Gastroenteritis
Your child has been diagnosed with gastroenteritis.
We know this can be a stressful time with lots of information from healthcare providers. It can be difficult to absorb everything.
We hope the following pages will be helpful in providing you with the education and resources you need to support your child from home.
What is Gastroenteritis?
Gastroenteritis refers to inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines. It is often caused by a viral or bacterial infection but can also be caused by food poisoning or other irritants.
Children may be more prone to getting gastroenteritis because they are less able to practice effective hand hygiene.
Click continue to learn more!
Other Resources: Nemours KidsHealth - Gastroenteritis
Symptoms of Gastroenteritis
The symptoms of gastroenteritis can include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- abdominal pain
- diarrhea
- fever
- decreased appetite/intake
- dehydration
Hospital Care
If you have been seen by a medical professional, they may have treated your child with medications. Click below to learn more about these medications.
A. IV Fluids
Your doctor may have prescribed intravenous (IV) fluids to help improve your child's hydration.
B. Antiemetics
Antiemetics are medications that are used to help improve nausea and vomiting. Medications such as Gravol or ondansetron (also called Zofran) are commonly used. Antiemetics should only be used under the guidance of a healthcare provider as they may not be suitable for all children, and some can have side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, and dry mouth.
C. Antibiotics
Antibiotics are not commonly used to treat gastroenteritis, even in the case of a bacterial cause. Please follow the advice of your physician and if you have any questions, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. Nemours KidsHealth - Does My Child Need an Antibiotic?
What to do at home
Click below for information on ways to help at home.
Track your child's symptoms
Keep track of your child's symptoms and document details you feel are important. For example, record episodes of vomiting or diarrhea. You may also want to keep track of any medications given and whether this helped.
Help your child stay hydrated
Due to the nature of the illness, it is especially important to ensure your child remains well hydrated by offering fluids containing not only water but sugar and electrolytes (e.g., breastmilk or formula in infants, electrolyte drinks in older children) WebMD - Treating Dehydration in Children
Fever and pain management
To help reduce fever and alleviate discomfort, you can give
your child acetaminophen (Tylenol) and, if your child is
older than 3 months, ibuprofen (Advil), so long as your
child does not have allergies or other reasons not to take
these medications.
Unless your doctor advises you otherwise, give the dose
recommended on the medication package.
Safe Acetaminophen Dosing for Infants and Children
Mount Sinai - Ibuprofen Dosing for Infants and
Children
When to seek medical attention
Here are some signs that, if present, should lead you to seek immediate medical attention for your child:
- fever in a child under 3 months of age
- fever lasting more than 48-72 hours since your child was last seen for fever
- bloody vomit
- green vomit
- bloody diarrhea
- excessively sleepy, lethargic, or not responsive child
- poor intake leading to dehydration (dry mouth, sunken eyes, no tears, dark urine, no urine for more than 8-12 hours) or inability to keep down medications
Follow Up
Please follow up with your primary care provider unless instructed otherwise. Of course, if you feel your child needs immediate medical attention, please do not hesitate to call 911 or bring them to your closest emergency department.
We hope this has been useful. Thank you for using Paediatrics@home!