Stomach Flu In Babies, What Should You Do?

Infant stomach flu, or gastroenteritis, is a disease that can lead to serious problems. For this reason, it is important to discover it early and follow the right plan of action.

To avoid complications, it is fundamental to know the warning signs. There are also specific things you can do to care for the baby so that the condition improves. You should also evaluate the need for rotavirus vaccination when the baby is still young and always follow the pediatrician’s recommendations.

What is stomach flu in babies?

Stomach flu is an inflammatory digestive disease that usually affects the stomach or intestines. It usually starts with the following signs and symptoms:

• Diarrhea: Normal baby stools are soft or liquid. This makes it difficult to identify diarrhea. However, if you notice changes in bowel habits or there seems to be a lot more poop diapers, you should see your pediatrician.
• Vomiting: It is important to distinguish between vomiting and spitting up. In order to do this, it is important to know that vomiting occurs with a forceful forced outward movement, while spitting up consists of an easy ejection of fluids, usually accompanied by belching.
• Fever: external temperature (measured under the armpit or in the groin) higher than 37.5 ºC.
• Abdominal pain: This is the hardest symptom to identify because the only clue is a baby crying.

What Causes Stomach Flu in Babies?

The main cause of this condition is an infection that can occur as a result of viruses, bacteria or parasites. As for viruses, rotavirus is most frequent and most important in developed countries.

This disease can also be due to non-intestinal infections, such as otitis or urinary tract infections. It can even occur in non-contagious ailments from dietary changes or other more systemic conditions.

What can I do to prevent this condition?

To prevent stomach flu in babies, you need to consider the main cause. As we mentioned before, germs are the main causes and we need to prevent transmission and contamination.

You can therefore take the following series of actions to prevent contamination:

• Wash your hands regularly. This is one of the most important steps to break the chain of infection of the germs.
• Carefully follow the recommendations for storing baby milk, whether formula or breast milk.
• Avoid contact with adults or children showing symptoms of illness. If you’re not sure whether the person is currently contagious or not, it’s best to be safe: limit or cancel the visit.

• Do not kiss babies on the mouth or hands if a possible infection is suspected. Saliva is a carrier of many pathogens.
• Ensure good hygiene of drinking and pacifiers. Clean all teats every day.
• Your vaccination calendar is up-to-date and adhered to. Also ask your pediatrician or pediatric nurse for information about the rotavirus vaccine.

When should I take my baby to the doctor?

Stomach flu in babies is a disease that requires extra control by parents and/or family. Among the most common complications are:

• Dehydration due to excessive loss of water and electrolytes.
• Hypoglycemia, due to lowering of blood sugar.

• Temporary lactose intolerance, due to the loss of enzymes in the intestinal walls.

To avoid these situations, it is recommended that you go to the pediatrician or emergency department when any of the following warning signs appear:

• If diarrhea occurs in infants less than 6 months old.
• If the baby has a fever of 38ºC or higher.
• When the baby vomits or refuses to be fed.
• When weight loss is established.
• If the stool contains blood or mucus.

The pediatrician can make a diagnosis of stomach flu after assessing the baby’s condition and symptoms. Following the assessment, you can request a stool test to identify the germ that caused the gastroenteritis.

Treatment of stomach flu in babies

When a baby starts showing possible symptoms of stomach flu, parents and caregivers should monitor the condition closely and pay attention to food tolerance:

• Continue to breastfeed. This is one of the most important steps to take when dealing with stomach flu in babies or infants. However, bottle feeding should not be diluted. You should use the same doses when preparing the formula.
• After an evaluation, the pediatrician can determine the need for additional treatment based on the administration of oral supplements to regain hydration.
• If your baby is unable to keep fluids down, the doctor may evaluate the need for treatment with IV fluids to aid recovery and prevent serious complications.

Do you suspect that your baby suffers from this condition? Once you’ve identified the symptoms, see a doctor as soon as possible. This can determine the best treatment based on the needs of the child.