knowledge-Rotavirus Diarrhea and handling.
Almost all children had rotavirus infection at the age of 5 years. Rotavirus is one of the most common cause of diarrhea. Severe rotavirus infection (due to rotavirus gastroentritis) is the major cause of severe diarrhea with dehydration in infants and children.
Signs and Symptoms
Rotavirus-infected children suffered from fever, nausea, and vomiting followed by abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea that often. Children also may be suffering from cough and colds.However, in some cases, rotavirus infections cause only a few symptoms or even none at all, especially when the adults.
Sometimes diarrhea caused by rotavirus infection is very heavy so can quickly cause dehydration. Signs of dehydration include: feeling thirsty, cranky, restless, hard to wake up, sunken eyes, mouth, tongue, and dry skin, rarely urinate, and a dry diaper for several hours in infants.
Transmission
In the United States, the incidence of rotavirus infections usually occur during winter and spring.This infection is a typical problem centers child care and children's hospital because it is so contagious.
The virus is transmitted through feces of infected people both before and after they showed symptoms of the disease. Children can become infected when they put their fingers into the mouth after touching something that has been contaminated with the virus. Usually this happens when kids do not wash their hands, especially at the time before eating and after using the toilet.
People who work with children such as health centers and child care can spread the virus, especially when they do not wash their hands after changing diapers.
Prevention
Now the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended rotavirus vaccination in the list of routine immunizations given to all infants.
RotaTeq vaccine proven to prevent up to approximately 75% of cases of rotavirus infection and 98% severe cases. Another vaccine, Rotarix, is also available and effective to prevent rotavirus infection.
Rotavirus vaccines that have previously been withdrawn from the market in 1999 because it related to the increased risk of intussusception, a type of occlusion / bowel obstruction in infants. Both RotaTeq and Rotarix has been proven to not increase this risk.
Actually, frequent hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of rotavirus infection.Children who are infected should stay home until the diarrhea ends. At the hospital, the spread of rotavirus ditatalaksana to isolate the patient and apply the rule of strict hand washing.
Professional Care
Infants or children who later suffered a mild to moderate dehydration may need to be treated in hospital with intravenous fluids (IV) to restore the body fluids and salts back into the normal range. Most of the children who were older enough to be treated at home.
When to call the doctor?
Call your doctor if your child shows symptoms of rotavirus infection, including watery diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting. Immediately to the doctor if your child shows signs of dehydration.