Rotavirus gastroenteritis, intestinal (stomach) flu - these names hide a disease whose manifestations are known to most people. Therefore, it is important to know how to choose the right medications for rotavirus infection for a speedy cure.
Rotavirus infection is an acute disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract.
The culprit of the disease is a virus that has a spherical shape. Outwardly, it looks like a small wheel with spokes, which is why it got its name: rota means “wheel” in Latin. Despite its small size, the virus is resistant to external influences, as it is covered with a reliable shell consisting of three layers. Therefore, neither the enzymes of the human digestive tract nor chlorinated water are harmful to him. Only acids, alkalis and boiling can cope with the insidious pathogen.
Prevention
Naturally, it is better to prevent any disease than to suffer later during the treatment process. This is exactly what prevention is for. Rotavirus is also referred to as a disease of dirty hands, that is, viruses are transmitted through unclean hands. For example, you went to the cafeteria to have a snack, but didn’t wash your hands before. Or you decided to have a snack on the beach with food that local sellers tempt you with.
The result in both cases threatens to result in an intestinal infection, so it is better not to take risks and avoid such cases. This means, always wash your hands thoroughly before eating, avoid snacking on the beach, and always wash your hands after going outside. If there is no water nearby, then buy an antiseptic gel and carry it with you so that you can use it if necessary.
What kind of disease is this
Intestinal infection is a group of diseases that includes more than 30 types of pathogens that act as a provoking factor in pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.
According to statistics, the disease ranks second in prevalence and is diagnosed in 60% of patients in childhood.
The disease begins to actively develop in mid-spring, when it gets warmer. The peak incidence is observed in July, when temperatures reach high values, which becomes favorable conditions for the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.
Treatment principle
When your child catches rotavirus, you need to understand that there is no one drug that will completely destroy all the bad symptoms and heal the body. There is a whole list of medications, and the doctor prescribes them based on the child’s condition. As a rule, the treatment regimen follows the following scenario: treatment of dehydration, reduction of high fever, removal of toxins, normalization of digestion, antiviral protection and, in difficult cases, the prescription of antibiotics. And any treatment includes ensuring that the sick child constantly drinks small portions of liquid.
Rating of the best drugs for rotavirus for children
Rehydration products
Regidron
The most popular drug for preventing dehydration is rehydron. It is sold in any pharmacies, available to all categories of citizens, safe and effective. Doctors prescribe it even for infants. The drug is available in powder form and diluted in water. It is prohibited to mix rehydron with other medications or products, including sweeteners, otherwise this will negatively affect the drug. In order to understand in what doses to give the medicine, you need to carefully read the instructions and follow them. Rehydron has practically no analogues, except for three options: trihydron, hydrovit and trisol.
The drug is sold from 19 rubles per sachet and from 400 rubles per package.
Regidron
Advantages:
- Available commercially;
- Effective;
- Suitable for very young children.
Flaws:
- There are contraindications.
Oralit
Another effective drug aimed at reducing dehydration is called Oralit. In addition to its emphasis on relieving dehydration, it is used to relieve diarrhea. Oralite helps restore potassium and sodium lost by the body. The product is sold in powder form, which is diluted in warm, boiled water. Before prescribing Oralit to your child, you must consult a doctor and carefully follow the instructions. Cost from 200 rubles and above.
Advantages:
- Helps with dehydration and diarrhea;
- Normalizes energy balance;
- Easy to prepare.
Flaws:
- Difficult to find in pharmacies;
- There are contraindications.
Gastrolit
Gastrolit also restores the water-salt balance well. Like similar products, it is sold in bags and in powder form. The drug contains glucose, so diabetics should take it with caution. Glucose helps to quickly absorb electrolytes and fully provides much-needed energy in a painful state. A sachet of the product is dissolved in a glass of warm boiled water and taken as needed. The formation of sediment is considered normal. The product is sold from 500 rubles.
Gastrolit
Advantages:
- Normalizes water and electrolyte balance;
- Has an antidiarrheal effect;
- Effective.
Flaws:
- Difficult to find on sale;
- There are side effects and contraindications.
Medicines to prevent intoxication
Enterosgel
An important point in treatment is to rid the intestines of toxins accumulated there. Enterosgel copes with the task perfectly. Its action is due to the fact that the product binds to toxic substances and gently removes them from the patient’s body. Externally, enterosgel is a gel substance with jelly-like lumps and has no aroma. The medicine should be taken before meals and not mixed with other medications. Usually enterosgel is diluted in a small amount of water, but if your child is capricious, you can cheat and dilute it with delicious, homemade jelly. Typically, the treatment period reaches up to 3 weeks, but in each specific case, recommendations should be given by a doctor.
You can purchase the product from 370 rubles and above.
Enterosgel
Advantages:
- Available commercially;
- Effectively removes toxins from the body;
- Helps normalize the functioning of the digestive tract.
Flaws:
- Not all children are ready to drink it;
- Big expense.
Polyphepan
Polyphepan has high sorption activity. Its functionality is aimed at removing bacterial toxins, pathogenic bacteria, allergens, etc. from the body. In addition, the product perfectly absorbs some metabolic products that are found in excess in humans. Even infants can take it (but, of course, after a doctor’s recommendation). The required dose of the drug depends on body weight and severity of the disease. As a rule, the duration of treatment varies from 3 to 5 days. In rare cases, side effects such as constipation or allergic reactions are observed.
You can buy it in pharmacies from 140 rubles.
Polyphepan
Advantages:
- Budget-friendly and commercially available;
- It’s even possible for babies;
- Effectively removes toxins.
Flaws:
- Not everyone likes the taste;
- There are contraindications.
Polysorb
One of the mandatory sorbents in the first aid kit is the multifunctional Polysorb. Its impact is difficult to overestimate. The product is over-the-counter, sold in every pharmacy, can be purchased in disposable bags, or can be taken in jars of various packaging. To calculate the dosage of the drug, you need to know the patient’s weight; there are no age restrictions. When polysorb is inside the body, it immediately begins to collect toxic substances; its absorbent area is very significant, while it does not touch the components important for full life. Usually the course of treatment reaches 10 days.
You can buy polysorb from 140 rubles and above.
Polysorb
Advantages:
- An effective analogue to expensive products;
- Multifunctional;
- Suitable even for babies.
Flaws:
- May cause constipation.
Complexes of beneficial bacteria
Bifiform
During a rotavirus infection, the microflora of a child’s body suffers greatly, so complexes of beneficial bacteria, also known as probiotics, come to the rescue. Bifiform is considered one of the most popular. The drug is available in the form of small, snow-white capsules. In addition, there are probiotic options in tablets and oil solution. In order to normalize the microflora, a couple of capsules per day are usually prescribed; the course of treatment itself lasts from 10 to 21 days. Children are prescribed the drug from the age of two; if the child cannot swallow the capsule, then it can be opened and mixed with water.
Bifiform is sold from 450 rubles.
Bifiform
Advantages:
- Well restores intestinal microflora;
- Fast action;
- Normalization of stool.
Flaws:
- The price is high.
Normobakt
Normobact is considered a good drug for restoring microflora. It is available in two variations: portioned sachets of powder and chewable tablets. Living microorganisms of the drug, entering the intestines, actively populate it, thereby displacing harmful microorganisms. It also has a positive effect on the immune system. Children are allowed to take the drug from 1 month, but before this they need to obtain a doctor’s permission. The duration of the course is from 10 to 14 days. No evidence of incompatibility of the drug with other medications has been identified.
You can buy Normobakt for 400 rubles and more.
Normobakt
Advantages:
- Effective;
- Pleasant taste;
- Normalizes stool and eliminates gas formation.
Flaws:
- Needs to be stored in the refrigerator.
Linex
Linex is considered a popular tool for normalizing microflora. The drug is available in capsules containing lactic acid bacteria. The function of these bacteria is that they perfectly protect the body, participate in the synthesis of vitamins, produce enzymes and perform other useful actions. For newborns and children under two years of age, one capsule per day is recommended; for older children, a different dosage is recommended, it is clearly stated in the instructions.
If a child has problems swallowing the capsule, it will need to be opened and the powder mixed with a small amount of boiled water. As a rule, Linex is well tolerated by the body, but individual reactions are not excluded; there are also contraindications such as diabetes, glucose malabsorption syndrome and fructose intolerance.
You can buy Linex from 300 rubles and above, depending on the number of capsules in the package.
Linex
Advantages:
- Beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal tract;
- Effective for various intestinal problems;
- Suitable for babies;
- Eliminates the effects of antibiotic treatment.
Flaws:
- The price is steep;
- There are contraindications.
Antiseptics for the intestines
Enterofuril
If the rotovirus overtook you at sea, then in this case the intestinal antiseptic Enterofuril is of great help. The product is available in two variations: sweet suspension and gelatin capsules with powder. The pharmacological functionality of the product is that it destroys microbial cells, reduces toxins and does not affect the balance of intestinal microflora. The suspension is prescribed to children from 1 month, and capsules can be taken from three years. The course of treatment usually lasts no more than 7 days. Unfortunately, the drug may have side effects in the form of allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock. There are also contraindications.
You can buy Enterofuril for 270 rubles and above.
Enterofuril
Advantages:
- Easily accessible and effective;
- Qualitatively treats intestinal flu;
- There are different forms of the drug.
Flaws:
- There are contraindications and side effects.
Stopdiar
An excellent antimicrobial agent that blocks biochemical processes in the microbial cell is called Stopdiar. This medicinal drug is prescribed for acute bacterial diarrhea and intoxication. For children, the product is allowed after 1 month in the form of a suspension, which can be washed down with water. The reception lasts from 5 to 7 days, but no more. There are contraindications and side effects. Stopdiar is aimed at stopping intestinal disorders.
You can buy from 200 rubles and above.
Stopdiar
Advantages:
- Short course and effectiveness;
- Suitable for small children;
- Good taste.
Flaws:
- There are contraindications and side effects.
Ersefuril
Ersefuril is considered an effective drug for diarrhea of bacterial origin. It is available in the form of hard gelatin capsules; the main component is nifuroxazide. The pharmacological effect of the drug is that it blocks biochemical processes in harmful microbial cells and at the same time maintains the intestinal balance of microflora. Children can take the medication from the age of three. The course of treatment varies from 5 to 7 days, no more. When taken, various types of allergic reactions are possible. In addition, there are contraindications.
You can buy from 400 rubles and above.
Ersefuril
Advantages:
- Effectively copes with intestinal infections;
- Long shelf life;
- Short course.
Flaws:
- Possible side effects;
- There are contraindications.
Which rotavirus medicine helped your child?
Diagnostics
To establish that the cause of the disease is rotavirus, specific external signs, its seasonal activity and analysis of the epidemiological situation in the child’s environment help. To identify the pathogen, vomit, feces, and blood serum can be examined.
Laboratory diagnosis of infection includes several methods:
- Study of feces with immunoelectron microscopy and isolation of rotavirus in cells.
- Serological analysis by latex agglutination, ELISA, RIA, or other available methods.
- Determination of antibodies to the virus in the child’s blood is carried out from the 5th day from the manifestation of the disease.
- A biopsy of the intestinal mucosa is performed in particularly severe cases.
In case of uncomplicated rotavirus infection in children, the results of stool examination for intestinal infections are negative. If a mixed infection is suspected, bacteriological examination of fecal matter is repeated. As an aid in making a diagnosis, a coprogram (examination of stool under a microscope), a general blood and urine test can be prescribed.
Average prices for tests for rotavirus in a child:
- urine test - about 300 rubles;
- blood tests – starting from 400 rubles;
- analysis of stool or vomit - from 360 rubles.
The cost of an express test for self-analysis at various pharmacies does not exceed 300 rubles. With such a study, you should definitely consult a doctor to clarify the diagnosis. A negative or positive result does not exclude other causes of infection.
At the stage of diagnosis, the doctor differentiates rotavirus from protozoal infections, intestinal disorders, dysentery, salmonellosis, yersiniosis, escherichiosis, and cholera with similar manifestations.
How long does rotavirus last?
Rotavirus infection can be safely divided into several stages of the disease. Unfortunately, there is no single time measured for those who are sick; the duration is different for everyone, and often depends on the severity of the infection, and, of course, the timeliness of proper treatment. But the process is conventionally divided into several stages: the incubation period, the acute period and the recovery stage.
The incubation period is otherwise called hidden, that is, the person and his loved ones do not yet suspect that the infection has entered the body and has begun its dirty work. This time lasts approximately five days and is not yet overshadowed by anything. The child behaves actively, eats normally, plays happily, and only towards the end of the incubation period begins to feel weakness and the onset of symptoms of rotavirus.
During the acute period, the disease fully comes into its own and attacks the sick person with all its might. Nausea begins, abruptly turning into uncontrollable vomiting. Against the background of vomiting, an attack of diarrhea is announced almost instantly, and now the person cannot move far from the toilet. Associated, aggravating symptoms may appear: abdominal pain appears, body temperature rises and dehydration begins. If in adults abdominal pain is tolerable, then small patients feel paroxysmal pain, sometimes the sensations become so painful and unbearable that an ambulance is required.
The acute stage is fraught with the fact that due to vomiting and diarrhea, children begin to rapidly dehydrate; this occurs according to a more accelerated program than in adults. Therefore, it is important to begin timely treatment and ensure that the sick baby’s body receives a sufficient amount of water at room temperature. The more often you give your child something to drink, the better. Most likely, your child will not want to drink in sips, so be patient and feed with a teaspoon.
It is important to know such terrible symptoms as crying without tears, dry tongue and lack of sweating - all this is a reason to urgently call an ambulance.
The third stage of recovery begins when the symptoms of rotavirus infection begin to disappear, and the child feels much better, vigor returns, appetite appears and lost weight is restored. But you shouldn’t rush and think that the disease is behind you, which means it’s time to take your child out into the world (to kindergarten, to school). The child remains a source of infection for some time, so following the doctor’s instructions, you will need to stay at home for some time.
Folk remedies for the treatment of rotavirus infection
Treatment with folk remedies for such an insidious disease as rotavirus implies compliance with reasonable rules and therapy. The essence of treatment is to help restore the water-salt balance, which means you need to remember to drink. Among the folk remedies, jelly made from a natural composition helps a lot; it retains the contents of the stomach, thereby preventing dehydration. Drinking chicken broth also has a beneficial effect and provides quality therapy. It is important to remember that liquids should be given in small portions so as not to provoke an attack of vomiting.
When treating with folk remedies, remember that it is important to keep the temperature within reasonable limits, that is, if it is not higher than 38 degrees, then it does not need to be brought down.
What medications can be taken for preventive purposes?
As mentioned above, the development of pathology is most often observed in the summer, when most people go to the sea and spend a lot of time traveling.
In order not to spoil your holiday, it is recommended to take prebiotics and probiotics as a preventive measure for the disease. They contain many beneficial bacteria that have a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora.
To maintain the immune system, vitamin therapy and taking herbal medications are useful.
What to feed for rotavirus infection
When a rotavirus infection attacks, it is important to remember not only about treatment and maintaining water-salt balance, but also that you need to follow a healthy diet. Nutritional habits during infection are aimed at preventing dehydration. It is useful to cook unsweetened fruit drinks and make a decoction of raisins; fill the child’s stomach with these liquid foods, and focus on small portions.
You can give chicken broth and liquid porridge cooked in water. Be sure to exclude dairy, fatty, spicy, sweet and fried foods from your diet. Although, it is worth recognizing that in the acute stage, patients have no appetite at all, so there will be no time for harm there, the main thing is that the body is filled with useful fluids and gradually.
How does infection occur?
After penetration into the body, rotavirus settles in the epithelial tissues of the small intestine. As a result of its vital activity, mature cells die off and are replaced by unformed ones that are unable to fully absorb nutrients. As a result, the normal digestion process is disrupted, which leads to the development of diarrhea, inflammatory processes, and dehydration.
The source of infection is the feces of a sick person. Rotavirus is excreted from the body in feces over three weeks, after which it ends up on food, water, dirty hands, toys, and various surfaces. Infection occurs through the oral cavity. The peak of rotavirus infection usually occurs in cold weather - epidemics occur from November to April.
The main factors of infection are:
- Poor hygiene, unwashed hands, vegetables, consumption of uncooked foods
- In children, the immune system is not properly formed and the enzymatic system is immature
- Gastritis, disturbance of enzymatic reactions.
