Dr. Komarovsky about rotavirus infection

Rotavirus intestinal infection has not ignored a single person. Everyone (regardless of the state of immunity, gender and race) at least once suffered this ailment. And those who recently came into the world, still have to recover from rotavirus. That is why the famous pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky considers it his duty to tell his parents what this disease is and how to act properly when a child gets sick.

Yevgeny Komarovsky emphasizes that rotavirus has nothing to do with the influenza virus or any of its specific strains. Any flu is able to multiply and exist only on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. With rotavirus, everything is different; it “lives” in the small intestine, and therefore it is not very correct to call it flu in general.

For the first time, a virus (under a microscope resembling a wheel with hubs and a rim, and therefore the so-called “rota” - wheel (lat.) Was discovered by Australian researchers in 1973. 98% of children under 3 years of age have had this disease) existing medical statistics.) The virus is transmitted by contact — fecal-oral, which is popularly called “dirty hands disease”.

The baby can get infected from a sick person through toys, door handles, dishes, household items. The virus is extremely contagious. Specific immunity to rotavirus, although it is produced, but almost does not matter, because this agent has a lot of strains and varieties. A person is attacked by completely different "modifications" of rotavirus (more than 9 of them are known to science, and mutations are still continuing).

All varieties of this virus are quite resistant to low temperatures, exposure to sunlight and air. For quite a long time, rotavirus survives in spring and seawater.

The incubation period is the time that passes after the virus enters the body until the acute stage of the disease begins. Different children have this time gap.

The child is contagious all the time from the moment of infection until the end of the recovery period. Even if the baby is already feeling well, quite viable microparticles of the virus continue to stand out with feces.

That is why Komarovsky strongly does not recommend immediately after the child has become better, send him to kindergarten or school. This will necessarily lead to a massive infection in the children's team.

The likelihood of contracting rotavirus is in no way dependent on the cleanliness of the family. Even if the mother washes and vacuums several times a day, if she forces the child to wash their hands with soap every hour, carefully monitors the quality of each product that comes to the table, does not allow them to drink water of dubious origin - this does not reduce the risk of getting rotavirus.

Most often, the virus attacks children between the ages of 6 months and 2 years. In general, children from birth to 5 years are at risk.For a newborn, this ailment happens somewhat less frequently, since the first six months after birth, the maternal "innate" immunity has a favorable effect on the child, which usually suffices for a maximum of six months. Then the crumb becomes more vulnerable.

The World Health Organization cites the following figures: every day on our planet about 125 million children are infected with rotavirus. Most recover quickly and independently. 2 million babies are admitted to hospitals, about 500 thousand tokens die, but not from the rotavirus infection itself, but from severe complications that occur during its course.

The following main symptoms can be distinguished:

• Diarrhea.
• Vomiting.
• Stomach ache.
• Increased flatulence.
• Increased body temperature.
• Flaccidity, pallor of the skin.
• Lack of appetite.

Yevgeny Komarovsky argues that the absolute majority of cases of unexplained diarrhea in children under three years of age are manifestations of rotavirus infection. In other words, if the child ate everything that is usual, and he has no signs of food poisoning, then a disorder in the chair in 99% of cases indicates an attack with this type of virus.

Rotavirus infection manifests as watery diarrhea. To distinguish it from poisoning (disorder caused by bacteria) is quite simple - the consistency of the feces should be the main clue for parents. Mushy diarrhea more often with food poisoning. Diarrhea “with a little water” is viral diarrhea, and there are no other options, according to Yevgeny Komarovsky.

In viral diarrhea, fecal masses have a grayish color and a very sharp unpleasant odor. For 2-3 days the contents of the pot acquires a clayy consistency and a yellowish-gray color. Sour smell persists.

Diarrhea with rotavirus infection usually goes away in 2-3 days, but it carries with it a rather serious danger of dehydration. Almost all the fatal cases that occurred during this ailment became possible precisely because of the critical loss of fluid, strong dehydration. The younger the child, the faster he develops dehydration, the more dangerous for him the rotavirus. The most severe infection occurs in infants.

Severe complication, which gives rotavirus with severe dehydration - pneumonia. Many cases of dehydration are complicated by serious disorders of the nervous system. Rotavirus and the state of dehydration are especially dangerous for underweight children.

The main thing parents should learn to do is not even determine the origin of diarrhea in a baby, but be able to quickly assess whether the children have signs of dehydration. Yevgeny Komarovsky recommends that in all cases of diarrhea in a young child consult a doctor. But you can’t sit idle by yourself - you have to watch carefully.

In the event of dehydration, a child who cannot drink enough liquid to restore balance in the body needs intravenous water. Hospital treatment will be based on this.

If there are no signs of dehydration, parents can easily cope with rotavirus intestinal infection on their own. And here the main therapy will be to prevent the onset of dehydration. For this child you need to water. The more often the better. Drinking should not be cold or hot, but only at room temperature, since it is such a fluid that is absorbed as quickly as possible in the small intestine. If the baby refuses to drink sips, it is necessary to drink a teaspoon and more often, but he must drink.

Next, Dr. Komarovsky advises to give special medicines that should be in the first-aid kit of each family in which there are kids — oral rehydration products (eg, "Regidron"," Humana Electrolyte "). If there is no such medicine, there is no possibility to buy it, Yevgeny Komarovsky recommends using a prescription approved by the World Health Organization: take 2 spoons of sugar, a spoonful of salt and a spoonful of soda per liter of water. The task of the parents is to feed the child with this saline solution at any cost. If it fails, it is better to immediately call an ambulance.

In general, Komarovsky says, the algorithm of reasonable parental actions in children’s diarrhea should always look like this:

• Plentiful warm drink. Frequent and fractional. Normal water and saline. If a child pees every 3 hours, it means that he consumes a sufficient amount of fluid to prevent dehydration. If you cannot get drunk even with a disposable syringe without a needle, call an ambulance.
• Put a small child on its side so that in case of a vomiting attack, he will not choke on vomit.
• Antipyretics - only if the temperature is above 38.5.
• Monitor the condition of the child, do not allow dehydration. At the first symptoms of dehydration - call an ambulance.
• Do not feed. If you are asking for it, give liquid porridge or mashed potatoes in small quantities.

Before the arrival of the doctor to leave diaper with stool or save a sample of the contents of the pot to demonstrate this to the doctor. So the doctor will be able to diagnose the disease faster, and the probability of error will be reduced (rotavirus, for example, is very similar in the initial stage to cholera).

Another mistake that can be costly for parents is the unauthorized prescription of antidiarrheal drugs (for example, “Enterofuril»). With rotavirus with feces, virus particles (more precisely, their microparticles) are released. Therefore, stopping diarrhea means prolonging the disease, leaving virus particles in the small intestine, where they will continue to destroy useful cells for some time. It is not necessary to fight diarrhea, it is the body's defense mechanism.

Another misconception is the effectiveness of antiviral drugs for intestinal infections. The doctor called to the house is more likely to prescribe something antiviral, because, according to Komarovsky, no doctor wants to have long conversations about the benefits of drinking plenty of fluids and thereby taking responsibility for the situation.

It is necessary to abandon homeopathic remedies ("Anaferon"," Otsillokotsinum "). With their effectiveness and proven action, the situation is even worse, and the purchase of such drugs, according to Eugene Komarovskywill be just an extra burden for the family budget.

Many countries have already included rotavirus vaccination against intestinal infections in the mandatory National Vaccination Calendars. In Russia, this mandatory practice yet. Rotavirus vaccination, according to reports by Western experts, helps to reduce the incidence of disease by 80% and reduces the risk of death by 45%. That is, infection remains possible, but the course of the disease will be easier.

Both vaccines are taken orally (in the form of drops in the mouth). Both contain in their composition artificially reduced in vitro living rotavirus in small quantities.

In most cases, the vaccine does not cause allergic reactions and side effects, it is quite easily tolerated even by the smallest patients. Recommended terms of vaccination - from 1.5 months to six months. Children older than vaccinated inappropriate. One of the vaccines is taken twice (with a break of 45 days), the second is taken in three doses (with similar breaks), and therefore it is better to do it at 2 and 4 months, and the second vaccine should be taken according to the scheme 2-4-5.5 months .

Naturally, the vaccination will not be given to a child who is sick at the moment, also rotavirus vaccination is contraindicated for babies with congenital malformations of the gastrointestinal tract. Special preparation for vaccination against rotavirus is not required.

Should adhere to strict diets not only during treatment, but also some time after recovery: Completely exclude from the menu whole milk and dairy products, sweet fruits, pastries, meat, as well as fatty and fried dishes. It is useful to eat porridge on the water, vegetable soups, crackers from white bread, baked apples in the oven. It is necessary to feed often and in small portions.

Very small children with rotavirus infection in breast milk are not denied, dietary restrictions are not administered, but they ensure that drinking is abundant. Breast milk itself contains the very nature provided antiviral components that will help the crumbs in the healing process.

Occasionally, in severe cases of rotavirus infection in infants, an intolerance or partial intolerance to breast milk may appear due to the occurrence of an enzyme deficiency. In this case, you should reduce the number of breastfeeding and temporarily add to the baby’s diet (until complete recovery) lactose-free infant formula.

Effective prevention of rotavirus, according to Komarovsky, should consist of vaccination. Only then you need to wash your hands, always with soap, wash vegetables and fruits, monitor the quality of the water that the child drinks. In fairness, the doctor notes that no hygienic tricks can guarantee a low probability of infection. Therefore, in both developed and civilized countries, and in the “third world” countries, the incidence rate of rotavirus is at the same high level.

If you are going to go to sea with a small child, Komarovsky strongly recommends rotavirus vaccine. Recently, this intestinal infection has become quite widespread in resorts where children are infected with water.Most often, experts of Rospotrebnadzor “signal” about the unfavorable situation because of this illness on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, in the Crimea and on the coasts of Bulgaria.

What is rotavirus and what are its symptoms? How dangerous is rotavirus infection and how to help a sick child, how effective is vaccination against this virus? All these questions will be answered by Dr. Komarovsky in the video below.