Gastroenteritis

What is gastroenteritis?

Gastroenteritis is an infection of the digestive system caused mostly by viruses (such as rotavirus and adenovirus) and occasionally by bacteria.

Rotavirus is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in children below the age of 2; it often appears during the winter months.

Bacterial infections are much less common and usually are a result of eating contaminated food.

Some bacterial causes of gastroenteritis include Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, Shigella and Yersinia. Parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium can also cause gastroenteritis in children, but usually a child ends up with diarrhea and abdominal pain, but no vomiting.

All of these infections are spread from person to person by direct contact. That is, infection occurs when someone puts their contaminated hands or contaminated food in their mouth.

Because gastroenteritis is so contagious, it is extremely common. Most children have at least one episode of gastroenteritis during early childhood.

Treatment / What you should do

The most important treatment for gastroenteritis is to have your child drink enough liquids. Offer your child frequent, small sips of a clear liquid, particularly if he is vomiting.

He will be thirsty, and may want to drink large amounts at a time. This is not recommended, however, because it often leads to more vomiting.

The child needs both water and salts to replace those lost with diarrhea and vomiting, so it is best to give the child an oral rehydration solution (for example, Pedialyte, Ricelyte or KaoLectrolyte).

If the child is over 6 months and does not like the taste of unflavored Pedialyte, you can add a little apple juice to each portion of Pedialyte. There are also flavored electrolyte solutions that work well.

Do not mix salt solutions yourself, as this can give too much salt to the child, and this can be very dangerous. Do not give plain water to a baby. Avoid giving babies fruit juices or soft drinks, as these drinks have high sugar content, which can make diarrhea worse.

Children who breastfeed should continue to receive breast milk. The child should be breastfed more often than usual (every 1-2 hours), and be given smaller portions (fed for 5-10 minutes total at a time). If the child will not take the breast, then the mother can pump her breasts and give breast milk from a spoon. Children who receive formula can continue with full-strength formula.

Older children can drink milk and water, again giving small quantities frequently. Do not give too much juice or soda because these drinks can make diarrhea worse.

If your child has held down liquids for several hours without vomiting, you may offer larger amounts of fluids more often and then encourage normal foods again. Eating a regular diet will give better fluid intake and nourishment, and your child will return to health much more quickly. Easily digested food, especially complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and lean meats, can be tried. Most children with gastroenteritis are able to tolerate milk products; yogurt can be especially helpful at speeding recovery.

Use acetaminophen for fever and discomfort during the illness, as this will help the child feel better. Avoid ibuprofen, as this can cause belly pain, especially if taken on an empty stomach.