Gastroenteritis in children and adults - symptoms and treatment. Rotavirus gastroenteritis What is the difference between gastroenteritis and intestinal infection?

Nausea and vomiting are the only symptoms of gastroviral infection

Not true. The most common signs of infection are loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, elevated body temperature (around 38 degrees), severe diarrhea and severe fatigue. Symptoms appear abruptly, approximately twelve hours or at most a day after infection with the virus.

Symptoms characteristic of infants with this infection: dehydration, which is expressed in acute thirst, lack of tears, the appearance of dark circles in the eye area, and their noticeable bulging. There is bloody discharge in stool, excessive sleep , vomiting for many hours, high temperature (above 38.5), rapid pulse and breathing. If at least one of these symptoms appears in your baby, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Gastroenteritis goes away within a day

Not true. Gastroenteritis is a common disease, but to be cured completely, you need an adapted diet that will help eliminate the symptoms in about forty-eight hours. In addition, you need to consult a doctor.

To quickly recover from gastroenteritis, you need to drink as much clean water as possible to detoxify and eliminate the risk of dehydration. After vomiting, you should wait about an hour before eating or drinking. At this time, the gastrointestinal tract should recover somewhat and calm down. Vomiting and diarrhea contribute to fatigue and drowsiness, so you should allow yourself to rest and sleep for at least one day.

Once the symptoms are eliminated, appetite gradually returns. But you need to eat moderately and adaptedly for one or two days, without loading the body with heavy and indigestible food. After two days without symptoms of gastroenteritis, you can return to normal life and nutrition.

During gastroinfection, children need increased attention and care

Is it true. Vomiting and diarrhea contribute to the active removal of fluid from the body, which is very critical for any person, and especially for a child. But infants and older children may not always feel acute thirst and ask for a drink, and then parents need to be very careful so that the child does not experience dehydration, which is harmful to the body’s condition.

You can use solutions based on water, salt and sugar, which should be taken in the same volume as the child loses water. They can be purchased at the pharmacy in the form of sachets that dissolve in mineral water. In any case, if a child is sick, you should not ignore visiting a doctor and self-medicate. You need to be especially attentive to the baby’s abnormal behavior - elevated temperature, too much sleep, frequent crying, which were not typical before. Remember that young children, like older people, do not have an acute feeling of thirst, and do not always ask for a drink, so you should not miss even minor symptoms of a lack of fluid in the body.

Not true. When the vomiting stops, it is important for the patient to drink as much as possible, rather than eat, to replenish fluid loss. Broths and herbal infusions provide more than just liquid - they saturate it with useful substances, vitamins, and microelements that are removed during acute attacks of diarrhea and vomiting. However, you should avoid very sweet drinks, which will only worsen the symptoms.

A few hours later, the patient can eat soups, rice, white bread, well-stewed vegetables, boiled potatoes and other dishes cooked without oil, steamed or stewed. If symptoms do not return, you need to slowly restore your diet by introducing yoghurt, lean meat, fish, fruits and vegetables into your diet.

There is no cure for gastroenteritis

Is it true. Unlike bacterial lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, which are treated with antibiotics , a viral infection does not respond to such therapy. You need to be patient before recovery occurs. However, there are medications that help cope with the symptoms of the disease, reducing their manifestations. The doctor will prescribe medications for diarrhea, medications to reduce nausea, stomach cramps, and to stabilize bowel function. How to improve bowel function - a step-by-step process

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract rank first in prevalence. One of the manifestations of digestive problems is stomach (or intestinal) flu, known in medicine as acute gastroenteritis. This pathology is diagnosed in patients of any age category, regardless of gender, and is a rapidly occurring inflammatory process of the walls of the stomach and small intestine.

If treatment for inflammation in the stomach and small intestine is not started in a timely manner, this can lead to serious complications.

The danger of acute gastroenteritis is that even with qualified medical care, the patient risks suffering from dehydration and the resulting changes, as well as from intoxication of the body.

The etiological sources contributing to the occurrence of acute gastroenteritis are very diverse. The mucous membrane and walls of the digestive organs are daily exposed to external and internal factors, which under certain conditions can cause acute inflammation. Acute gastroenteritis can occur for the following reasons:

lack of personal hygiene;
eating low-quality foods;
drinking unpurified water;
eating foods containing large amounts of intestinal irritants;
diets prepared in violation of generally accepted norms;
introduction of new products to the menu.

One of the common causes of gastrointestinal diseases, including acute gastroenteritis, is failure to comply with hygiene measures

When the above factors appear, the risk of injury to the mucous membrane and impaired circulation in the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines increases significantly. The concentration of beneficial microflora in the intestines and the absorption of certain substances also change. Among other things, when risk factors appear, the risk of infection with various pathogenic microflora increases significantly:

With illness, resistance to various bacteria decreases

Symptoms of acute gastroenteritis

When acute gastroenteritis occurs, symptoms appear within a fairly short time. In this case, the clinical picture depends on what exactly caused the inflammatory process:

With alimentary origin of gastroenteritis, the symptoms of the disease consist of stool disturbances, nausea and vomiting, pain in the stomach and left side of the abdomen. Body temperature is kept at a normal level. On average, symptoms of alimentary gastroenteritis appear within several hours (usually up to 12) from the moment of eating a product that irritates the mucous membrane.
With allergic gastroenteritis, the symptoms are a combination of nausea and vomiting, followed by noticeable relief, and diarrhea. Feverish conditions do not appear in this form of the disease.
With viral gastroenteritis, symptoms, in addition to vomiting and diarrhea, include fever and increased body temperature, soreness of the joints and muscles, sharp pain in the navel, and general malaise.

Regardless of the cause of the disease, acute gastroenteritis is accompanied by stool disorders

With bacterial gastroenteritis, symptoms, in addition to acute abdominal pain and vomiting, include diarrhea, in which the stool contains mucus, undigested food particles, and its color changes to grayish-green.

Allergic, toxic and nutritional (arising as a result of errors in nutrition) acute gastroenteritis are not contagious, and therefore there is no risk of getting sick for those living with the patient. The situation is somewhat different with infectious forms of acute gastroenteritis. If symptoms of the disease appear in one family member, there is a high probability that the pathology will soon be detected in those who come into contact with him.

If treatment is not started on the first day after the symptoms of acute gastroenteritis appear, there is a possibility of dehydration and the spread of inflammation to other internal organs located in the abdominal cavity. In this case, the patient may experience a significant weakening of intestinal motility, convulsive states, bradycardia, dry and pale skin, confusion and fainting. Such symptoms require immediate hospitalization.

The appearance of bradycardia is due to the lack of treatment of the underlying disease

Treatment methods for acute gastroenteritis

Timely treatment of the disease known as acute gastroenteritis will avoid chronicity of the process and prevent other complications. Currently, there is no specific medicine that can cope with all the symptomatic and etiological manifestations of the disease. In this regard, doctors use comprehensive measures to combat the manifestations of acute gastroenteritis:

Replenishment of fluid deficiency.
Cleansing the intestines of toxins and pathogenic microflora.
Restoring the functions of the digestive tract.
Restoring enzyme and bacterial balance in the intestines.

In most cases, treatment using these measures is carried out at home. If the cause of the acute inflammatory process is a severe infection (including typhoid fever or cholera), if the patient is too weak or has a severe course of the disease, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting.

In particularly difficult cases, treatment is carried out under the supervision of doctors

Replenishment of fluid deficiency

By drinking plenty of fluids, which helps to avoid excessive fluid loss, the treatment of acute gastroenteritis is easier, and the symptoms are somewhat mitigated. To restore water and electrolyte balance in mild cases of the disease, experts recommend drinking frequently, but little by little. Firstly, this will allow the stomach to work normally and will not cause the urge to vomit. Secondly, this will allow the liquid to be absorbed in full.

In severe cases of the disease, along with drinking plenty of fluids, treatment with infusion of physiological saline solution may be recommended. In addition to replenishing fluid, this method allows you to quickly remove toxins from the body.

Cleansing the intestines of toxins and pathogens

To eliminate the main cause of poor health in the form of toxins and pathogenic microflora, it is recommended to take enterosorbents. Treatment with these drugs allows you to quickly reduce symptoms and restore normal digestion. Medications and folk remedies with sorbing properties are taken orally.

In case of acute gastroenteritis, it is necessary to take drugs to cleanse the intestines.

Their roles are:

Activated carbon in a dosage of 1 tablet/10 kg of patient weight, divided into two doses per day.
Diosmectite or Smecta in the form of a solution - take one packet three times a day.
Enterosgel in a dosage of 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon three times a day.
Lactofiltrum - one standard packet three times a day.

With an infectious etiology of the disease, patients are prescribed a course of antibiotic therapy or antiviral agents, depending on the identified pathogen. It is better to begin treatment with these drugs after consultation with a doctor and a thorough diagnosis.

Restoring the functional state of the intestines

To normalize digestion, it is recommended to take medications that contain digestive enzymes, restore intestinal contractility and reduce the inflammatory process in its walls. For this purpose, mainly symptomatic drugs are used:

antidiarrheal;

Taking medications is necessary to eliminate vomiting

antiemetics;
antispasmodics;
analgesics and so on.

Treatment with them is possible only if there are serious indications in the form of severe pain in the epigastric region, repeated diarrhea that does not go away on its own, and debilitating vomiting.

Therapy with enzymes and preparations with bacteria

Treatment with drugs containing lacto- and bifidobacteria, as well as enzyme preparations, is indicated if there has been acute infectious gastroenteritis. It is recommended to start taking drugs in this group after starting antibiotic therapy, when most of the pathogenic microflora has been neutralized.

The drugs presented are prescribed to improve the digestion process in case of illness.

The most popular drugs with bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are Bifiform, Linex, Biovestin and Bifidumbacterin. In addition to them, enzyme preparations can be prescribed that will help restore digestion faster: Vestal, Abomin, Pancreatin, Wobenzym and others. It is also recommended to start taking them after consulting a doctor.

An important point in the treatment of acute gastroenteritis is nutrition. In the first days, it is recommended to exclude from the menu all spicy, salty foods, as well as foods containing indigestible fiber, including fiber. The diet should be light, but at the same time contain enough vitamins and minerals. In the first week, liquid or slimy porridges, pureed boiled vegetables and dietary meat, fruit decoctions (not juices!) are recommended. This will help avoid additional stress on the intestines.

The video is about stomach flu:

Rotavirus gastroenteritis is a viral intestinal disease that affects the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and small intestine. Most often, the disease is observed in artificially raised children from 4 months to 3 years, as well as in adults over 50. The incubation period of the disease is within 1–5 days. The disease has an acute onset: profuse foamy stools, nausea, vomiting and simultaneous damage to the upper respiratory tract. The disease has no specific treatment; low-carbohydrate nutrition, detoxification and rehydration are indicated.

Factors contributing to the occurrence of the disease

The source of rotavirus infection (RI) is a person infected with the pathogen. Asymptomatic carriers of RI pose a great danger to healthy adults and children. Often they are workers in infectious diseases departments and maternity hospitals, teachers and staff of kindergartens, as well as children attending preschool institutions.

The infection enters the body as follows:

Contact-household method. Due to neglect of hygiene rules, the pathogen is transferred into the mouth from infected household items.
By nutritional route – by consuming food products contaminated with RI.
By water - by drinking contaminated water.

In maternity hospitals, children receiving artificial nutrition, as well as those suffering from immunodeficiency and congenital pathologies are more susceptible to infection.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection

In the acute period, rotavirus gastroenteritis produces a pronounced respiratory syndrome. Catarrhal symptoms do not last long, completely disappearing after 4 days. The inability to conduct laboratory diagnostics of children and adults leads to the fact that patients are often prescribed treatment for influenza with intestinal syndrome, believing that respiratory symptoms are not characteristic of intestinal influenza.

The incubation period of the disease lasts from hours to several days. Rotavirus gastroenteritis develops acutely against the background of the normal state of the body. The acute period in children and adults is characterized by the following respiratory symptoms:

hyperemia and granularity of the palate, tonsils and pharynx;
decreased diuresis;
slight runny nose and cough;
labored breathing.

Respiratory symptoms soon disappear, replaced by gastrointestinal disorders:

loose stools from 5-6 for mild and 10-15 times a day for severe cases;
lack of appetite, urge to vomit;
rumbling and bloating;
discomfort or cramps;
general weakness and intoxication.

Treatment of a severe form of the disease begins with the restoration of water-salt metabolism and the administration of enterosorbents.

Differential diagnosis

Rotavirus gastroenteritis is difficult to differentiate from acute intestinal infections of viral etiology. Difficulties in this regard are the disease caused by the Norwalk virus and the adenoviral type of gastroenteritis.

They have the following symptoms:

Gastroenteritis caused by Norwalk virus typically affects both children and adults. In addition to vomiting and diarrhea, signs of acute intoxication are clearly expressed - myalgia, hyperthermia and headache.
The adenoviral type of gastroenteritis rarely causes respiratory symptoms. Compared to other viral diseases, it has a longer incubation period and prolonged diarrhea.
Bacterial gastroenteritis is severe and often causes complications. The lesion, in addition to the stomach and intestines, also affects other internal organs. Bacterial gastroenteritis is characterized by acute symptoms of intoxication, which come to the fore in the symptoms of the disease.

A characteristic feature of RI is the parallel development of damage to the upper respiratory tract.

Treatment of gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus infection

During an exacerbation, a diet with limited carbohydrates is needed. These are, first of all, milk, fruits, sweets and baked goods. Patients with moderate and severe disease are subject to hospitalization in a hospital.

Treatment includes:

Enterosorbent drugs that bind and remove toxins from the body.
For dehydration, water-salt preparations are indicated.
Drink plenty of decoctions of dried fruits, chamomile tea, mineral water.
Enzyme preparations (Pancreatin, Festal, Abomin and the like).

No specific treatment has yet been found; antiviral drugs do not produce any results. Against the background of RI, intestinal dysbiosis develops, so drugs with bifidobacteria are recommended. In addition, symptomatic treatment (antipyretic, antiemetic, consolidating) and a low-carbohydrate diet are prescribed.

Diet for rotavirus infection

During RI, the most effective treatment is diet. It prevents dehydration, reduces the load on the gastrointestinal tract, accelerates recovery, and provides the body with essential nutrients. Diet is even more important when you consider that it is practically the only treatment for RI. No medicine can provide complete recovery.

At the onset of the disease, children and adults lose their appetite. In this case, you can eat a little low-fat chicken broth, strong tea without sugar, or jelly. After the appearance of appetite, meals can be expanded.

First, all food is chopped and steamed before consumption. The diet does not allow the consumption of carbohydrate foods that feed the infection. These include baked goods, sweets and cow's milk.

In addition, therapeutic nutrition for children and adults excludes:

fatty meat products;
pasta;
fresh fruits;
rich soups;
difficult-to-digest cereals;
fresh bread and baked goods;
cocoa products;
any canned food;
smoked, fatty and salted fish.

Plant-based foods, especially cruciferous vegetables, contain difficult-to-digest fiber that can aggravate symptoms.

The diet allows:

weak broth;
rice or semolina porridge;
steam omelette;
fresh cottage cheese;
steamed meatballs or cutlets;
boiled carrot puree;
pulp of baked apples;
acidophilus milk;
homemade marmalade.

Instead of fresh bread, you can eat homemade crackers.

Since the disease most often develops in people with reduced immunity and artificially raised children, treatment of the disease should, first of all, consist of increasing the body's defenses, proper nutrition, and ensuring long-term breastfeeding of newborns.
Diet plays a great role in the treatment of the disease; it helps to quickly improve the functions of the gastrointestinal tract, eliminate dehydration and provide the body with nutrients. Prevention of the disease consists of maintaining hygiene, drinking pasteurized milk and thoroughly washing vegetables and fruits, cleaning premises and disinfecting toys.

General information

Gastroenteritis is an inflammatory process localized in the mucous membrane of the stomach and small intestine, leading to disruption of secretory, digestive and transport functions, secondary immune and metabolic changes. The disease can occur in two forms - acute and chronic, which have fundamental differences in etiology, manifestations and treatment methods.

The prevalence is very high: in the structure of infectious diseases, acute gastroenteritis ranks second after respiratory infections, and chronic gastroenteritis occurs in more than half of schoolchildren and people in older age groups. The relevance of this pathology is due to the constant emergence of new strains of pathogens, the development of resistance to antibiotics, the prevalence of risk factors such as poor nutrition, alcohol consumption and smoking, as well as extremely frequent cases of self-medication.

Causes of gastroenteritis

The main cause of the development of acute inflammation is infection with bacteria, viruses, protozoa (Shigella, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, enterotropic viruses, amoebas, etc.), as well as the effect of chemical or physical damaging factors (alcohol, certain medications) on the mucous membrane of the stomach and small intestine , aggressive chemicals, ionizing radiation). Less commonly, the acute form occurs as a result of an unbalanced diet (eating too spicy, fatty foods) or individual intolerance to certain foods (allergic form).

The most common is acute infectious gastroenteritis, in which pathogenic flora enters the gastrointestinal tract, adhesion and invasion of microorganisms, and their production of enterotoxins. These processes are accompanied by an increase in the osmotic pressure of the intestinal contents and the secretion of large amounts of water and electrolytes into its lumen. The likelihood of acute infectious gastroenteritis increases when the intestinal microbiocenosis is disrupted and the acidity of the gastric juice is low.

Chronic gastroenteritis can develop as a complication and continuation of an acute process, but in most cases its cause is Helicobacter pylori infection. Helicobacter are acid-resistant microorganisms that have an affinity for the epithelial tissue of the stomach and have protective mechanisms that allow them to exist in an aggressive acidic environment.

The development of these bacteria leads to an increase in acid-forming function, and as a result of the constant effect on the mucous membrane of the small intestine of the acidic contents of the stomach - metaplasia of the intestinal epithelium, which is transformed into the gastric epithelium. At the same time, the mucous membrane acquires favorable properties for the colonization of Helicobacter. The chronic inflammatory process leads to insufficient production of digestive juices and inhibition of local immune mechanisms.

According to the observations of specialists in the field of practical gastroenterology, a chronic form of pathology is often observed in alcoholism. In this case, atrophic changes occur in the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract with severe disturbances in the digestion of food and the absorption of valuable nutrients.

Classification

Gastroenteritis is classified depending on the form (acute or chronic), etiological factor and predominant clinical syndrome. During acute gastroenteritis, three degrees of severity are distinguished. The first is characterized by infrequent diarrhea and vomiting, maintenance of normal body temperature and the absence of symptoms of dehydration. Moderate severity is determined by vomiting and diarrhea up to ten times a day, signs of mild dehydration and an increase in temperature to 38.5ºC. A severe course is accompanied by severe dehydration, fever, and disturbances of consciousness.

Treatment of gastroenteritis

In case of an acute process, treatment can be carried out on an outpatient basis or in an infectious diseases hospital, in case of a chronic process - in the gastroenterology department. The basis of therapy for the acute form is rehydration, diet therapy, and in some cases, the use of antibiotics and auxiliary agents. Any severity of acute infectious gastroenteritis requires early initiation of oral rehydration therapy. This is especially true for young children, in whom dehydration develops very quickly. Even if there are no signs of exicosis, drinking plenty of fluids is required.

In case of thirst, dry skin, or decreased urine volume, special oral saline solutions are used. The patient should drink fluid in a volume exceeding one and a half times the loss. If thirst decreases and diuresis increases, it means that dehydration is sufficiently compensated. In case of significant losses of water and electrolytes, infusion rehydration with saline solutions is performed.

Antibiotics in the case of acute gastroenteritis are indicated only for its bacterial etiology (the presence of mucus, pus and blood in the stool, severe hyperthermia). In case of viral infection, antibacterial therapy is contraindicated. To reduce diarrhea and remove toxins, enterosorbents are prescribed: activated carbon, dioctahedral smectite, polyphepane and others. To normalize the intestinal flora, probiotics and eubiotics are used.

Treatment of chronic gastroenteritis is determined by its form. In case of increased acidity, antacids and proton pump inhibitors are used. Detection of Helicobacter requires specific therapy: antibiotics, bismuth preparations and proton pump inhibitors are prescribed. For low acidity, natural gastric juice, enzymatic and reparative drugs are used. The intestinal microflora must be restored. For severe pain, especially with symptoms of solaritis, physiotherapy is effective: electrophoresis with anesthetics, magnetic therapy.

In acute and chronic forms of the disease, diet must be followed. Food should be chemically and mechanically gentle; extractive substances, fatty and spicy foods are excluded. In order to reduce the risk of relapse, patients are advised to avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, coffee and carbonated drinks. During the period of remission, sanatorium-resort treatment is carried out. Therapy for gastroenteritis should not be carried out by patients on their own - the irrational use of symptomatic remedies only reduces the symptoms, but does not lead to a cure.

Prognosis and prevention

With timely treatment and diet, the prognosis is favorable. At the same time, self-treatment of acute gastroenteritis can lead to chronicity of the process. In the presence of risk factors (age up to 6 months and after 65 years, concomitant renal, cardiovascular and neurological diseases, diabetes mellitus, oncological pathology), acute pathology can be severe, and the mortality rate is quite high.

In case of chronic gastroenteritis, clinical examination and regular examination are required. gastroenterologist. Preventive measures include personal hygiene (washing hands after visiting the bathrooms and before eating), thoroughly washing vegetables and herbs consumed raw, sufficient heat treatment of products, a detailed examination of food industry workers with removal from production if an acute infectious process is detected.

Content

Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the digestive tract that is accompanied by acute diarrhea and vomiting. Other names for the disease: intestinal infection, stomach flu. The disease often affects children under 7 years of age. If the immune system is strong, the body will cope with the disease without medication in 2-3 days. In severe cases, the person must be hospitalized to avoid dehydration and coma.

With contaminated food or water, on unwashed hands.
Through towels, dishes, and other household and personal hygiene items from a sick person.
By airborne droplets from sneezing, coughing, kissing.

Rotavirus

This is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in children under 3 years of age who put dirty hands into their mouth. For adults, infection with rotavirus is less dangerous and often occurs without symptoms: they become carriers of the disease. The pathogen is especially active from December to June.

In Russia, since 2006, they have been vaccinated against rotavirus based on 2 vaccines: Rotatek and Rotarix. The procedure is very effective and is indicated for infants (6–36 weeks).

Norovirus

A highly contagious microbe that affects people of all ages is norovirus. It enters the body through food (the main route), water, and household items. Norovirus is transmitted less frequently through contact between a sick person and a healthy person. Often the infection develops in crowded places. From the moment of infection to the appearance of the first symptoms, 1–3 days pass. In addition to the general signs of gastroenteritis, such an infection is characterized by:

muscle pain;
feeling overwhelmed;
fever.

Adenovirus

This microorganism causes gastroenteritis in people of all ages, but children from six months to 2 years old are most often affected, especially in kindergartens. It is transmitted by airborne droplets and through touch. Even in young children, the disease passes quickly and rarely causes serious consequences. If an intestinal infection is caused by an adenovirus, the following will be added to the general symptoms:

runny nose;
sore throat;
redness of the eyes.

Symptoms

The incubation period for gastroenteritis is 1-2 days. Afterwards, the first and main symptom of the disease appears - diarrhea, and the diarrhea is frequent and profuse. The small intestine stops retaining fluids, and the stool loosens and becomes watery. Intestinal motility increases, causing frequent diarrhea. Other symptoms of the disease: acute abdominal pain, vomiting.

Signs of gastroenteritis last 1–10 days: the period depends on the type of virus.

In adults

In addition to the general symptoms of intestinal infection, gastroenteritis is characterized by the following manifestations:

pale skin;
heavy sweating;
heat;
muscle pain or headaches;
fecal incontinence;
constant thirst.

In children

The general symptoms of gastroenteritis in a child over one year old are the same as in an adult. Infants refuse food and often cry because of pain and scream. The abdomen swells, dry skin and a white coating on the tongue appear.

Symptoms of dehydration are dangerous: the diaper remains dry for more than 4 hours, the child quickly loses weight.

When to see a doctor

An adult should urgently call an ambulance if there are such signs of severe gastroenteritis:

Temperature above 40 degrees.
Vomiting persists for longer than 2 days, and there is blood in the masses.
There are symptoms of dehydration: dry mouth, dark urine (or no urine at all), weakness, dizziness.
Blood appears in the stool.

In infants, intestinal infection is severe and often causes complications. Call a doctor if there are signs of dehydration:

Vomiting does not stop for several hours.
Diarrhea is severe or lasts longer than 2 days and there is blood in the stool.
The baby cries without tears, his lips are dry.
Urine is dark yellow, brown.
The fontanelle failed.
There was no urination for more than 4 hours.

Take a child over one year old to the doctor if you see dangerous symptoms:

temperature above 38.9 degrees;
bloody diarrhea;
weakness, apathy, poor reaction;
confusion;
dizziness.

Risk factors

Gastroenteritis occurs in people of any age, but the following groups of people are especially susceptible to it:

Children under 7-8 years old. Their immunity is not fully developed, so they often get sick.
Aged people. With age, the immune system weakens and resists disease less well. The situation worsens if a person is in a nursing home, hospital, or visiting a clinic. He may come into frequent contact with virus carriers.
Schoolchildren or people who live in a hostel, in the army. Constant close contact increases the risk of infection.
Persons with immunodeficiency cannot resist any infections. This condition is caused by a positive HIV status, treatment with chemotherapy drugs, and antibiotics.

If there is a suspicion of inflammatory bowel disease, an x-ray and endoscopic examination of the rectum are done.

What can gastroenteritis be confused with?

Intestinal infection has some symptoms similar to the following conditions:

Food allergies. Severe vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain can occur with intolerance to gluten, lactose, artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors.
Digestive disorder. Occurs in people who have inflammation in the intestines, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis.
Taking medications. Signs of an intestinal infection can be caused by long-term use of antibiotics or antacids - these are medications that neutralize acid in the stomach. They are used for gastritis.
Meningitis. Inflammation of the membranes of the brain also causes severe vomiting, but has many specific symptoms.

More dangerous conditions with symptoms similar to gastroenteritis:

appendicitis;
intestinal obstruction;
Hirschsprung's disease (nerve plexuses in the colon develop incorrectly).

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for gastroenteritis. Antibiotics are not used - they will only worsen the situation. Anti-diarrhea medications (Loperamide) are also not recommended, especially for children: the virus will be eliminated slowly. A healthy body copes with the disease itself in 2-3 days. Follow your doctor's recommendations:

Change your diet. In your diet, leave only soft foods, pureed until pureed, and eat in small portions.
Maintain bed rest, especially if you have a high fever or vomiting.
Drink more fluids - often and in small sips.

Rehydration

In the treatment of gastroenteritis, the main thing is to replenish the loss of water and minerals. To do this, use electrolyte solutions that are sold in pharmacies: Regidron, Hydrovit. They are given to children only after consultation with a pediatrician. The solutions are based on salt, potassium and glucose. Features of their use:

Reception frequency. Use the solution in an amount of 1-2 tsp. after each attack of diarrhea or vomiting. If gastroenteritis is not severe, take 50 ml 15 minutes after bowel movement.
Temperature. Drink a warm solution (33–36 degrees) - this way its components will enter the blood faster.
Compound. Do not add anything to the pharmaceutical solution.

Diet

To reduce the load on your intestines and stop diarrhea, remove from your diet:

sweets (especially ice cream, chocolate, pastries and cakes);
dairy products;
sources of caffeine;
alcohol;
fatty foods;
canned food;
smoked meats

On the first day of diarrhea, drink water, apple juice and compotes without sugar, eat boiled white rice without salt. When you feel better, add to your diet:

boiled potatoes;
bananas;
applesauce;
yesterday's or dried bread.

Folk remedies

To speed up recovery, use alternative medicine recipes along with basic treatment.

Warm compresses, rice water, and ginger tea give good results for gastroenteritis.

You can also make a rehydration solution yourself: dilute 1 tsp in 1 liter of warm water. salt and 1 tbsp. l. Sahara. When the granules disperse, the product is ready.

Warm compresses

To relieve stomach pain, use a heating pad. Place it on the disturbing area and cover it with a blanket, remove it after 15 minutes. The procedure can be repeated several times a day. If the electric heating pad has several modes, choose the middle one: it should not burn the skin.

A simple alternative: a thick bag or plastic bottle filled with hot water.

Rice water

The product helps restore electrolyte balance, stops diarrhea and removes toxins from the body. It is recommended to cook rice water for the first 2 days and replace food with it while gastroenteritis is in the acute phase. Brown or round white rice is used for treatment. Recipe:

Rinse half a cup of rice. Fill with cold water - it should be 5 times more than the cereal.
Cover the pan with a lid. Cook the rice over low heat until soft. The round white one will be ready in 20 minutes, the brown one in 40–45.
Leave on a warm burner for half an hour.
Strain. Take in small portions (1-2 tablespoons) throughout the day.

Ginger

This product soothes upset intestines and strengthens the immune system. Important: ginger is not recommended for people who have problems with the liver or gall bladder. The simplest remedy for intestinal infections is tea:

Finely grate 1 tsp. fresh ginger root, pour 200 ml of boiling water.
Leave for 10–15 minutes, drink in small sips.
Prepare this tea 2 times a day, leaving an interval of 4-6 hours between doses.

Possible complications

Without treatment or with severe disease in a person with gastroenteritis:

Asthenic syndrome occurs - prolonged weakness, apathy, sleep disturbance, tremor (shaking).
Dehydration develops.
The intestines stop absorbing useful substances.

Dehydration and its consequences

Due to severe diarrhea and vomiting, the body loses water, and with it many important minerals.

A person who drinks a lot during gastroenteritis will suffer less.

Dehydration develops more often in infants, children under 3 years of age, and the elderly. The condition is dangerous with death and other consequences:

convulsions;
hypovolemic shock (develops when the body loses more than 20% of fluid, leading to organ failure);
cerebral edema;
renal failure;
coma.

Prevention

To avoid contracting gastroenteritis, follow these recommendations:

Get vaccinated against viruses.
Avoid contact with people with gastroenteritis.
Wash your hands well after going outside and before eating. In public canteens, cafes, and restaurants, use antiseptic gel (buy at a pharmacy and carry with you).
Do not eat raw meat, fish, eggs.
Clean kitchen surfaces thoroughly before and after preparing food. This is especially important when working with eggs and meat.
Do not allow raw animal products to come into contact with vegetables and fruits. Use separate boards and knives for them.
If there is a sick person in the family, provide him with separate dishes and hygiene items.

Preventive measures when traveling to other (especially exotic) countries:

Drink water only from unopened bottles. Use it to brush your teeth.
Don't eat raw food and avoid already peeled vegetables and fruits.
Do not order fish or meat that is not fully cooked (rare steak, etc.).
Do not drink drinks with ice: it may contain contaminated water.
Before traveling, get insurance and vaccinations against gastroenteritis pathogens.

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