What helps against gastrointestinal flu in children?

Reading time: 2 minutes of diarrhea and vomiting are typical symptoms for one Abdominal influenza. Small children and infants dry out quickly due to the loss of fluid and are therefore more seriously ill than adults. A common problem is that the children do not want to drink or throw up after each sip. How can you help the little ones? How to prevent infection?

What helps against gastrointestinal flu in children?

Cause of a gastrointestinal infection

A gastrointestinal tract-flu is mainly caused by viruses that can spread through stool or saliva. A lack of hygiene after using the toilet, but also the distribution of droplets when speaking, sneezing and kissing make it easy for viruses to find new victims. Especially when many people are in one place, e.g. B. in kindergarten, at school, but also in the family, the risk of infection is particularly high.

How to prevent a virus infection?

Wash hands before eating or preparing a meal. Rub the moistened hands carefully with soap or a skin-friendly syndet and rinse them thoroughly under running water. Make sure that the hands are well cleaned and dried between the fingers.

If someone is already ill, meticulous hygiene is the top priority. Washing hands before and after defecation or changing diapers, additional disinfection of the hands with a skin-friendly solution (e.g. Sterillium®) and the boiling out of teats and pacifiers of a sick baby are an absolute must.

Also clean the toilet more often than usual and disinfect it e.g. B. with Sagrotan® spray or appropriate wet wipes. Door handles and light switches are often touched and should also be disinfected every day during the illness phase.

How can you treat your child yourself??

Unfortunately, children with gastrointestinal infections often refuse to drink fluids, so you have a little patience here and have to offer the drinks again and again in sips or spoons. With preparations from the pharmacy, which you have to prepare freshly, you can compensate for the loss of mineral substances (e.g. Oralpädon®). Alternatively, you can also dissolve a pinch of salt and glucose or sugar in a cup of chamomile, peppermint or thin black tea and give it a drink.

When does your child need to go to the doctor?

If the infection is so violent that your child vomits continuously within the first twelve hours and does not keep anything after every sip of liquid, you should use the pediatrician call. If the diarrhea lasts longer than three days, the child does not want to drink anything and / or is seriously ill, you must also consult the doctor.

If an infant’s diaper stays dry for more than four to six hours, its skin is flaccid and the eyes and the fontanelle are sunken, this indicates that the small body is drying out. If the pediatrician cannot be reached, go to the hospital immediately so that the child can be infused with the necessary fluids and vital electrolytes.

By the way, antibiotics do not help with viral diseases, so the doctor will only prescribe them if the infection has been proven to be caused by bacteria.

Diet after a gastrointestinal flu

Basically, the child can get the usual food after surviving infection. If you are still lacking in appetite, try a light diet like rusk, toast, carrot or potato soup (without onions and leeks), rice with a little salt and a tad of butter, grated apples and bananas. Salt crackers can also be nibbled.

Of course, you should continue to drink a lot. If your children don’t like tea, you can offer diluted apple juice. For infants, breast milk is the best food that also optimally prevents infectious diseases. If you cannot breastfeed, you should use hypoallergenic convenience foods.

Also read what you can do about constipation in children and how you can treat acute gastritis by yourself.

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