Dr. Komarovsky on rotavirus infection

Many parents are frequently concerned about rotavirus infection, particularly given its potential to seriously harm young children. It is imperative to comprehend the management and avoidance of this infection, and there is no one better to consult than Dr. Evgeny Komarovsky, a reputable pediatrician renowned for his pragmatic guidance on pediatric health matters.

Regarding the nature of rotavirus, the virus that causes gastroenteritis, which manifests as fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, Dr. Komarovsky offers insightful information. In order to effectively manage the condition, he stresses the significance of identifying the early signs and knowing the best course of action.

We’ll examine Dr. Komarovsky’s suggestions for managing rotavirus infections in this article. His professional advice attempts to assist parents in navigating this difficult situation with confidence and ease, covering everything from treatment options to preventive measures.

Topic	Dr. Komarovsky"s View
What is Rotavirus Infection?	Dr. Komarovsky explains that rotavirus infection is a common cause of gastroenteritis in young children, leading to severe diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration.
Symptoms	Symptoms include frequent watery diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain. These can lead to dehydration if not managed properly.
Treatment	The primary treatment involves rehydration, either through oral rehydration solutions or, in severe cases, intravenous fluids. Antibiotics are not effective against rotavirus.
Prevention	Dr. Komarovsky emphasizes the importance of vaccination as the most effective way to prevent rotavirus infection. Good hygiene practices also help reduce the spread.
When to Seek Medical Help	Parents should seek medical help if their child shows signs of severe dehydration, such as dry mouth, sunken eyes, or very low urine output.

About the disease

One kind of acute intestinal infection is rotavirus infection. It is caused by a unique kind of virus known as rotavirus; this illness is frequently referred to as "intestinal flu."

Evgeny Komarovsky makes it clear that rotavirus is unrelated to influenza or any of its particular strains. Any flu virus can only spread and thrive on the respiratory tract’s mucous membranes. Since rotavirus "lives" in the small intestine, it is different from the flu in every way, so referring to it as such is inaccurate.

In 1973, Australian researchers made the initial discovery of the virus, which looked under a microscope like a wheel with hubs and a rim and was henceforth dubbed "rota" – a wheel (lat.). Based on current medical statistics, 98% of children under 3 have already experienced this disease at least once. The virus is spread through fecal-oral contact, also known as the "disease of dirty hands."

A child may contract an infection from a sick person through toys, dishes, doorknobs, or other household objects. The virus spreads very easily. Despite the development of specific immunity against rotavirus, this immunity is essentially meaningless due to the agent’s numerous strains and variations. A person can be attacked by rotavirus "modifications" that are entirely different from one another (more than nine are known to science, and mutations are still occurring).

This virus exhibits strong resistance to air, sunlight, and low temperatures in all of its forms. Rotavirus can endure in spring and seawater for a considerable amount of time.

The period of time after the virus enters the body until the onset of the acute stage of the illness is known as the incubation period. It takes a different amount of time for each child.

Generally speaking, the virus multiplies and accumulates in 3–7 days. The illness itself lasts for two to three days, and the body takes at least five more days to heal.

From the time of infection until the end of the recovery period, the child remains contagious. Very viable virus microparticles continue to be expelled with feces even if the infant is feeling well.

For this reason, as soon as the child feels better, Komarovsky strongly advises against putting him in kindergarten or school. The children’s group will undoubtedly become widely infected as a result of this.

The family’s hygiene has no bearing whatsoever on the risk of contracting the rotavirus. Rotavirus can still spread even in homes where the mother washes and vacuums everything multiple times a day, has the child wash his hands with soap every hour, closely inspects every product that ends up on the table, and forbids him from drinking water from questionable sources.

The virus typically affects children between the ages of six months and two years. Children under the age of five are generally at risk. Since the mother’s "innate" immunity, which typically lasts for a maximum of six months, favorably influences the child during the first six months after birth, this disease affects newborns somewhat less frequently. The infant then grows increasingly exposed.

According to data cited by the World Health Organization, approximately 125 million children worldwide contract rotavirus each day. Most get better on their own and fairly quickly. Approximately 500,000 toddlers die from severe complications that arise during the course of the rotavirus infection, while 2 million babies are admitted to hospitals.

Symptoms

The primary symptoms that can be identified are as follows:

• Diarrhea.
• Vomiting.
• Abdominal pain.
• Increased flatulence.
• Increased body temperature.
• Lethargy, pale skin.
• Lack of appetite.

According to Evgeny Komarovsky, rotavirus infection is the primary cause of the great majority of diarrhea cases in children under three. Put another way, if the child consumed all of the recommended foods and shows no symptoms of food poisoning, an upset stomach almost always signals the presence of this particular virus.

The symptoms of a rotavirus infection include watery diarrhea. It is very simple to differentiate it from poisoning, which is a bacterial illness; the consistency of the feces should be the primary indicator for parents. Diarrhea akin to porridge is more prevalent in cases of food poisoning. According to Evgeny Komarovsky, diarrhea "with water" is viral diarrhea, and there’s no other way to treat it.

Feces from viral diarrhea have a sharp, unpleasant odor and are gray in color. The contents of the pot take on a yellowish-gray hue and a clay consistency after two to three days. It still smells sour.

The hallmark of a rotavirus infection is an abrupt, severe onset that includes vomiting and fever. Vomit can occasionally have an acetone odor, and a child’s mouth may occasionally smell the same. The next phase is the onset of diarrhea (up to 10–12 bathroom visits per day), enteritis, and gastroenteritis. There may be mild respiratory symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and cough.

About treatment

Rotavirus-related diarrhea typically clears up in two to three days, but it carries a very real risk of dehydration. Due to severe dehydration and critical fluid loss, nearly all fatal cases of this disease were made possible. Rotavirus poses a greater risk to younger children because it causes dehydration more quickly in those who experience it. Infants are most severely infected.

Pneumonia is a dangerous side effect that rotavirus causes when there is extreme dehydration. Serious nervous system disorders complicate many cases of dehydration. Children who are underweight are particularly vulnerable to rotavirus and dehydration.

The most important skill that parents should acquire is the ability to recognize symptoms of dehydration in their child quickly, rather than even trying to figure out what is causing the diarrhea. According to Evgeny Komarovsky, you should see a doctor in any situation where a small child has diarrhea. However, you yourself must keep an eye out and not just sit around.

An ambulance should be called right away if the baby starts to cry without tears, his tongue gets dry, he doesn’t urinate for more than six hours, and he hardly sweats at all. The baby is severely dehydrated if his eyes "sunken," his facial features "sharpened," and he starts to lose consciousness. These are extremely dangerous symptoms. We urgently need medical assistance.

A child who is dehydrated and unable to consume enough fluids to replenish their body’s equilibrium requires intravenous water. This forms the cornerstone of hospital care.

Parents can manage their child’s rotavirus intestinal infection on their own if there are no symptoms of dehydration. Preventing the onset of dehydration will be the primary therapy in this case. The child needs to be given water in order to do this. The better, the more often. Since this is the liquid that is absorbed in the small intestine as quickly as possible, it should only be at room temperature. The infant must be given water with a teaspoon and more frequently if he refuses to drink in small sips.

Dr. Komarovsky then suggests administering specific medications, such as oral rehydration agents (such as "Regidron" and "Humana Electrolyte"), which should be kept in every family with children’s medicine cabinet. In the event that the World Health Organization has approved a recipe and there is no way to purchase it, Yevgeny Komarovsky suggests mixing two spoons of sugar, one spoon of salt, and one spoon of soda per liter of water. It is the parents’ responsibility to make sure their child drinks this salty mixture at all costs. In the event that it fails, it is best to dial an ambulance right away.

Dr. Komarovsky highlights the significance of identifying and treating rotavirus infection in his insights, especially for young children. He emphasizes the importance of adequate hydration and prompt medical attention while explaining how rotavirus can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration. Additionally, Dr. Komarovsky emphasizes how vaccination helps shield children from rotavirus infections and lessen their negative effects on their health.

First aid

According to Komarovsky, the general formula for appropriate parental responses to diarrhea in children should always resemble this:

• A lot of warm drinks. Frequent and fractional. Regular water and saline solution. If the child urinates every 3 hours, it means that he consumes a sufficient amount of liquid to prevent dehydration. If it is not possible to give a drink even with a disposable syringe without a needle, call an ambulance.
• Put the small child on his side so that in the event of an attack of vomiting, he does not choke on vomit.
• Antipyretic drugs – only if the temperature is above 38.5.
• Monitor the child"s condition, do not allow dehydration. Call an ambulance at the first symptoms of dehydration.
• Do not feed. If the child asks for it very much, give liquid porridge or puree in small quantities.

Before the doctor comes, either save a sample of the contents of the potty to show the doctor, or leave the diaper filled with excrement. This will decrease the possibility of error and enable the doctor to diagnose the illness more quickly (rotavirus, for example, shares many similarities with cholera in its early stages).

Antibiotics are a big mistake to give the child. Since viruses are the source of the illness, antibacterial medications have no effect at all against them. It is a true parental crime to treat a child who has viral diarrhea with them, as doing so not only has no positive effects but also raises the risk of complications.

An additional costly error that parents may make is prescribing antidiarrheal medications (like "Enterofuril") without authorization. When rotavirus is present, the virus’s microparticles—or rather, their particles—emerge as excrement. Therefore, treating diarrhea will only make it worse by allowing the virus to remain in the small intestine, where it will continue to eat away at healthy cells for a while. Diarrhea is the body’s defense mechanism; there’s no need to fight it.

The efficacy of antiviral medications for intestinal infections is another myth. According to Komarovsky, if a doctor is called to the house, they will probably prescribe an antiviral medication because they don’t want to spend a lot of time discussing the advantages of staying hydrated and accepting responsibility for the situation.

Whether or not to take the recommended pills or syrups is entirely up to you. However, Komarovsky points out that as of yet, no antiviral medications have been shown to be clinically effective in nature. Furthermore, it is unknown how well these medications work against the rotavirus, a particular pathogen.

Giving up homeopathic medicines is worthwhile (Anaferon, Oscillococinum). Evgeny Komarovsky claims that these medications are even less effective and have proven to have negative side effects, making their purchase even more expensive for the family.

Rotavirus vaccination

The rotavirus intestinal infection vaccine is already mandated in many countries’ National Immunization Calendars. There is currently no such lawful practice in Russia. Western experts report that vaccination against rotavirus lowers the risk of death by 45% and helps to reduce the incidence of the disease by 80%. In other words, infection is still possible, but the illness will progress more slowly.

Currently, rotavirus vaccinations are available in Russia, but they are only given in private clinics. There are two vaccines used: the Belgian "Rotarix" and the American "RotaTek."

The two vaccinations are administered orally (as mouth drops). Both have trace amounts of live rotavirus that have been artificially weakened in a lab setting.

Even in the youngest patients, the vaccine is generally well tolerated and does not result in allergic reactions or other negative side effects. Immunization intervals of 1.5 to 6 months are advised. Vaccinating older children is not advised. It is recommended to administer the first vaccination at two and four months and the second vaccination according to the schedule of 2-4-5.5 months. The first vaccination is administered twice with a 45-day break, while the second is administered in three doses with similar breaks.

Naturally, a child who is ill will not receive the vaccination, and infants with congenital gastrointestinal tract malformations should not receive the rotavirus vaccination either. For the rotavirus vaccination, no special preparation is needed.

Parental guidance on managing rotavirus infection is greatly aided by Dr. Komarovsky’s insights into this prevalent illness. His focus on staying properly hydrated and identifying the symptoms early will aid in the situation’s effective management. You can better assist your child’s recovery and avoid complications by heeding his advice.

Every parent should be aware of the fundamentals of rotavirus infection, as described by Dr. Komarovsky. It is imperative that you remain knowledgeable and proactive when it comes to your child’s health. With the appropriate information and readiness, you can face this difficult period with more assurance.

Overall, Dr. Komarovsky’s viewpoint on rotavirus infection emphasizes the significance of prompt medical attention and practical care. His suggestions provide a clear way to support your child’s quick and secure recovery. Managing and avoiding the effects of rotavirus can be greatly improved by following his advice.

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