of an attack of vomiting, it does not choke on vomit.
• Antipyretics- only if the temperature is above 38.5.
• Monitor the condition of the child, avoid dehydration. At the first symptoms of dehydration, call an ambulance.
• Don't feed. If it really asks - give liquid porridge or mashed potatoes in small quantities.

Before the doctor arrives, leave a diaper with feces or keep a sample of the contents of the pot to show it to the doctor. So the doctor will be able to diagnose the disease faster, and the likelihood of error will be reduced (rotavirus, for example, is very similar to cholera in the initial stage).

The big mistake is giving your child antibiotics. The disease is of viral origin, and antibacterial drugs are completely powerless against viruses. Treating a child with viral diarrhea with them is a real parental crime, since it not only does not bring benefits, but also increases the likelihood of complications.

Another mistake that can cost parents dearly is the unauthorized prescription of antidiarrheal drugs (for example, Enterofuril). With rotavirus, viral particles (more precisely, their microparticles) come out with feces. Therefore, to stop diarrhea means to prolong the disease, to leave virus particles in the small intestine, where they will continue to destroy useful cells for some time. It is not necessary to fight diarrhea, it is a protective mechanism of the body.

Another misconception is the effectiveness of antiviral agents in intestinal infections. A doctor called to the house will most likely prescribe something antiviral, because, according to Komarovsky, not a single doctor wants to have long conversations about the benefits of drinking plenty of water and thereby take responsibility for the situation.

Whether or not to take the prescribed tablets or syrups is up to you. But Komarovsky recalls that there are no antiviral drugs in nature with clinically proven effectiveness. Moreover, the effectiveness of these drugs against a specific pathogen - rotavirus has not been proven.

It is worth abandoning homeopathic remedies ("Anaferon", "Ocillococinum"). With their effectiveness and proven action, everything is even more deplorable, and the purchase of such drugs, according to Yevgeny Komarovsky, will become just an extra burden on the family budget.

Rotavirus vaccine

Many countries have already included vaccination against rotavirus intestinal infection in their mandatory National Immunization Schedules. In Russia, there is no such mandatory practice yet. Vaccination against rotavirus, according to Western experts, helps to reduce the incidence by 80% and reduces the risk of death by 45%. That is, infection remains possible, but the course of the disease will be easier.

Today in Russia you can get vaccinated against rotavirus, but only privately - in paid clinics. Two types of vaccine are used - the American "Rotatec" and the Belgian "Rotarix".

Both vaccines are taken by mouth (drops in the mouth). Both contain live rotavirus artificially weakened in laboratory conditions in small quantities.

In most cases, the vaccine does not cause allergic reactions and side effects, it is quite easily tolerated even by the smallest patients. Recommended terms of vaccination - from 1.5 months to six months. Older children should not be vaccinated. One of the vaccines is taken twice (with a break of 45 days), the second - in three doses (with similar breaks), and therefore it is better to do it at 2 and 4 months, and take the second vaccine according to the scheme - 2-4-5.5 months .

Naturally, vaccination will not be given to a child who is currently sick, and vaccination against rotavirus is contraindicated for babies with congenital malformations of the gastrointestinal tract. No special preparation for vaccination against rotavirus is required.

During the acute phase of the disease, you should not feed the child, unless he asks for food himself.

A strict diet should be followed not only during treatment, but also for some time after recovery: completely exclude from the menu whole milk and dairy products, sweet fruits, pastries, meat, as well as fatty and fried foods. It is useful to eat cereals on the water, vegetable soups, white bread crackers, baked apples in the oven. You need to feed often and in small portions.

Very young children with rotavirus infection are not denied breast milk, dietary restrictions are not introduced, but they make sure that drinking is plentiful. Breast milk itself contains antiviral components provided by nature itself, which will help the baby in the process of recovery.

Occasionally, with a severe course of rotavirus infection in infants, due to the occurrence of an enzyme deficiency, intolerance or partial intolerance to breast milk may occur. In this case, you should reduce the number of breastfeedings and temporarily add lactose-free infant formula to the baby's diet (until complete recovery).

A child with rotavirus should not be put to bed. If he has a high temperature, then bed rest is necessary. In all other cases, he should lead a normal life - play, walk. Of course, you should stay away from the courtyard playground so as not to spread the rotavirus to other children, but a walk in a sparsely populated park or square will do you good.

Effective prevention of rotavirus, according to Komarovsky, should be vaccination. Only then you need to wash your hands, always with soap, wash vegetables and fruits, monitor the quality of the water that the child drinks. In fairness, the doctor notes that no hygiene tricks can guarantee a low probability of infection. Therefore, in developed and civilized countries, and in the countries of the "third world", the incidence of rotavirus is at the same high level.

If you are going to go to sea with a small child, Komarovsky strongly recommends the rotavirus vaccine. Recently, this intestinal infection has become quite widespread in resorts where children become infected with water. Most often, Rospotrebnadzor specialists "signal" about the unfavorable situation due to this disease on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, in the Crimea and on the coasts of Bulgaria.

What is rotavirus and what are its symptoms? How dangerous is rotavirus infection and how to help a sick child, how effective is vaccination against this virus? All these questions will be answered by Dr. Komarovsky in the video below.

The transition to a special diet is a mandatory aspect of the treatment of rotavirus. Diets during the period of illness and after it are different. However, they also have something in common - the foods used and dishes from them should contribute to the recovery of the child after an illness. About how to feed a child with rotavirus infection, we will tell in the article.

Diet for children under one year of breastfeeding

When a baby of the first year of life has all the symptoms of rotavirus on his face, the question automatically arises of how to deal with breastfeeding. To date The opinion of doctors was divided into two groups:

1. Be sure to continue breastfeeding, since only mother's milk can help the child's body cope with the disease as much as possible.

   With natural feeding, the mother, along with breast milk, transfers to the baby not only the necessary nutrients, but also antibodies, due to which the future immunity of the little person is formed. Milk contains special cells that help the inflamed intestines recover faster.

2. Since rotavirus damages the cells of an incompletely formed intestine, it cannot qualitatively process lactose. Therefore, some pediatricians recommend temporarily giving up breastfeeding and switching to lactose-free or soy-adapted formulas.

   However, it is important to know that during the period of illness it is extremely undesirable to “tear off” the baby from the chest and abruptly switch to the mixture. In addition, it is often difficult to return to full-fledged natural feeding even after a break of 2-3 weeks.

Continuing to breastfeed the baby stick to a few top tips:

• Breastfeed your baby more often than usual. Food will come in smaller portions, due to which it will be better absorbed. It happens that the child does not want to suck at the very moment when you offer him. In this case, feed on demand, as always.
• If rotavirus caused lactase deficiency, the pediatrician will definitely prescribe drugs containing lactase:
  • "Lactraz",
  • "Lactazar",
  • "Lactase Baby".

Nutrition for artificial babies up to a year

For artificial people, the diet remains the same, but the frequency of meals changes, and its usual amount decreases slightly. It is possible to focus on several feeding schemes, depending on the severity of the baby's condition.

Feeding schemes. Table 1

• "Alfare";
• "Peptide Tutelli";
• "Nutramigen";
• "Pregestemil".

Carefully! With such a course of rotavirus, it is urgent to call a doctor, since this condition can be life-threatening.

Artificial babies are allowed to drink glucose-salt solution to avoid dehydration. For a liter of drinking water, 1 teaspoon of salt + 1/2 teaspoon of soda + 1 tablespoon (4 teaspoons) of sugar.

What can you eat with rotavirus for children older than a year

Babies older than a year, as a rule, eat from the common table. All meals must be fresh and self-cooked. Especially during the period of illness and remission.

In a diseased state, the intestines perceive only soft, ground food, without spices and seasonings..

The patient's table should be extremely sparing. When cooking, it is better to use either the stewing method or the boiling method. There should be no fried food.

Try to ensure that everything you give your baby is quickly and easily digested: fermentation and rotting of food in a small stomach is unacceptable, as this can further aggravate the situation.

Important! No need to force the child to eat if he does not want to. From the usual volume of servings for a while, you will also have to give up. A quarter cut is optimal. In severe cases, portions are reduced by half. On average, about 5-6 meals a day are obtained.

Don't forget to drink plenty of water, the only way to protect the baby from critical fluid loss. If he does not want to drink, you will have to persuade him or use non-traditional methods of drinking. Alternatively, you can use a syringe without a needle, with which the liquid is poured over the cheek.

What can you eat

first week Not many products are allowed:

• poultry-based broths;
• meat cooked by boiling;
• fish dishes (their low-fat fish);
• oatmeal porridge (on water) with a minimum addition of butter;
• on the 6th-7th day, semolina porridge, rice porridge, buckwheat, cooked exclusively in water and rubbed through a sieve, are allowed;
• omelette;
• cottage cheese with a minimum fat content;
• wheat crackers or custard cookies;
• steamed vegetables;
• cereals diluted with vegetable broth;
• bananas. A pediatrician will help determine whether a banana is possible for a sick child. As a rule, for 3-4 days, with tangible improvements, you can gradually return this fruit to the diet.

From drinks it is permissible to use:

• green tea,
• kissel,
• rosehip decoction,
• glucose saline solution
• light decoction of raisins,
• morsa (during the recovery period).

With a decrease or disappearance of symptoms, the baby gradually and very carefully returns to the usual menu. There is no need to rub through a sieve.

What is forbidden to eat

To remove the load from the intestines as much as possible, it is necessary to exclude a whole list of foods from the diet of a child older than 1 year.

"Excluded" products include:

• sweets, goodies. Only 30-40 grams of sugar per day is allowed, for example, to sweeten tea or compote;
• juices (grape, plum, apricot), kvass, fruit drink;
• fresh and dried fruits, raw vegetables;
• fatty meat and fish;
• dairy products. For children after 1 year in the acute period and after recovery, a dairy-free diet is established for more than a month;
• flour and pasta;
• cereals from a cell, millet, barley;
• canned food;
• onions, garlic, beets, radishes, radishes, spinach, mushrooms, sorrel, cabbage;
• beans;
• sausages;
• eggs (fried and hard-boiled);
• spices, spicy, fried, smoked.

Menu for rotavirus

The basic rule for compiling a menu is that food should not be repeated from day to day, should not become boring and be easily digestible. It is very important to maintain such a diet for a month after rotavirus or for a period determined by the pediatrician.

If the child is in the hospital, his diet will determine the clinical nutrition (tables 4b and 4c). If he is on home treatment, the pediatrician will advise you to stick to the foods recommended on these tables in the baby's diet.

Diet 4b is a moderate type of food to help improve digestion. Diet 4v is prescribed during the recovery period and provides good nutrition with a reservation for individual violations of bowel functions. Dishes from these diets are quite diverse, despite the fact that a sufficient amount of foods familiar to the baby is “banned”.

Menu example. Option 1

Menu example. Option 2

Menu example. Option 3

Dr. Komarovsky: what to eat with intestinal flu

Pediatrician Komarovsky offers one single diet for all babies, regardless of age. Its principle is the complete exclusion of all dairy products from the diet of a sick child.. This is due to the fact that with rotavirus, intestinal activity decreases and it ceases to cope with the high-quality processing of lactose.

Therefore, according to Komarovsky, even mother's milk can provoke deterioration in the condition of the crumbs. The doctor does not insist on a complete (during the illness) transition to specialized lactose-free mixtures. But recommends replacing at least a few feedings with a mixture. This regimen should be observed for about 2-3 weeks. This treatment will end, and it will be possible to restore breastfeeding.

If the baby is originally artificial, then for the duration of the illness, the usual mixture is replaced by a special one.. It is not worth delaying feeding with these mixtures for up to a month or two. As soon as rotavirus diarrhea has passed, it is enough for another 3 weeks for prevention, so that the body of the crumbs gets stronger. Then you can return to your normal diet.

What can you eat after an infection

The desire of parents to feed the child as tightly as possible after recovery is fundamentally wrong and can only harm him. The diet immediately after the illness and the diet a month later will be somewhat different from each other.

The main principles of nutrition in the first weeks after the transferred virus, the following:

• for approximately three weeks, do not include any products containing milk in the diet;
• after the acute phase of diarrhea:
  • on the 1st day only crackers,
  • the next day, rice porridge on the water is added,
  • further allowed buckwheat or oatmeal on the water, mashed potatoes of a very liquid consistency without butter and milk;
• be sure to drink plenty of water (as prescribed with the addition of drugs):
  • "Smekta",
  • "Rehydron",
  • glucose saline solution
  • dried fruits compote,
  • green tea,
  • rosehip decoction.

Immediately after the illness within a week it is better to stick to an approximate menu, which will include such dishes:

• porridge on the water;
• broths on poultry meat of low-fat breeds;
• mashed vegetable soups;
• veal broth;
• steamed turkey meatballs;
• omelette;
• baked apples;
• carrot-apple puree;
• on the seventh day you can add butter;
• fish cakes.

This diet lasts about a month.. Then the usual foods are returned to the diet in small portions. At the same time, for a while, in whole or in part, it is worth abandoning:

• acute,
• fried,
• soda water,
• chocolate and sweet buns.

2-3 weeks after the illness, start returning the food in its usual form. Doctors, including Dr. Komarovsky, allowed immediately after rotavirus to consume the following fermented milk products:

• kefir,
• ryazhenka,
• curdled milk,
• yogurt without chemical additives (live yogurt with a shelf life of no more than 5 days, containing only milk and sourdough).

The child does not eat anything after illness: what to do

There are frequent cases when, after an illness, the baby refuses to eat, and the parents begin to seriously worry about this - the strength is already lost, it is necessary to restore, and the appetite is gone.

Refusal to eat is a sign that the body has not yet fully recovered from an illness.. Therefore, in such situations, it is better not to insist and not to force-feed. Such parental behavior can easily provoke a negative attitude towards meals or gag reflexes at the sight of food in the future.

After the illness, continue to water the baby more - so the microbes will quickly leave the child's body. It is very important to watch the baby all this time. If, when refusing to eat, the baby is cheerful and cheerful, active, do not worry. Soon the appetite will improve, but now it is enough just to offer dishes, but not to insist.

Try to give more "nutritious" drink, rather than plain water.. Suitable for this purpose:

• kissel,
• rice water,
• ryazhenka,
• slightly sweetened kefir.

Diet and nutrition after the virus

Every day the child is on the mend, the appetite returns, and you can diversify the meager dietary table a little. Below are examples of menus that will help you navigate the choice of dishes for your baby.

Sample menu. Option 1

Sample menu. Option 2

Sample menu. Option 3

Useful video

Fragment of the webinar "Rotavirus infection - a disease of our time?" for parents within the framework of the new social project "MD Class":

Conclusion

1. The first thing parents of a sick child need to remember is the water-salt balance. It needs to be supported with both normal drinking and medications to help rehydrate.
2. The diet during and after the illness should be extremely sparing. Refusal to eat is not a reason to worry. An inflamed intestine thus gives a signal that it cannot cope with the digestion of food.
3. Treatment tables 4b and 4c are indicative for the formation of a home menu. Their main principle is to exclude dairy and other "heavy" products.

Many mothers have faced such a problem as rotavirus infection. The baby's health deteriorates sharply, the disease is accompanied by vomiting, indigestion. This raises the logical question of how to feed children with rotavirus infection. In the article you will find a complete list of recommendations, a list of allowed and prohibited foods, and an approximate menu.

What is rotavirus infection

The source of this disease is a virus carrier. The infection attacks the lining of the stomach and intestines, and a sick person can spread the virus through the air.

A feature of rotavirus infection is that in the initial period, the symptoms are similar to respiratory diseases. Its first manifestations are coughing, sneezing, fever. Because of this, diagnosis is difficult, which contributes to the further spread of infection.

Rotavirus infection in a child. Symptoms and treatment

A baby can become infected not only through close physical contact with a sick person, but also through infected household items, toys, food and water. Entering the body through the mouth, the virus enters the intestines and causes severe diarrhea. The disease is accompanied by fever, acute pain in the abdomen, vomiting. Due to dehydration, the child becomes weak, lethargic.

Rotavirus infection in children is dangerous precisely because of the threat of severe dehydration, which can lead to serious consequences, including death. Moreover, the lower the weight and age of the child, the greater the risk he is exposed to, the faster the deterioration occurs. Therefore, the diet for rotavirus infection is so important. Menus and recipes suitable for sick children can be found in this article. For a successful recovery, following the right diet is essential.

Rotavirus infection in a child, the symptoms and treatment of which we are considering, is resistant to drugs. There are currently no drugs that kill rotavirus. We can only help the child's body cope with the disease itself. This will help the diet and the elimination of the threat of dehydration.

Features of the diet for intestinal infections

With rotavirus infection, it is important to follow a diet not only in the acute period, but also to maintain restrictions on certain foods for another two to three weeks, otherwise unpleasant symptoms may return. At the same time, even if the child has a good appetite, you should not allow him to overeat. It is better to eat little and often.

Follow the same principle when taking liquids. Drink the child as often as possible, every half an hour, but in small portions of 50-70 ml. A large amount of food or drink can provoke vomiting.

If the child has no appetite, then you cannot force him to eat, but you must definitely drink. If the baby refuses any drinks, dehydration begins, and you should immediately consult a doctor.

All dishes for the patient must be prepared in a special way. No fried, spicy, salty, fibrous or rough foods! Better to boil or steam. In this case, it is preferable to grind food and offer it in the form of mashed potatoes.

Features of the diet during breastfeeding

How to feed a child with rotavirus infection if he is breastfed? Rotavirus causes inflammation in the intestines and inhibits the production of enzymes that break down lactose. Therefore, many doctors recommend breastfeeding to be reduced or stopped altogether for two to three weeks. Lactose-free or soy mixtures are introduced into the diet.

Therapeutic nutrition for children with intestinal infection

So, what can you feed a child with rotavirus infection? Often children refuse food on the first or second day of illness. At this time, offer the baby liquid cereals on the water, jelly, mashed boiled dishes. But regarding fermented milk products, doctors disagree. In some children, they cause deterioration, diarrhea and vomiting. For other babies, cool sour-milk products bring relief, relieve spasmodic reactions, and vomiting. Therefore, when improving, you can give the child a little kefir, if he loves him, and carefully monitor the change in condition.

During illness, it is very important to give the child to drink more often. In this case, portions should be small so as not to provoke vomiting. As a drink, you can offer water, tea. There is no need to add a lot of sugar to drinks, just a little sweeten.

What to feed a child after a rotavirus infection? Even when all the unpleasant symptoms are in the past, the intestines have not yet returned to normal, so restrictions on dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits, fried, spicy foods should be kept for two to three weeks.

What to do if a child refuses to eat

How to feed a child with rotavirus infection if he refuses to eat? In the first, most difficult days of illness, the baby can completely refuse food. No need to force him to eat, this will only cause vomiting and will not bring any benefit. Insist only on fluid intake to avoid dehydration.

On the second or third day of illness, offer your baby light meals, preferably in the form of mashed potatoes. It can be lean meats, chicken, fish, boiled, stewed and steamed vegetables, liquid cereals on the water.

Usually, rotavirus infection resolves on its own and without serious consequences. However, this condition should not be taken lightly. An intestinal infection can cause dehydration, loss of nutrients, and weaken the immune system.

What products are prohibited

To understand how to feed a child with rotavirus infection, you need to know the list of prohibited foods. When introducing restrictions, it is important to take into account the age of the child and the severity of the course of the disease. A newborn cannot completely do without breast milk, so one or two feedings are left, supplementing the diet with a lactose-free mixture.

But older children can easily survive a dairy ban for a few weeks. What to feed a child after a rotavirus infection? The menu of a sick child is similar to the diet prescribed for gastritis - no products that irritate the mucous membrane.

When rotavirus infection is prohibited:

• raw vegetables and fruits, especially cabbage, radish, radish;
• whole milk;
• bakery products, black and white bread;
• sweets;
• spicy dishes;
• sausage of any kind;
• roast;
• smoked.

What products are allowed

Children who already eat at the common table follow the same diet as adults. What to feed a child with rotavirus infection? It can be:

• mucous soups in meat and vegetable broth;
• pureed cereals on the water - rice, buckwheat, oatmeal;
• low-fat kefir, cottage cheese;
• lean chicken meat, fish, boiled or steamed;
• weak unsweetened compotes from blueberries, currants, apples;
• kissels and jelly;
• crackers.

Proper nutrition greatly facilitates the course of the disease and speeds up recovery, helps to avoid complications.

Dish recipes

Here are a few recipes for dishes that are allowed for rotavirus infection.

Rice water is a drink that helps to alleviate the course of the disease. Take four tablespoons of rice per liter of water and boil for about two hours until the grains are completely cooked. Then wipe the mixture to make a homogeneous mass, add half a teaspoon of soda and the same amount of salt, stir. Ready broth can be stored in the refrigerator. If necessary, separate small portions and heat.

Carrot-apple puree is a tasty and healthy dish that a child with a poor appetite will eat with pleasure. Take half a kilogram of apples and carrots, wash, peel. Rub them on a fine grater, add 5 tablespoons of sugar, bring the mixture to a boil. The finished puree can be poured into glass jars or bottles with a wide neck and stored in the refrigerator.

Menu for a child affected by rotavirus infection

In conditions of a limited diet, it is important to create a menu so that the dishes are varied and do not bother the child. Let's take an example.

For breakfast, you can give a steamed omelet, low-fat cottage cheese with tea and breadcrumbs, rice or oatmeal.

For lunch, offer the baby vegetable soup, broth, steamed meatballs with rice or buckwheat, boiled fish. As a drink - rosehip broth.

Dinner may consist of steamed fish cakes, porridge, carrot and apple puree.

As a dessert, baked apples, bananas are suitable. As the state of health is restored, dried white bread, low-fat boiled meat and fish, meatballs, steam cutlets, soufflés can be introduced into the diet.

Vegetables are given boiled, in the form of mashed potatoes. Zucchini, pumpkin, broccoli are appropriate. Dairy products should be low in fat. Kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt, yogurt will do. Offer whole milk only three weeks after recovery.

Water-salt solution

When thinking about whether it is possible to feed a child with rotavirus infection with certain products, parents often forget that the most important thing during this period is drinking, especially in the early days. To avoid dehydration, you need to give the child a water-salt solution. It can be purchased at the pharmacy in sachets or prepared by yourself.

Dissolve 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of baking soda in a liter of boiled water. Instead of water, you can take a decoction of raisins. It is necessary to give a solution every 2 hours, 50 ml. In addition to the solution, offer your child tea, rosehip broth, rice broth, water, chicken broth.

If a child has a rotavirus infection, nutrition is very important. The speed of recovery also depends on the diet.

For me now, this information is more relevant than ever ... both children are ill, the little one is especially hard ....

God forbid you don't need it...

Rotavirus infection: causes, symptoms, treatment of rotavirus in a child

*The main danger of rotavirus infection is associated with dehydration due to severe diarrhea.

Rotavirus infection (synonyms Rotavirus gastroenteritis, stomach flu, intestinal flu) is one of the forms of acute intestinal infection, the causative agent of which is human Rotavirus from the genus Rotavirus. People at any age can get sick with rotavirus infection, but children from 6 months to a year or two are most often sick.
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In some countries (for example, in the USA), intestinal influenza accounts for up to 40% of all cases of acute intestinal infections in children. Adults become ill with rotavirus (rotavirus infection), becoming infected with it while caring for sick children.

The source of rotavirus infection and the development of the disease

The source of Rotavirus infection is a sick person or a healthy virus carrier. The virus multiplies in the cells of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract and is excreted in the feces. Isolation of rotavirus begins from the first days of the disease, simultaneously with the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease. The main mechanism of transmission of rotavirus infection is food.

In children's groups, rotavirus infection can cause outbreaks of acute diarrhea (diarrhea).
Rotavirus affects the mucous membrane of the stomach and small intestine with the occurrence of gastroenteritis (gastro-stomach, entero-small intestine). The defeat of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract disrupts the digestion of food and leads to the development of severe diarrhea and dehydration.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection

The incubation period of rotavirus lasts from 1 to 5 days. The disease of rotavirus infection begins acutely: the first symptoms of rotavirus are abdominal pain (acute, cramping), vomiting (up to 3-4 times a day), malaise, fever (up to 38 C).

Acute diarrhea (diarrhea) very quickly joins the described symptoms. Diarrhea in a patient with rotavirus infection is profuse yellowish in color with a sharp unpleasant, sour smell.
When examining a patient with rotavirus, one can notice redness of the conjunctiva of the eyes, the mucous membrane of the pharynx and palatine arches (sore throat).

The main danger of rotavirus infection is associated with dehydration due to severe diarrhea.
The course of rotavirus infection is usually benign.
The disease ends in 4-7 days with a complete recovery.

The described symptoms should be distinguished from the symptoms of cholera, salmonellosis, food poisoning.
After suffering a “stomach flu”, strong immunity remains, so re-infection with rotavirus infection is rare.

An adult may not even notice that he is a carrier of rotavirus infection,

The disease, as a rule, proceeds with erased symptoms: a short-term, possibly one-time case of diarrhea, loss of appetite, and a short-term fever. But during this period, a person is contagious!

Treatment of rotavirus infection

There is no specific treatment for rotavirus infection (stomach flu). Symptomatic treatment of the disease is indicated: treatment of diarrhea (mainly adequate rehydration of the body), lowering the temperature, light diet and enzyme preparations (. Buy ampoules (2 ml each), give the child 1 ml in the mouth for pain, drink tea.

To prevent the development of an intestinal bacterial infection, enterofuril is prescribed (the dosage is according to the age of the child, from 1 to 2 years - 1 tsp 2 times a day for 5 days) or enterol (but enterofuril is better).

For the treatment of diarrhea with rotavirus infection, smecta is prescribed (2 sachets per day in half a glass of water).

Vomiting with rotavirus infection can last up to 3-5 days, diarrhea - even longer.

For faster recovery of the intestinal microflora and normalization of stool in case of rotavirus infection, the drug bactisubtil is prescribed - 2 times a day, 1 capsule dissolved in water one hour before meals. Start taking Baktisubtil after the vomiting has subsided, approximately on the 3rd day of the illness.

On the second day of the disease, the child develops severe drowsiness, let the child sleep as much as he wants, just constantly monitor his body temperature, when he wakes up - let's drink a little.

Before using the above drugs and to diagnose the disease, be sure to call a doctor, do not self-diagnose, as the symptoms of rotavirus infection are similar to the symptoms of more dangerous diseases that require emergency medical care.

Prevention of rotavirus infection

Prevention of rotavirus infection consists in observing personal hygiene measures and isolating the patient during illness

Intestinal infection has not bypassed the attention of any person. Everyone (regardless of the state of immunity, gender and race) has suffered this disease at least once. And for those who were born quite recently, they still have to get sick with rotavirus. That is why the well-known pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky considers it his duty to tell parents what this disease is and how to act correctly when the child gets sick.

About the disease

Rotavirus infection is one of the varieties of acute intestinal infection. It is caused by a special type of virus - rotavirus, in the people this disease is often called "intestinal flu".

Yevgeny Komarovsky emphasizes that rotavirus has nothing to do with the influenza virus and any of its specific strains. Any influenza is able to multiply and exist only on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. With rotavirus, everything is different, it “lives” in the small intestine, and therefore it is not very correct to call it the flu as a whole.

For the first time, a virus (under a microscope resembling a wheel with hubs and a rim, and therefore called “rota” - a wheel (lat.) was discovered in 1973 by Australian researchers. 98% of children under the age of 3 years have already had this disease at least once (according to The virus is transmitted by contact - fecal-oral, this is popularly called "dirty hands disease".

A baby can get infected from a sick person through toys, door handles, dishes, household items. The virus is extremely contagious. Although specific immunity to rotavirus is developed, it almost does not matter, since this agent has a lot of strains and varieties. A person is attacked by completely different “modifications” of the rotavirus (more than 9 are known to science, and mutations are still ongoing).

All varieties of this virus are quite resistant to low temperatures, exposure to sunlight and air. For quite a long time, rotavirus survives in spring and sea water.

The incubation period is the time that passes after the virus enters the body, until the moment when the acute stage of the disease begins. This period of time varies from child to child.

The virus accumulates and replicates, usually within 3-7 days. The disease itself lasts about 2-3 days, at least 5 more days the body recovers after recovery.

The child is contagious all the time from the moment of infection until the end of the recovery period. Even if the baby is already feeling well, quite viable microparticles of the virus still continue to stand out with the feces.

That is why Komarovsky strongly does not recommend immediately after the child is better, send him to kindergarten or school. This will certainly lead to mass infection in the children's team.

The likelihood of contracting rotavirus in no way depends on the cleanliness of the family. Even if the mother washes and vacuums everything several times a day, if she makes the child wash their hands with soap every hour, carefully monitors the quality of each product that falls on the table, does not allow drinking water of dubious origin - all this does not reduce the risk of getting rotavirus.

Most often, the virus attacks children aged 6 months to 2 years. In general, children from birth to 5 years of age are at risk. In a newborn, this ailment happens somewhat less frequently, since the first six months after his birth, the child is favorably influenced by maternal “innate” immunity, which usually lasts just a maximum of six months. Then the baby becomes more vulnerable.

The World Health Organization cites the following figures: every day on our planet, about 125 million children become infected with rotavirus. Most recover fairly quickly and on their own. 2 million babies end up in hospitals, about 500 thousand toddlers die, but not from the rotavirus infection itself, but from severe complications that occur during its course.

Symptoms

Yevgeny Komarovsky claims that the vast majority of cases of unexplained diarrhea in children under three years of age are a manifestation of rotavirus infection. In other words, if the child ate everything that is usual, and he does not have signs of food poisoning, then stool disorder in 99% of cases indicates an attack by this particular type of virus.

Rotavirus infection presents with watery diarrhea. Distinguishing it from poisoning (a disorder caused by bacteria) is quite simple - the main clue for parents should be precisely the consistency of feces. Mushy diarrhea is more common with food poisoning. Diarrhea "with water" is a viral diarrhea, and according to Evgeny Komarovsky, there are no other options.

With viral diarrhea, the feces are grayish in color and have a very sharp unpleasant odor. For 2-3 days, the contents of the pot acquire a clay consistency and a yellowish-gray color. The sour smell persists.

Rotavirus infection is characterized by a sudden acute onset - with fever, vomiting. Sometimes vomit may have a specific smell of acetone, similarly it may smell from the mouth of a child. At the next stage, enteritis and gastroenteritis develop, diarrhea (up to 10-12 trips to the toilet per day). Minor respiratory manifestations may appear - runny nose, sore throat, pain when swallowing, cough.

About treatment

Diarrhea from rotavirus infection usually resolves in 2-3 days, but carries a rather serious risk of dehydration. Almost all fatal cases that occurred with this disease became possible precisely because of the critical loss of fluid, severe dehydration. The younger the child, the faster he develops dehydration, the more dangerous rotavirus is for him. The infection is most severe in infants.

A severe complication that rotavirus gives with severe dehydration is pneumonia. Many cases of dehydration are complicated by serious disorders of the nervous system. Rotavirus and dehydration are especially dangerous for underweight children.

The main thing that parents should learn to do is not even to determine the origin of the baby's diarrhea, but to be able to quickly assess whether the child has signs of dehydration. Evgeny Komarovsky recommends that in all cases of diarrhea in a small child, consult a doctor. But you can’t just sit still and do nothing - you need to carefully observe.

If the baby's tongue becomes dry, he begins to cry without tears, does not pee for more than 6 hours and practically does not sweat - this is a good reason for an urgent call to the ambulance. If the baby began to lose consciousness, his eyes “sunk down”, and his facial features “sharpened”, he has a high temperature - these are extremely dangerous symptoms, they indicate severe dehydration. The help of doctors is required immediately.

If dehydration starts, a child who cannot drink enough fluid to restore balance in the body needs to be given intravenous water. This will be the basis of hospital treatment.

If there are no signs of dehydration, parents may well be able to cope with rotavirus intestinal infection on their own. And here the main therapy will be to prevent the onset of dehydration. This child needs to drink. The more often, the better. Drinking should be neither cold nor hot, but exclusively at room temperature, since it is such a liquid that is absorbed as quickly as possible in the small intestine. If the baby refuses to drink in sips, he should be given a teaspoon and more often, but he must drink.

Further, Dr. Komarovsky advises giving special medicines that should be in the first-aid kit of every family that has babies. - means for oral rehydration (for example, Regidron, Humana Electrolyte). If there is no such medicine, it is not possible to buy it, Yevgeny Komarovsky recommends using a recipe approved by the World Health Organization: 2 tablespoons of sugar, a spoonful of salt and a spoonful of soda are taken per liter of water. The task of parents is to give their child this salt solution to drink at any cost. If that doesn't work, it's best to call an ambulance right away.

First aid

In general, Komarovsky says, the algorithm of reasonable parental actions for childhood diarrhea should always look like this:

• Plentiful warm drink. Frequent and fractional. Plain water and saline solution. If a child pees every 3 hours, then he consumes enough liquid to prevent dehydration. If you can’t get drunk even with a disposable syringe without a needle, call an ambulance.
• Place a small child on its side so that in the event of an attack of vomiting, it does not choke on vomit.
• Antipyretics- only if the temperature is above 38.5.
• Monitor the condition of the child, avoid dehydration. At the first symptoms of dehydration, call an ambulance.
• Don't feed. If it really asks - give liquid porridge or mashed potatoes in small quantities.

Before the doctor arrives, leave a diaper with feces or keep a sample of the contents of the pot to show it to the doctor. So the doctor will be able to diagnose the disease faster, and the likelihood of error will be reduced (rotavirus, for example, is very similar to cholera in the initial stage).

The big mistake is giving your child antibiotics. The disease is of viral origin, and antibacterial drugs are completely powerless against viruses. Treating a child with viral diarrhea with them is a real parental crime, since it not only does not bring benefits, but also increases the likelihood of complications.

Another mistake that can cost parents dearly is the unauthorized prescription of antidiarrheal drugs (for example, Enterofuril). With rotavirus, viral particles (more precisely, their microparticles) come out with feces. Therefore, to stop diarrhea means to prolong the disease, to leave virus particles in the small intestine, where they will continue to destroy useful cells for some time. It is not necessary to fight diarrhea, it is a protective mechanism of the body.

Another misconception is the effectiveness of antiviral agents in intestinal infections. A doctor called to the house will most likely prescribe something antiviral, because, according to Komarovsky, not a single doctor wants to have long conversations about the benefits of drinking plenty of water and thereby take responsibility for the situation.

Whether or not to take the prescribed tablets or syrups is up to you. But Komarovsky recalls that there are no antiviral drugs in nature with clinically proven effectiveness. Moreover, the effectiveness of these drugs against a specific pathogen - rotavirus has not been proven.

It is worth abandoning homeopathic remedies ("Anaferon", "Ocillococinum"). With their efficiency and proven action, everything is even more deplorable, and the purchase of such drugs, according to Evgeny Komarovsky, will become just an extra burden on the family budget.

Rotavirus vaccine

Many countries have already included vaccination against rotavirus intestinal infection in their mandatory National Immunization Schedules. In Russia, there is no such mandatory practice yet. Vaccination against rotavirus, according to Western experts, helps to reduce the incidence by 80% and reduces the risk of death by 45%. That is, infection remains possible, but the course of the disease will be easier.

Today in Russia you can get vaccinated against rotavirus, but only privately - in paid clinics. Two types of vaccine are used - the American "Rotatec" and the Belgian "Rotarix".

Both vaccines are taken by mouth (drops in the mouth). Both contain live rotavirus artificially weakened in laboratory conditions in small quantities.

In most cases, the vaccine does not cause allergic reactions and side effects, it is quite easily tolerated even by the smallest patients. Recommended terms of vaccination - from 1.5 months to six months. Older children should not be vaccinated. One of the vaccines is taken twice (with a break of 45 days), the second - in three doses (with similar breaks), and therefore it is better to do it at 2 and 4 months, and take the second vaccine according to the scheme - 2-4-5.5 months .

Naturally, vaccination will not be given to a child who is currently sick, and vaccination against rotavirus is contraindicated for babies with congenital malformations of the gastrointestinal tract. No special preparation for vaccination against rotavirus is required.

During the acute phase of the disease, you should not feed the child, unless he asks for food himself.

A strict diet should be followed not only during treatment, but also for some time after recovery: completely exclude from the menu whole milk and dairy products, sweet fruits, pastries, meat, as well as fatty and fried foods. It is useful to eat cereals on the water, vegetable soups, white bread crackers, baked apples in the oven. You need to feed often and in small portions.

Very young children with rotavirus infection are not denied breast milk, dietary restrictions are not introduced, but they make sure that drinking is plentiful. Breast milk itself contains antiviral components provided by nature itself, which will help the baby in the process of recovery.

Occasionally, with a severe course of rotavirus infection in infants, due to the occurrence of an enzyme deficiency, intolerance or partial intolerance to breast milk may occur. In this case, you should reduce the number of breastfeedings and temporarily add lactose-free infant formula to the baby's diet (until complete recovery).

A child with rotavirus should not be put to bed. If he has a high temperature, then bed rest is necessary. In all other cases, he should lead a normal life - play, walk. Of course, you should stay away from the courtyard playground so as not to spread the rotavirus to other children, but a walk in a sparsely populated park or square will do you good.

Effective prevention of rotavirus, according to Komarovsky, should be vaccination. Only then you need to wash your hands, always with soap, wash vegetables and fruits, monitor the quality of the water that the child drinks. In fairness, the doctor notes that no hygiene tricks can guarantee a low probability of infection. Therefore, in developed and civilized countries, and in the countries of the "third world", the incidence of rotavirus is at the same high level.

If you are going to go to sea with a small child, Komarovsky strongly recommends the rotavirus vaccine. Recently, this intestinal infection has become quite widespread in resorts where children become infected with water. Most often, Rospotrebnadzor specialists "signal" about the unfavorable situation due to this disease on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, in the Crimea and on the coasts of Bulgaria.