Tips For Stomach Flu In Kids
Wash and repeat.
The stomach flu is highly contagious from the time the symptoms start. But theres still a chance you can clear the germs from common cuddle areas. Wash these things in hot water: your sheets and duvet , couch throw pillows, couch blankets, winter jacket and accessories, favorite blankies, animals and lovies, toothbrushes, cups and utensils. Also remember to wash your hands repeatedly and try not to touch or rub your eyes, nose or mouth unless youve just used sanitizer.
Sanitize.
Disinfect all commonly used doorknobs, shared phones, remote controls, computer keyboards, toilets and toilet handles and sink faucets. Scrub the bathroom shes using three times a day. And wear gloves. Also be sure to spray a disinfectant among your childs belongings and most-visited spots, including her backpack, lunch box, computer, couch, and seat at the table. Remember, she was most contagious before she started puking!
Start a 3-sip system.
Refresh cool cloths continually.
The kids are usually burning up with a fever over 102, but shivering with chills. But a cool wash cloth draped on their head still feels good. Also, strip them of their fleece or footed pjs and put them in cotton, breathable jammies.
Boost immunity.
Get as much sleep as possible, take large doses of vitamin C, eat fruits, veggies, chicken soup, fresh garlic and foods with zinc .
Figure out the care plan.
Enjoy the downtime.
Help Your Child Find Relief With These Pediatrician
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , symptoms of the flu can include sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue. If your child is feeling sick, help them feel better by encouraging rest and keeping them hydrated. You can also try these kid-friendly flu home remedies to give relief.
How To Get Rid Of The Stomach Flu: 7 Home Remedies That Can Help
Getting rid of a stomach virus can actually be as simple as waiting 24 to 28 hours for symptoms to subside. If youre looking to feel better faster and recover well from the stomach flu, there are some natural remedies that you can easily do at home that have been known to help boost the recovery process.
1. Hydrate
Do you know what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say about how to get rid of stomach flu caused by the norovirus? According to the CDC:
There is no specific medicine to treat people with norovirus illness. Norovirus infection cannot be treated with antibiotics because it is a viral infection. If you have norovirus illness, you should drink plenty of liquids to replace fluid lost from throwing up and diarrhea. This will help prevent dehydration.
When you have the stomach flu, youre most likely dealing with diarrhea and/or vomiting. Both of these symptoms mean a lot of water loss for your body and the chance of dehydration which only makes you feel that much worse. To avoid becoming dehydrated from the stomach flu, its really important that you consume a lot of clear liquids like water, coconut water and herbal tea.
2. What To Eat
3. What Not to Eat
You want to know how to get rid of the stomach flu fast? Well, what you dont put into your body can be just as important or helpful as what you do put into your body! If you have the stomach flu, there are certain foods and drinks youll want to avoid until youre feeling better.
4. Rest
7. Probiotics
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Stomach Flu Causes And Risk Factors
What are stomach flu causes? A number of different viruses can cause viral gastroenteritis or stomach flu including noroviruses and rotaviruses. First, lets talk about the norovirus, which is said to be the number one cause of viral gastroenteritis in children and adults. If your stomach flu is caused by the norovirus, then the period during which you are contagious starts from the time you start to feel sick up until three days after you are better with some individuals being contagious as long as two weeks following their recovery. The norovirus causes stomach flu symptoms within a day or two of being exposed to the virus. On the plus side, most people who have the stomach flu due to norovirus feel better within 24 to 48 hours.
Another virus, the rotavirus, is the top cause of stomach flu in kids and infants, but it can also affect adults. Symptoms usually begin within one to three days of exposure. However, with this virus at the root, the stomach flu can be caught from someone before symptoms appear and even up to two weeks following recovery! Astrovirus and enteric adenovirus can also cause stomach flu.
How do you catch these viruses and end up with the stomach flu? The stool and vomit of infected individuals contain the viruses that cause stomach flu. The viruses that can cause a case of the stomach flu can easily spread from close contact with infected individuals through the following:
So how do you get rid of the stomach flu?
How Can I Treat Viral Gastroenteritis
In most cases, people with viral gastroenteritis get better on their own without medical treatment. You can treat viral gastroenteritis by replacing lost fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration. In some cases, over-the-counter medicines may help relieve your symptoms.
Research shows that following a restricted diet does not help treat viral gastroenteritis. When you have viral gastroenteritis, you may vomit after you eat or lose your appetite for a short time. When your appetite returns, you can most often go back to eating your normal diet, even if you still have diarrhea. Find tips on what to eat when you have viral gastroenteritis.
If your child has symptoms of viral gastroenteritis, such as vomiting or diarrhea, dont hesitate to call a doctor for advice.
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Preventing Viral Illness And Stomach Flu
The easiest way to prevent stomach flu is to avoid children with diarrheal illnesses, wash hands frequently, practice good toilet hygiene, avoid contamination, and be wary of eating undercooked foods, washing fruits and vegetables entirely, and cleaning counters and utensils thoroughly after use can prevent the spread of bacteria. Always ensure that you refrigerate meats as soon as possible to prevent the growth of bacteria. Children should avoid drinking contaminated water in lakes, rivers, or pool water, as they are often infested with bacteria. If you plan to travel to less-developed countries, please discuss prevention tips with your doctor ahead of time.
What Can I Do At Home To Feel Better
Get plenty of rest and keep drinking lots of liquids until your symptoms pass. Drinks that have both sugar and salt help your intestine absorb fluids better and replace the lost electrolytes. Nibbling salty crackers along with ginger ale or a similar sweet drink could also help. Avoid dairy products like cows milk for one or two days milk can make diarrhea worse due to temporary lactose intolerance that often come with gastroenteritis.
To control severe diarrhea, your healthcare provider may recommend an over-the-counter medication such bismuth subsalicylate . You shouldnt use these medicines if you have a high fever or bloody diarrhea, which can be signs of deeper infection from bacteria or a parasite. Antidiarrheal medications arent safe for children to use. Instead, see your healthcare provider for treatment.
Nearly everyone gets a bout of stomach flu at some point. Its not pleasant, but it usually passes in less than a week. Give yourself time to rest and recover before you go back to your daily activities. Fortunately you can take steps to avoid the likelihood of passing it on to others or picking it up again in the future.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/26/2020.
References
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How Is Gastroenteritis Treated
There is no specific treatment for gastroenteritis, and most kids can be treated at home. Keep your child hydrated by offering plenty of liquids. Kids with more severe dehydration may need treatment in the ER or hospital.
Mild dehydration is treated with oral rehydration. This usually includes giving oral rehydration solution . It has the right amounts of water, sugar, and salt to help with dehydration. You can buy it without a prescription at drugstores or supermarkets. If you cant get oral rehydration solution, talk to your doctor.
If your child has mild dehydration and your doctor says its OK to start treatment at home:
- Give your child an oral electrolyte solution as often as possible. If your child throws up, start with small sips, about 1 or 2 teaspoons every few minutes.
- Babies can continue to breastfeed or take formula as long as they are not throwing up repeatedly.
- Don’t give babies plain water instead of oral rehydration solution. It doesn’t have the right nutrients for babies with dehydration.
- Older children can have frozen electrolyte popsicles.
- Do not give your child full-strength juice , soda, or sports drinks. These have a lot of sugar, which can make diarrhea worse.
When your child stops vomiting, you can offer small amounts of solid foods, such as toast, crackers, rice, or mashed potatoes. Yogurt, fruits, vegetables, and lean meat, like chicken, are also OK.
Don’t give medicines for diarrhea or vomiting unless your doctor tells you to.
How Can I Prevent Viral Gastroenteritis
You can take several steps to keep from getting or spreading infections that cause viral gastroenteritis. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water
- after using the bathroom
- after changing diapers
- before and after handling, preparing, or eating food
You can clean surfaces that may have come into contact with infected stool or vomit, such as countertops and changing tables, with a mixture of 5 to 25 tablespoons of household bleach and 1 gallon of water.7 If clothes or linens may have come into contact with an infected persons stool or vomit, you should wash them with detergent for the longest cycle available and machine dry them. To protect yourself from infection, wear rubber gloves while handling the soiled laundry and wash your hands afterward.7
If you have viral gastroenteritis, avoid handling and preparing food for others while you are sick and for 2 days after your symptoms stop.7 People who have viral gastroenteritis may spread the virus to any food they handle, especially if they do not thoroughly wash their hands. Contaminated water may also spread a virus to foods before they are harvested. For example, contaminated fruits, vegetables, and oysters have been linked to norovirus outbreaks. Wash fruits and vegetables before using them, and thoroughly cook oysters and other shellfish.7Find tips to help keep food safe.
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When Should I Call The Doctor
- cant drink for several hours
- is peeing less often
- has signs of dehydration, such as crying with few or no tears, having a dry mouth or cracked lips, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, acting very sleepy or less alert
- has a high fever
- has blood in their poop or vomit
- is vomiting for more than 24 hours or the diarrhea doesnt get better after several days
What Is Stomach Flu
The stomach flu is caused by a contagious virus that causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It can be spread by direct contact with a sick individual or through contaminated food, water, or surfaces. Because children frequently put their fingers and hands in their mouths, they are at an increased risk of contracting norovirus and rotavirus.
Norovirus outbreaks are most common from November through April. Children are most likely to come down with rotavirus in the months of January to June. Common settings include daycare centers, schools, healthcare facilities, restaurants, catered events, and cruise ships.
Each year, an estimated 19 million to 21 million Americans will have a case of norovirus. It is responsible for 465,000 emergency room visits and 2.27 million outpatient clinic visits each year. Most of these visits are for young children. Rotavirus leads to 200,000 emergency room visits and 400,000 outpatient clinic visits in children under 5 years old annually.
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It’s Easy To Get Frantic When Your Child Has The Stomach Flu The Good News Is Oftentimes You Can Safely Treat Your Little One At Home
Gastroenteritis, sometimes known as the stomach flu, is a frequent childhood condition characterised by nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain. Contrary to some belief, itâs totally unrelated to the regular flu , which affects the respiratory system.
Babies, toddlers, and young children are especially prone to gastroenteritis because their immune systems are still forming, so they havenât yet built up the antibodies to fight off germs.
The good news is that the illness often resolves itself within ten days without treatment. The bad news is that the first few days of gastroenteritis can be extremely challenging for parents and children.
Your child may have cycles of violent vomiting and âexplosiveâ diarrhoea, experience chills, body aches and headaches, and be inconsolable.
How Long Does The Stomach Flu Last In Kids
A stomach flu usually lasts between one and three days. Vomiting typically lasts for less than 24 hours.
However, if your child’s symptoms continue for more than 5 days, you should call your pediatrician. You should also call your pediatrician if your child has:
- A high fever
- Diarrhea or vomiting with blood
- Signs of dehydration like not urinating, dry skin, no tears or rapid breathing
With the right rest and rehydration, your child should make a full recovery in just a few days. Dr. Rojas says they can even return to school once the diarrhea has stopped and they have not had a fever for 24 hours.
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Its Easy To Get Frantic When Your Child Has The Stomach Flu The Good News Is Oftentimes You Can Safely Treat Your Little One At Home
Gastroenteritis, sometimes known as the stomach flu, is a frequent childhood condition characterised by nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain. Contrary to some belief, its totally unrelated to the regular flu , which affects the respiratory system.
Babies, toddlers, and young children are especially prone to gastroenteritis because their immune systems are still forming, so they havent yet built up the antibodies to fight off germs.
The good news is that the illness often resolves itself within ten days without treatment. The bad news is that the first few days of gastroenteritis can be extremely challenging for parents and children.
Your child may have cycles of violent vomiting and explosive diarrhoea, experience chills, body aches and headaches, and be inconsolable.
Symptoms Of Gastroenteritis In Children
Symptoms of gastroenteritis are usually a combination of
-
Vomiting
-
They are not producing much urine.
-
They have reduced alertness and energy .
However, it can be hard to tell how much urine diapered children who are having frequent watery stools are producing. It is easier to identify a decrease in the passage of urine and excessive thirst in older children.
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Stomach Flu And Dehydration
How can I prevent dehydration?If your baby or child has had several bouts of vomiting or diarrhea, he or she will need to replace lost fluids and electrolytes.
If you are breastfeeding, continue to give your baby breastmilk. Breastmilk has fluids and electrolytes needed to prevent dehydration. Your doctor may also want you to give your baby an oral rehydration solution .
If you feed your baby formula, try switching to one that is lactose free while your baby is sick. Lactose can make diarrhea worse. Your doctor may also suggest switching from formula to an ORS for 12 to 24 hours, and then switching back.
For toddlers and young children, use an ORS, which contains the right mix of salt, sugar, potassium and other nutrients to help replace lost body fluids. Children older than 1 year may also have clear soups, clear sodas or juice mixed with water to help prevent dehydration. You should avoid giving your child plain water and dark sodas. Water alone does not contain enough salt and nutrients to help with dehydration. Dark sodas are typically very high in sugar and can irritate your childs stomach.
Signs of dehydration
- Little or lack of urine, or urine that is darker than usual
- Urinating less frequently than usual
- Thirst
- Irritability
- Dry mouth
- No tears when crying
- In babies who are younger than 18 months old, sunken soft spots on the top of their heads
- Skin that isnt as springy or elastic as usual
- Sleepiness
What is an ORS?
Should I feed my child when he or she has diarrhea?
How To Help When Your Child Has Stomach Flu
The stomach bug is the worst. The vomit is unpredictable. The stomach cramping is constant. And the flashes of chills and then hot flashes agonizingly ward off sleep. Its even worse to watch the stomach flu in kids as they experience this misery . This guest post on how to help when your child has the stomach flu has been contributed by By Katie Herrick Bugbee of Care.com
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If You Have Norovirus Illness You Should Drink Plenty Of Liquids To Replace Fluid Lost From Vomiting And Diarrhea This Will Help Prevent Dehydration
Dehydration can lead to serious problems. Severe dehydration may require hospitalization for treatment with fluids given through your vein .
Watch for signs of dehydration in children who have norovirus illness. Children who are dehydrated may cry with few or no tears and be unusually sleepy or fussy.
If you think you or someone you are caring for is severely dehydrated, call your healthcare provider.
Antibiotic drugs will not help treat norovirus infections because they fight bacteria, not viruses. Learn more about antibiotics.
Drink plenty of liquids to replace fluids that are lost from vomiting and diarrhea. Sports drinks and other drinks without caffeine or alcohol can help with mild dehydration. However, these drinks may not replace important nutrients and minerals. Oral rehydration fluids that you can get over the counter are most helpful for mild dehydration.
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