$Unique_ID{PAR00081}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Gastroenteritis, Acute}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Acute Gastroenteritis Sudden vomiting diarrhea Abdominal cramps fever
vomit blood dehydration electrolyte solutions electrolytes solution
acetaminophen aspirin infrequent urination mouth dryness sunken eyes
drowsiness breathe rapid slow breathing irregularity soft spot
antidiarrheal medication antidiarrheic antidiarrhetic medications bloody
stools stool blood contagious digestive tract infections viruses virus viral
infection Escherichia coli bacteria intestine intestines intestinal bacterium
influenza petechiae red spots face dysentery food poisoning prostration
weakness collapse}
$Log{}

Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Gastroenteritis, Acute


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOMS
     - Sudden vomiting
     - Sudden diarrhea
     - Abdominal cramps
     - High fever, low fever, or no fever
     - Small amounts of blood in the vomit

     HOME CARE
     - Treat both vomiting and diarrhea by limiting the child's diet to clear
       liquids until the illness subsides.  Do not give the child milk.
     - To avoid dehydration (a serious loss of body fluids), give the child
       plenty of clear liquids, such as tea, flavored gelatin water, and
       commercial electrolyte solutions (available from your pharmacist).
     - Give acetaminophen rather than aspirin for fever, since aspirin
       sometimes aggravates vomiting.

     PRECAUTIONS
     - Wash your hands carefully after contact with the child.
     - The disease is usually not serious except in young babies, who may
       become dehydrated.
     - If the disease develops in a young child, watch for signs of
       dehydration (infrequent urination, dryness in the mouth, sunken eyes,
       drowsiness, rapid or slow breathing, sunken soft spot at the top of the
       head).  If any of these symptoms appears, call your doctor.
     - Do not give antidiarrheal medications to children.
     - If there is blood in the stools, high fever, extreme weakness, or
       diarrhea that is severe or prolonged (for more than 12 to 24 hours for
       a young infant or more than two to three days for an older child), call
       your doctor.


     Acute gastroenteritis is a highly contagious infection of the digestive
tract.  In some cases it is probably caused by viruses, only a few of which
have been identified.  There is evidence that the disease may also be caused
by some types of Escherichia coli bacteria.  These bacteria are normally found
in the human intestines, and most types of the bacteria are known to be
harmless or even beneficial.
     This disease is readily transmitted from person to person.  Symptoms may
begin within one to four days after exposure to the germ.  The disease is not
generally serious except in young babies, who may suffer dehydration (a
serious loss of body fluids).  Acute gastroenteritis has no relationship to
true influenza (a disease of the respiratory tract).

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     Acute gastroenteritis causes sudden vomiting or diarrhea and cramps.  The
disease may last one to three days or as long as a week.  Fever may be high
(104 degrees_F), low (101 degrees_F), or absent.  Blood in diarrhea is rare.
Occasionally, if vomiting is severe, there are small amounts of blood in the
vomit, and petechiae (red spots) may appear on the face.
     Acute gastroenteritis is more easily identified if there are other cases
in the family or neighborhood.  It occasionally may be confused with dysentery
and food poisoning.

HOME CARE

     Treat both vomiting and diarrhea by limiting food intake to clear liquids
until the illness subsides.  To avoid dehydration, give the child plenty of
clear liquids, such as tea, flavored gelatin water, and commercial electrolyte
solutions (available from your pharmacist).  Do not give the child milk.
     Acetaminophen is better for relief of fever than aspirin.  Aspirin may
aggravate vomiting in some children.

PRECAUTIONS

  -  Practice good hygiene.  Be sure to wash your hands before going from the
     patient to other children in the house.  Wash your hands carefully before
     preparing food.
  -  If a young child develops the disease, watch carefully for signs of
     dehydration (infrequent urination, dryness in the mouth, sunken eyes,
     drowsiness, rapid or slow breathing, sunken soft spot at the top of the
     head).  If any of the symptoms of dehydration appears, call your doctor.
  -  Do not give antidiarrheal medications to children, since side effects are
     common and can be dangerous.
  -  If there is blood in the stools, high fever, prostration (extreme
     weakness or collapse), or diarrhea that is severe or prolonged (for more
     than 12 to 24 hours for a young infant or more than two to three days for
     an older child), call your doctor.  Dysentery may be the cause.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

     Your doctor will confirm the diagnosis by knowledge of what illnesses are
occurring in the community, by the circumstances of the child's illness, and
by the absence of other physical findings on examination.  Blood studies and a
stool culture might be required if the diagnosis is in doubt.  If there is
evidence of dehydration in an infant, hospitalization will be necessary to
administer intravenous fluids.

RELATED TOPICS:  Appendicitis; Botulism; Dehydration; Diarrhea in older
children; Diarrhea in young children; Dysentery; Food poisoning; Influenza;
Stomachache, acute; Vomiting