Stomach Flu And Children
Children can get dehydrated quickly, so if your child has the stomach flu, it’s important that you look for signs that they are very thirsty or has dry skin or a dry mouth. If you have a baby, look for fewer, drier diapers.
Keep children with gastroenteritis out of day care or school until all symptoms are gone. Check with your doctor before giving your child any medicine. Drugs used to control diarrhea and vomiting aren’t usually given to children younger than 5.
To help prevent rotavirus — the most common cause of stomach flu for children — there are two vaccines that can be given to infants. Talk to your doctor about the vaccines.
What Not To Drink
Most likely, you wont be in the mood for these during a bout of stomach flu anyway, but avoid:
- caffeinated drinks like coffee, strong black tea, and chocolate, which can affect your sleep at a time when getting enough rest is crucial
- alcohol, which acts as a diuretic.
All of these things can also upset your stomach.
Keeping food down can be difficult with the stomach flu. Dont force yourself to eat if the mere thought of food makes you cringe. When you do finally feel you can get something down, its best to start slow and simple.
The BRAT diet bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast can be your go-to when it comes to an uneasy stomach. These four foods are easy to digest, contain carbohydrates to give you energy, and replenish nutrients:
- Bananas: Bananas are easy to digest, can replace the potassium you lose from vomiting and diarrhea, and strengthens stomach lining.
- Rice: White rice is easy for your body to process and provides energy from carbs. Brown rice has too much fiber and may produce excess gas.
- Applesauce: Applesauce provides an energy boost due to the carbs and sugars, and it contains pectin, which can help with diarrhea. Its also easy to digest.
- Toast: Avoid whole-wheat bread, as fiber can be difficult on the digestive system. White bread is processed and easier to digest.
Best Foods To Eat When You Have A Stomach Bug
Viral gastroenteritis is an intestinal infection marked by watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea or vomiting and sometimes fever. It often is called a stomach bug or the stomach flu, but its not actually the flu or influenza, which is a respiratory illness. This infection often develops though contact with an infected person or by ingesting contaminated food or water.
An upset stomach is a common symptom of a stomach bug, and this can make eating sound unappealing, even though you may be hungry. Knowing what to eat is difficult because you dont always know whats going to agree with your stomach.
I recommend these tips for fueling your body when you have viral gastroenteritis:
The main complication of a stomach bug is dehydration a severe loss of water, and essential salts and minerals. If youre healthy and drink enough to replace fluids you lose from vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration shouldnt be a problem.
Shelly Frischmann is a Family Medicine nurse practitioner in Onalaska, Wisconsin.
For the safety of our patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a non-patient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.
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How To Prevent Stomach Flu
- Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
- Get your child vaccinated against rotavirus.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before eating and after using the loo.
- Do not share personal utensils with an infected person until he/she recovers.
- Avoid drinking chilled water.
- Do not consume raw meat or raw foods like sushi.
- Disinfect all the hard surfaces at your home if any of your family members have gastroenteritis.
- Avoid sending your child to the daycare centre until they recover completely to prevent the infection from spreading.
- Get ample rest and sleep well.
As already discussed, there is no specific medical treatment for gastroenteritis. Rest and hydration, coupled with the remedies mentioned above, can help in speeding up your recovery from gastroenteritis without any further complications.
Infants and older adults who have stomach flu should be given extra care as this infection can prove to be life-threatening, given their compromised immunity.
Contact a doctor immediately if your symptoms worsen, or you develop a high fever , are unable to keep liquids down for more than 24 hours or exhibit signs of dehydration, vomit blood, or have bloody diarrhea.
Can Your Newborns Get Stomach Flu
Does any of your loved ones, especially your children, suffered from stomach bug? Many people are not aware of this medical condition despite the fact that there are more than 20 million cases recorded in the U.S. per year. A stomach bug is also known as stomach flu. Some of the symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and others. For one, it’s not just a simple flu, especially if your kids are the ones affected.
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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.
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How Long Do The Effects Last
Stomach flu rarely lasts longer than 1 to 3 days. However, it may be 1 to 2 weeks before your bowel habits are completely back to normal.
Dehydration is a potentially serious complication of stomach flu. It can happen if your body loses too much fluid because you keep vomiting or having diarrhea. If you are severely dehydrated, you may need to be given fluids intravenously . In children and older adults, dehydration can quickly become life threatening.
Should You Call Your Babys Doctor
Medical attention should be given to your baby in the following conditions:
- Give your doctor a call if you suspect that your baby is suffering from stomach bugs.
- Seek medical attention if your baby has been vomiting for more than 24 hours, passing out bloody stools, and experiencing excessive drowsiness.
- Phone in medical hotline if your baby has a fever. Special attention should be given to infants younger than 3 months old especially when their rectal temperature reaches 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
Note: If the baby appears to be dehydrated and there is no doctor available, bring the baby to the emergency room for immediate medical attention. An IV rehydration may be recommended or given to restore lost fluids and prevent complications. Your baby may be kept in the hospital for a few hours for further observations and may be admitted as necessary.
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When To See A Doctor
Most people don’t need to see the doctor when they have the stomach flu. But it’s a good idea to get medical attention if you or your child has stomach flu and:
- Is under 3 months old
- Is over 3 months old and has been vomiting for more than 12 hours or the diarrhea hasn’t gotten better after two days
- Is an adult and the diarrhea hasnât gotten a little better after two days
- Has other symptoms, such as high fever or blood or pus in the stool
In rare cases, people with stomach flu need to be hospitalized, usually because of dehydration. In adults, dehydration can cause extreme thirst, decreased urination, dark urine, dry skin, fatigue, and dizziness. In babies and young children, dehydration can cause:
- Crying without tears
- Going three hours or more without a wet diaper
- Fever
What Are The Signs Of Viral Gastroenteritis
The main symptoms of viral gastroenteritis are watery diarrhea and vomiting. The affected person may also have headache, fever, and abdominal cramps . In general, the symptoms begin 1 to 2 days following infection with a virus that causes gastroenteritis and may last for 1 to 10 days, depending on which virus causes the illness.
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How Long Does Stomach Flu Last
The stomach flu usually lasts less than a week. Be sure to stay home if you have symptoms, and continue to practice good handwashing afterward. The virus can still be in your stool for up to two weeks after youve stopped having symptoms, so be extra careful with your bathroom habits. Always wash your hands after having a bowel movement, and wash any soiled fabrics in hot soapy water.
How Did Your Newborn Get Stomach Bug
After you know the answer to can newborns get stomach bug, you may be concerned about this. A stomach bug is a very infectious disease. This condition may be acquired by your children through several means.
- Your baby may have ingested something that is contaminated with the virus that can cause the disease.
- Your baby may have shared a utensil or a cup that is used by someone infected with the virus. Keep in mind that there might be a presence of virus even without exhibiting any symptoms.
- Your baby may have eaten contaminated food and water, especially if the causative agent is bacteria or parasites.
- Your baby may have put in their mouth dirty hands that are infected with fecal matter. This may be disgusting, but can happen especially in a daycare setting.
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Do You Think You Have The Stomach Flu Or A Stomach Bug
It is probably norovirus, a common virus that is not related to the flu. Norovirus is the most common cause of vomiting and diarrhea, and foodborne illness.
- diarrhea
- body aches
Norovirus causes inflammation of the stomach or intestines. This is called acute gastroenteritis.
A person usually develops symptoms 12 to 48 hours after being exposed to norovirus. Most people with norovirus illness get better within 1 to 3 days.
If you have norovirus illness, you can feel extremely ill, and vomit or have diarrhea many times a day. This can lead to dehydration, especially in young children, older adults, and people with other illnesses.
Symptoms of dehydration include:
- dry mouth and throat
- feeling dizzy when standing up
Children who are dehydrated may cry with few or no tears and be unusually sleepy or fussy.
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First Some Typical Background Story:
Youre sleeping peacefully in bed, then you hear the first, Mommy!
You give your child a chance to go back to sleep, but then you hear the second, Mommy!this one just as pitiful as the first.
Maybe you accidentally kick your husband in hopes that hell wake up enough and decide to respond to a potentially distressed child. After all, the bed is so cozy. But youre not one hundred percent convinced yet that your child is fully awake themselves and in true need of help.
Then you hear four dreaded words, that you never want to hear in the middle of the night.
Mommy my tummy hurts!
Suddenly with the speed of Superman, and not the half-asleep humanoid you are, you spring into action, jump over the dog, the basket of clothes, and into your childs room just in time to seeWell you know what you see. Ill spare you the description.
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Remedies For Little Ones
As terrible as it is to get the stomach flu yourself, it is even harder to watch your child go through it. If your infants symptoms havent subsided in a day or two, take them to the doctor.
Their doctor can make sure your child is on their way to recovery without any complications. They can also check to make sure there are no other causes for their symptoms.
Encouraging children to continue to take sips of water to replace lost fluids is important to prevent dehydration. All infants and toddlers can also drink an electrolyte solution like Pedialyte.
Types And Symptoms Of Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is mainly of two types, viral and bacterial. Viral gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the stomach and intestines caused by one of the viruses, while bacterial gastroenteritis, also referred to as “food poisoning”, is the infection in the gut due to bacteria, which leads to inflammation in stomach and intestines and mainly occurs due to poor hygiene, consuming food and water contaminated with bacteria. Viral gastroenteritis spreads through improper hand washing, contaminated water or by consuming raw/undercooked shellfish from contaminated waters. Infants and children below 5 years, senior citizens living in care homes and individuals with highly compromised immune systems are at higher risk of contracting this virus.
The symptoms of stomach flu can vary depending on the cause and the main symptom of viral gastroenteritis is diarrhoea followed by nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping and mild fever. Although the symptoms for viral and bacterial gastroenteritis are the same, in some cases of bacterial gastroenteritis bloody diarrhoea is seen, also known as haemorrhagic gastroenteritis.
Some of the symptoms seen in stomach flu are due to other causes such as food allergies, as well as side effects from medicines and drugs.
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How To Avoid The Stomach Flu
Viral gastroenteritis, commonly known as the stomach flu, occurs when you get a germ or contamination in your intestines and it results in an infection. Most of the time, individuals contract the illness by eating or drinking something bad. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps. It is hard to treat so it is important to know how to avoid it in the first place.
How To Get Rid Of The Stomach Flu: 7 Home Remedies
Youre vomiting. You cant stop going to the bathroom. Youre exhausted and all this terribleness just seems to have come out of nowhere. Could it be the stomach flu? If it is, you probably want to know how to get rid of the stomach flu fast!
If you have the stomach flu, it likely may have been caused by norovirus, which is especially known for infecting people in the colder months of the year. This winter vomiting bug, or stomach flu, is known by doctors for being a family affair. In other words, if one person in the family gets it, most likely every family member in the household will get it because its that contagious!
How do you get rid of the stomach flu? Thankfully, many people with the stomach flu feel better within 24 hours. And luckily there are a lot of great natural ways to boost your recovery from a nasty case of stomach flu.
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Hold On What Exactly Is Norovirus
Let’s just be frank: Norovirus is extremely not fun. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , norovirus is an extremely contagious virus that causes diarrhea and vomitingand literally anyone can get it.
Aside from vomiting and diarrhea, other symptoms of norovirus include nausea and stomach pain. Even more bad news? You can’t totally prevent norovirusit spreads easily and quickly through infected people and contaminated foodbut you can do your best to lessen your risk of getting it, like washing your hands frequently and making a point to not share foods or utensils with people who are already infected can help you dodge the stomach flu.
But what if it’s too late and youre already doubled over in your bathroom? While theres no cure for norovirus, these tips will help you feel better soonerincluding what you should eat when the last thing you want is food.
1. Drink lots of fluidsbut not just water.
The risk of dehydration is a big deal when you have norovirus. Fluids are critically important, since youre losing vital bodily fluids through sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea, says Dr. Sonpal. But keep in mind it’s not only fluids you’re losingyou’re also depleting your body of sodium, potassium, and other minerals , which also need to be replaced.
2. Get lots of rest.