Treatment For The Stomach Flu
Most babies and kids wont need treatment for the stomach flu. Theres no specific treatment for the viruses that cause it.
Unless your doctor recommends it, dont give your child antidiarrheal and anti-nausea medications. Although it doesnt seem like it, some diarrhea and throwing up can be good because its part of getting rid of the virus.
Your doctor might recommend over-the-counter pain relievers to make your child more comfortable.
You can give babies over the age of 6 months pain medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Ask your pediatrician about the exact dosage. Too much pain relief medication can make babies ill.
Never give aspirin to babies and children. Aspirin and children dont mix. It can lead to a condition called Reyes syndrome.
Several home remedies can help make your baby or child more comfortable while dealing with the stomach flu.
- Let the stomach settle. Avoid feeding your baby or child solid food for a few hours.
- Give older children frozen juice treats or ice chips. This helps to prevent dehydration.
- If your baby is throwing up, wait 15 to 20 minutes before giving them any liquids. Try nursing your baby if they want to feed. Drinking milk may help hydrate your baby its OK if they throw up some or all of it right after.
- Try using as syringe to give babies small amounts of liquids if they dont want to nurse or bottle feed.
Home Remedies To Treat Stomach Flu In Children
Stomach flu is very common among children. Children do tend to skip personal hygiene. They put things in their mouth, which they are not supposed to. They also put their unwashed hands in their mouth. These habits allow many bacteria and virus to enter your childs digestive system.
Stomach flu causes tremendous stomach pain, nausea and vomiting. This can lead to further complication in your child. Some children might face stomach ache and a loss of appetite. Some might undergo vomiting and diarrhea. Sometimes you child also might suffer from fever. The symptoms can be many and the cures are also plenty. There are many easily available home remedies which can you can adopt in order to make your child, feel better.
What To Give 2 Year Old For Stomach Flu
What to give 2 year old for stomach flu? The best foods after the stomach flu are the BRAT diet of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. These foods are very easy to digest, says Dr. Rojas. Children can also have crackers, or grilled or boiled chicken.
How do I get rid of my toddlers stomach virus? Try bananas, bread, rice, applesauce, and toast first. Chicken noodle soup and crackers are also good choices. Once you know those are going down OK, you can try lean meat and cooked vegetables. Dont give your sick child foods that are fried, spicy, fatty, or have a lot of acid.
What can I give my 2 year old for upset stomach and vomiting? Give your child a special solution like Pedialyte, clear soups, water, or juice mixed with water. Start with a few teaspoons every 5 minutes. When they can drink without throwing up, try giving larger amounts.
Can you give Tylenol to toddler with stomach bug? For stomach ache and/or fever, you can give your child Tylenol. I generally advise against Ibuprofen because of the potential risk of stomach irritation, as well as the risk to the kidneys in children under 1 if they are potentially dehydrated. For vomiting, the best thing to do is have your child rest his/her belly.
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What Can My Child Eat To Help With Diarrhea
What about the diarrhea? It doesn’t matter what you give your child to eat for the diarrhea. If they’ve stopped vomiting your child can have their normal foods. Now the only exception is babies. If they have gone for several days with the diarrhea, and it’s severe diarrhea, and they are on a milk-based formula, sometimes the digestive system isn’t able to process milk proteins so well after several days of diarrhea. So you can switch to a soy formula for about one or two cans. And after that that will help you child’s digestive system get back on track.
The old BRAT diet, yes, there is some controversy as to whether it still works or not. I usually still recommend it. It’s bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, things like that will help. Bananas and apples quite often are constipating, so those the foods that you want to give when your child has diarrhea.
Yogurt is also great, because it has probiotics in it. The probiotics will actually help your stomach fight off the virus, and it will slow down the diarrhea. You can also buy over-the-counter probiotics, like Culturelle or Fluorogen. Those also help a lot for diarrhea.
And so while the vomiting can last only 24 hours, diarrhea can last up to two weeks, so don’t be surprised if it lingers. The first few days are the worst, but it can still linger for awhile.
What To Feed A Toddler With Stomach Flu
You can safely feed the following food items to your toddler with stomach flu:
- Bananas can help control loose stools and are often recommended for children with stomach flu. Mash the banana and give small bites whenever your little one feels hungry.
- Apples are also light on the stomach and ensure your baby gets nutrition.
- Broth is great since it is mostly liquid. You can prepare a chicken or vegetable broth for your baby to replenish the essential micronutrients that are lost due to diarrhea and vomiting.
- Oats and rice are mild on the stomach and are easier to digest. You can mash boiled rice and give it to the toddler. Oats are rich in fiber and free of gluten. They keep your little ones tummy full for longer.
- Crackers and toast make an excellent snack for toddlers with gastroenteritis. You can give them between meals.
- Yogurt is a probiotic and is often recommended for adults with stomach flu. The good thing about it is that you can give it your child too. You can introduce yogurt at the age of nine months. Start with small quantities and slowly make it a part of the babys meals. Do note you can give cows milk to a child only after the age of 12 months .
Feed your baby or toddler only when they are receptive to food. Feed them small portions over a few intervals but do not force-feed them. Excess feeding can induce vomiting and make the condition worse. Treatment, along with home care, is essential to halt the progress of stomach flu and prevent complications.
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How Is Stomach Flu Diagnosed
Heres how a pediatrician will diagnose stomach flu in toddlers:
Children With Gastroenteritis Must Keep Drinking
If your child has gastroenteritis, make sure they drink clear fluids . Babies under 6 months old can become ill quickly with gastro they need extra fluids to replace fluids lost by diarrhoea and vomiting.
If you are breastfeeding, continue to do this. If bottle feeding, give clear fluids for the first 12 hours, then give the normal formula in smaller, more frequent amounts.It is important for the fluids to be taken even if the diarrhoea seems to get worse. It will help if you:
- Offer babies a drink every time they vomit.
- Give older children a drink after every big vomit or bout of diarrhoea.
- Give small amounts of fluids often if your child is vomiting a lot .
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Are Stomach Bugs Contagious
Gastroenteritis is quite contagious. It is spread through contact with body fluids that contain viral particles, bacteria, or parasites.
This contact is not always as obvious as changing diapers or cleaning up vomit. These particles can transfer by touching surfaces with unwashed hands, sharing food or utensils, and other unhygienic practices.
Medication Is Not Usually Needed
You should not give medicines to stop diarrhoea to children under 12 years old. They sound attractive remedies but are unsafe to give to children, due to possible serious complications. However, you can give paracetamol or ibuprofen to ease a high temperature or headache.
Racecadotril is a prescription-only medicine that is occasionally prescribed to children over the age of 3 months. It helps to reduce the amount of fluid lost in the poo in children who are still getting diarrhoea with fluid replacement therapy. .
See also the separate leaflet called Diarrhoea Medicine.
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You Allow A Cup Of Juice Or Milk
Wrong Move Your child is keeping down liquids, so you give him a sippy cup of juice or milk.
Better Bet Avoid sugary liquids like fruit juice, which can aggravate your child’s stomach symptoms. If he asks to drink something other than water, try an electrolyte drink such as Gatorade or Propel. Milk may be okay, but start with small amounts and see if his diarrhea gets worse after he drinks it. About 20 percent of the time, a stomach virus causes temporary lactose intolerance, which leads to abdominal pain, bloating, and cramping, according to Dr. Singla. If that happens with your child, switch to lactose-free milk until his stool returns to normal. You can also try feeding him probiotics or yogurt with live and active cultures, which will help restore the good bacteria in the intestines. It’s fine to nurse, since breast milk contains antibodies and nutrients that help the tummy heal.
How Do I Clean My House After Stomach Flu
Put on rubber or disposable gloves and wipe the entire area with paper towels, then disinfect the area using a bleach-based household cleaner as directed on the product label. Leave the bleach disinfectant on the affected area for at least five minutes, then clean the entire area again with soap and hot water.
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When Kids Get Stomach Bugs Preventing Dehydration Is Priority No 1
This time of year, we pediatricians are inundated with all sorts of sick kids. Colds, influenza and a host of other respiratory illnesses fill our waiting rooms with mucus and coughs. We also tend to see lots of intestinal viruses, and nothing is less fun for a parent than caring for a child with constant vomiting and diarrhea.
What about stomach flu?First and foremost, stomach flu is not really flu. We reserve the term flu for cases of influenza virus, which tends to show up in Oregon right about now. It involves high fevers, muscle aches and bad respiratory symptoms think of it as a cold on steroids.
What lots of folks call stomach flu we call viral gastroenteritis, or inflammation of the stomach and intestinal tract. It is generally caused by a host of different viruses.
What does viral gastroenteritis look like?
The most important thing to pay attention to when your child is vomiting and has diarrhea is preventing dehydration. If kids are losing lots of fluid, and not able to keep their tanks full, they can get pretty sick, and the younger the kid, the more risky it can be. However, if you can help your child keep up with their losses, then everything will be fine.
Most gastroenteritis starts with vomiting. Usually, it is just the stomach contents, but sometimes it includes mucus, or even some yellowish-looking stuff. As long as there is no blood or bright green substance, the child will likely be OK.
What can parents do?
Can medicines help?
Now lets talk fluids
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?
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You Follow The Brat Diet After Your Child Is Better
Wrong Move Your child is back to eating, so for the next few days you follow the BRAT diet.
Better Bet Doctors now say that kids should resume their regular eating regimen as soon as they seem to be feeling better. “More than one day on the BRAT diet is too long,” Dr. Shu says. These foods do help restore normal digestion but lack the protein and other nutrients that she needs to recover. Still, avoid high-fat foods for several days and make sure she continues to drink lots of liquids until her symptoms are completely gone.
Go To The Doctor If Your Child Is Very Sick
Take your child to the doctor if they:
- Vomit often.
- Show any signs of dehydration.
- Have blood in their bowel motion
- Have significant abdominal pain.
Babies under 6 months who have gastroenteritis may need extra visits to the doctor they need to be checked again after 6 to 12 hours. Your doctor can advise what other steps to take.
Do not give medicines to reduce the vomiting or diarrhoea.
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How Is Gastroenteritis Diagnosed And Does My Child Need Any Tests
Most parents recognise gastroenteritis in their children because of their typical symptoms. The symptoms will often be quite mild and commonly get better within a few days without any treatment, other than drinking plenty of fluids. You will often not need to take your child to see a doctor or seek medical advice.
However, in some circumstances, you may need to seek medical advice for your child . If this is the case, the doctor may ask you questions about:
- Recent travel abroad.
- Whether your child has been in contact with someone with similar symptoms.
- Whether they have recently taken antibiotics.
- Whether they have recently been admitted to hospital.
This is to look for a possible cause of their gastroenteritis. They will usually examine your child for signs of lack of fluid in the body . They may check their temperature and heart rate. They may also examine your child’s tummy to look for any tenderness.
Tests are not usually needed. However, in certain cases, the doctor may ask you to collect a stool sample from your child. For example, if your child:
- Is particularly unwell.
- Has recently travelled abroad.
- Has symptoms which are not getting better.
The stool sample can then be examined in the laboratory to look for the cause of the infection.
How Do Children Catch The Stomach Flu
Stomach bugs are highly contagious. Playing with an infected child is the main way the virus spreads, since germs can live on toys and clothes for hours or even days. If the infection results from bacteria or parasites, your child may have consumed contaminated food or water .
What makes stomach flu particularly virulent is that children are contagious before they actually show any symptoms. Also, adults with their heartier immune systems may harbor the germs and pass them along without ever getting sick themselves.
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Stomach Flu In Kids: Symptoms Parents Can Also Boil Diet For Toddlers With The Stomach Fluliquids Loss Of Appetite Heavy Or Spicytoddler Stomach Virus Liquids Are An Essential Aspect Of Your Toddlers Diet During The Stomach Flu 1 2 And Aword Of Caution: Toddlers With Stomach Pain Should Not Be Given More Than 3 Cups Of Chamomile Tea A Day Sore Throat I Have Seen Many Children Come Into My Clinic With Gastroenteritis Which Can Become Very Dangerous In Children And Adults Alike A Doctor Should Be Consulted If Your Toddler Shows Signs Of Dehydration And The Vomiting Lasts For More Than 24 Hoursthe Mayo Clinic Explained That The Stomach Flu It Was Only When I Became A Parent When I Realized How Distressing And Upsetting It Can Be Seeing Your Child Suffer From Vomiting And Diarrhea If A Virus Or Bacteria Has Infected Your Childs Stomach Lining Or Intestines Home
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