my 6 monthy old little girl has just been diagnosed with it after being poorly for 4 days. how long will it last? can you have this without diarrheo? its inflammation of stomach and intestine,,its usualy due to acute infection caused by virus or bacteria or due to food poisioning toxins..illness usualy last for 3 to 5 days,, Here is ur answers--------
What is Gastroenteritis?
An inflammation of the stomach and intestines with many possible causes, such as: bacteria (responsible for acute food poisoning), parasites, food intolerances, drugs (antibiotics in particular) or most commonly viral infections. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramping and/or pain and a general feeling of tiredness.
What to do to feel better?
Treatment is based on patient history. If symptoms are related to food intolerances or drugs---stopping the medication or avoiding the food allergen will usually result in clearing of symptoms within 24 hours. Generally, a fever is not associated with drug/food intolerances.
Treatment for viral symptoms (which can include all the above symptoms) should be: a modified diet-nothing to eat or drink for 2 hrs. after vomiting to allow the stomach to rest, then progress to sips of clear liquids (water, ginger-ale, 7Up, Kool-aid, Jello or broth). After 24 hours progress to a bland diet (dry toast, crackers, clear soups, applesauce, bananas etc.). Avoid spicy or fatty food as well as MILK PRODUCTS and FRUIT JUICES until feeling better. Advance to regular diet as tolerated. Also, Pepto-Bismol for nausea and Kaopectate for diarrhea may be used.
In cases where the diagnosis is probable food poisoning a complete history of symptoms should be obtained, i.e. recent meals and other known food poisonings. Foods associated with this are eggs, poultry, custards, raw seafood, contaminated water and uncooked meats. The most common symptoms of food poisoning are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramping 1-6 hours after ingestion of contaminated foods. Symptoms usually subside on their own within 18 hours and complete recovery is in 1-3 days. Some bacteria may take up to 36 hours after ingestion to cause symptoms and will resolve in 5-14 days without specific treatment or intervention.
When should I see the nurse?
*Temp. greater than 100.5
*Blood noted with vomiting and/or diarrhea
*Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea lasting more than 4 days
*Unable to keep any FLUIDS down for more than 24 hrs.
*Known ingestion of contaminated food Gastroenteritis is the inflamation of the lining of the stomach caused by a virus. This in turn can cause stomach discomfort and vomiting. It will run it's course but with a young child keep in touch with the doctor if symptoms don't improve within a few days. Gastroenteritis is a commonly a tummy bug which causes diarrhoea and vomiting. The majority of cases are caused by viral infections which will get better over time. Most cases take approximately 7-10 days, you will usually find that the vomiting will settle before the diarrhoea.
The main course of treatment is to make sure that the child has plenty of fluids and the best way to do this is to give little more often.
Signs of dehydration to look out for are lethargy, dry lips and tongue, dryness of the skin (for instance if you pinch a fold of skin, the skin will stay raised if there is dehydration), sunken eyes and reduced passing of urine/or none.
A useful leaflet can be found at this website:
http://www.cks.library.nhs.uk/patient_in... Food poisoning - hopefully it won't last too long but for a child of that age you really need professional advice on how to treat her - keep her fluids up!!! Hope she's better soon xxxx Gastroenteritis
What is gastroenteritis?
Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (the pathway responsible for digestion that includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines). Gastroenteritis is also sometimes referred to as "stomach flu," even though it is not related to influenza.
What causes gastroenteritis?
Gastroenteritis can be caused by viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections. Viral gastroenteritis is highly contagious and is responsible for the majority of outbreaks in developed countries.
Common routes of infection include:
Food (especially seafood)
Contaminated water
Contact with an infected person
Unwashed hands
Dirty utensils
In less developed countries, gastroenteritis is more often spread through contaminated food or water.
What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis?
The main symptom of gastroenteritis is diarrhea. When the colon (large intestine) becomes infected during gastroenteritis, it loses its ability to retain fluids, which causes the person鈥檚 feces to become watery. Other symptoms include:
Abdominal pain or cramping
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Poor feeding (in infants)
Unintentional weight loss (may be a sign of dehydration)
Excessive sweating
Clammy skin
Muscle pain or joint stiffness
Incontinence (loss of stool control)
Because of the symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, people who have gastroenteritis can become dehydrated very quickly. It is very important to watch for signs of dehydration, which include:
Extreme thirst
Urine that is darker in color
Dry skin
Dry mouth
Sunken cheeks or eyes
In infants, dry diapers (for more than 4-6 hours)
How common is gastroenteritis?
Because gastroenteritis is so similar to diarrhea, and because so many cases do not require hospitalization, it is difficult to determine how many cases of gastroenteritis occur per year. Worldwide, it is estimated that three to five billion cases of acute diarrhea (which can be caused by many other diseases besides gastroenteritis) occur per year, with about 100 million cases in the United States (roughly one to 2.5 cases of diarrhea per child). Gastroenteritis is estimated to cause about 5 to10 million deaths per year worldwide, and about 10,000 deaths per year in the United States.
Who is at risk for gastroenteritis?
Anyone can get the disease. People who are at a higher risk include:
children in daycare
students living in dormitories
military personnel, and
travelers
People with immune systems that are weakened by disease or medications or not fully developed (i.e., infants) are usually affected most severely.
How is gastroenteritis diagnosed?
The doctor will take a medical history to make sure that nothing else is causing the symptoms. Also, the doctor might perform a rectal or abdominal examination to exclude the possibilities of inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., Crohn鈥檚 disease) and pelvic abscesses (pockets of pus). A stool culture (a laboratory test to identify bacteria and other organisms from a sample of feces) can be used to determine the specific virus or germ that is causing gastroenteritis.
Other diseases that could cause diarrhea and vomiting are pneumonia, septicemia (a disease caused by toxic bacteria in the bloodstream), urinary tract infection, and meningitis (an infection that causes inflammation of the membranes of the spinal cord or brain). Also, conditions that require surgery, such as appendicitis (an inflammation of the appendix), intussusception (a condition in which the intestine folds into itself, causing blockage) and Hirschsprung鈥檚 disease (a condition where nerve cells in the intestinal walls do not develop properly) can cause symptoms similar to gastroenteritis.
How is gastroenteritis treated?
The body can usually fight off the disease on its own. The most important factor when treating gastroenteritis is the replacement of fluids and electrolytes that are lost because of the diarrhea and vomiting. Foods that contain electrolytes and complex carbohydrates, such as potatoes, lean meats (e.g., chicken), and whole grains can help replace nutrients. You can also buy electrolyte and fluid replacement solutions at food and drug stores. Or, if hospitalization is required, the nutrients can be replaced intravenously (injected directly into the veins).
Antibiotics will not be effective if the cause of gastroenteritis is a viral infection. Doctors usually do not recommend antidiarrheal medications (e.g., Loperamide) for gastroenteritis because they tend to prolong infection, especially in children.
How can gastroenteritis be prevented?
There are several steps that you can take to reduce your risk of getting gastroenteritis, including:
Washing your hands frequently, especially after going to the bathroom and when you are working with food;
Cleaning and disinfecting kitchen surfaces, especially when working with raw meat or eggs;
Keeping raw meat, eggs, and poultry away from foods that are eaten raw
Drinking bottled water and avoiding ice cubes when traveling |
