Rotavirus is a virus that causes, gastroenteritis, which is a infection of the intestines that causes fever, vomiting and diarrhea. And, it is actually the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in kids, ages six months to two years.
Rotavirus usually peaks during the colder months. So usually during the winter season, between December through March.
Adults can get rotavirus, however, because most adults have been exposed to rotavirus numerous times in the past when they do get symptoms, it's usually a very, milder form, than what kids get.
Children can be immunized against rotavirus starting at the age of two months, of age. There's two types of immunizations. One is at ages, two months, four months and six months. And the other option is age two months and four months.
Rotavirus can be prevented through immunization by immunizing children, you can avoid them contracting the virus. Another way to prevent the virus is through hand washing. So especially if a parent has a child who has rotavirus, they want to make sure that they wash their hands each time they changed their diapers and you should just practice hand washing in general.
If a parent has a child that's sick with rotavirus virus, they should seek medical attention, if there are signs of dehydration in a child and such signs would include, decreased wet diapers. So if a child has not had a wet diaper in about four to six hours, if a parent notices that the child does not have tears when they cry, if their mouth looks dry or chapped, or if their anterior fontanelle, which is their soft spot on the top of their head if it looks like it's sunken in, all those could be signs of dehydration. If any things like that happens, then the parents should definitely seek medical attention.
Also, if it seems as though the symptoms are not improving, so if it seems like the symptoms are lingering in more than two or three days, a parent should obviously contact their doctor at that point.
