| Gastroenteritis - What is it? Gastroenteritis is an | | | | of severe diarrhea occur. E. coli, the bacterium |
| infection of the intestines (gut). It is usually caused | | | | commonly found in contaminated water, is often |
| by bacteria, viruses, parasites and other microbes. It | | | | blamed.How can gastroenteritis be prevented? Good |
| can cause varying degree of symptoms ranging from | | | | personal hygiene is the most important step in the |
| mild diarrhea and vomiting to severe dehydration. | | | | prevention of gastroenteritis. Always wash your |
| Gastroenteritis usually last for a few days but in | | | | hands:- After using the toilet.- Before touching food.- |
| severe causes, it may last longer.What are the | | | | After playing with animals or pets. (Seemingly healthy |
| symptoms of gastroenteritis? The commonest | | | | animals or pets may carry germs that are harmless |
| symptom is diarrhea. Very often, vomiting can also | | | | to them and harmful to us)- After gardening and |
| be a prominent feature. Intermittent cramp pain | | | | handling dirty objects.- After handling raw meat and |
| around the belly button is also common. Pains may | | | | before handling food ready to be eaten.How is |
| subside for a while each time after some watery | | | | gastroenteritis treated in children? The single most |
| stool is passed. Fever and headaches are occasionally | | | | important complication that we are worried about in |
| noted, especially in very young children, where their | | | | children with gastroenteritis is dehydration. Luckily, |
| immune system is still young and fragile.Diarrhea | | | | symptoms commonly settle after a few days once |
| usually lasts longer than vomiting by several days or | | | | the immune system starts to 'get on top' of things. |
| more (diarrhea often continues after the vomiting | | | | The following are commonly advised for children with |
| stops). Very often, loose or watery feces may | | | | gastroenteritis: Give the child plenty of fluids to drink. |
| persist for one to two weeks before a normal | | | | The objective is to avoid dehydration (lack of body |
| pattern returns.What are the causes of | | | | fluid). It is difficult to encourage fluid intake while the |
| gastroenteritis? Viruses are responsible for the | | | | child is still vomiting, however, you should still give sips |
| majority of cases of gastroenteritis in children. The | | | | as some amount of fluid will still be absorbed. |
| commonest virus that causes gastroenteritis being | | | | Preferably, water should be the main drink given. - |
| the Rotavirus. It usually causes transient diarrhea and | | | | Rehydration drinks. These are usually advised if the |
| vomiting in children under the age of 5. Viruses are | | | | doctors are concerned about the child's hydration |
| easily transmitted from one person to another by | | | | status. Rehydration drinks can easily be bought from |
| close contact and by consuming food prepared by an | | | | pharmacies. They provide the perfect balance of |
| infected person.Gastroenteritis can also be caused by | | | | water, electrolyte and sugar that the body needs at |
| consuming infected food (food poisoning). Vomiting is | | | | times of diarrhea and vomiting. In fact, they are |
| more prominent than diarrhea in a person who has | | | | better than just consuming water alone. The sugar |
| food poisoning. There are many types of bacteria | | | | and electrolyte in the rehydration drinks actually help |
| that can cause food poisoning. Salmonella, Shigella, | | | | water to get absorbed from the gut into the body. |
| Staphylococcus and Campylobacter are some of the | | | | Other advice is: the child should eat and drink as |
| common ones.Consumption of contaminated water is | | | | normally as possible; medicine should not be given to |
| also a common cause of gastroenteritis, this is | | | | stop diarrhea and paracetamol can be given to lower |
| especially true in poorer countries, where outbreaks | | | | temperature and to ease headaches. |