Gastroenteritis is a fairly common disease among children 1 year old. The reason for this is improper diet, dysbacteriosis. There are inflammatory processes on the mucosa of the intestine or other organs of the digestive system. In addition, various infectious diseases can cause the first symptoms of gastroenteritis in infants.
Children under 3 years old are most susceptible to diseases, as the immune system is still weak enough. This disease requires immediate treatment, since among newborn children, deaths are not uncommon.
Causes of gastroenteritis in a baby
In young children, the disease can be caused by the appearance in the diet of a new product, which becomes the cause of inflammation. In an infant, gastroenteritis may occur with breastfeeding, if the mother consumes foods that are unusual for the baby. Non-compliance with hygiene procedures can often provoke the appearance of gastroenteritis in infants.
One-year-old children are often caused by rotaviruses. Small children are very difficult to tolerate this disease, so it can take place in severe form, accompanied by the dehydration of the baby. After prolonged contact with the child, adults can also become infected.
In the first year of life, Coxsackie and Norfolk viruses are very dangerous for a child, as they can cause severe attacks of diarrhea, for which immediate hospitalization is necessary.
Symptoms of gastroenteritis in infants
The first sign is strong, cramping pain in the navel. The baby has a bloating, after the gas has passed, it can pass by itself.
Admission of low-quality food can cause the ingestion and development of parasites, which, multiplying in the body, affect not only the intestines of a one-year-old child, but also the walls of other organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
All this causes the following symptoms of gastroenteritis in infants:
- increase in body temperature caused by the presence of viruses in the body;
- diarrhea;
- nausea;
- vomiting.
- weakness.
Gastroenteritis in infants, accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting, causes dehydration. Through the skin, a part of the fluid is also lost, urine release becomes very scarce. In this case, babies are experiencing rapid weight loss, the child becomes very weak. The skin becomes unnaturally dry. In the tongue of the infants, a white coating appears, salivation decreases. The presence of these manifestations of the disease requires a specialist to prevent serious consequences of gastroenteritis in the newborn.
Treatment of gastroenteritis in an infant
A doctor will be able to diagnose gastroenteritis in a baby by laboratory tests, taking all the necessary tests. Antibiotic therapy for the treatment of newborns and infants is not accepted.
As most often the disease causes dehydration, it is necessary to provide the body of the newborn with a liquid. A child should drink water, tea or herbal decoction very often. Dairy products should not be consumed, because during the disease this product can cause a stomach upset stomach.
In the first hours of gastroenteritis, it is best to give up food to adjust the work of the stomach and intestines in the baby. Restore the balance of fluid in the body in the baby can be using special medications.
Diet in the disease should be very gentle - oily, fried, too sweet food is contraindicated.