Gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and bowel. The most common symptoms are diarrhoea and vomiting.
Gastroenteritis can have a number of causes, such as a norovirus infection or food poisoning. However, in children, the rotavirus is the leading cause.
This topic focuses on gastroenteritis in children. See the Health A-Z topic about gastroenteritis in adults for more information about this condition.
Rotavirus
A rotavirus is a virus that infects the stomach and bowel. It is spread by infected children who do not wash their hands properly after going to the toilet. They may then leave tiny samples of infected faeces on surfaces or utensils, which can be picked up by another child. Small droplets of infected faeces can be carried in the air, which children can breathe in.
How common is rotavirus gastroenteritis?
Rotavirus gastroenteritis is extremely common in children. It is estimated that every child will have at least one rotavirus infection before the age of five. Most infections occur among children aged between three months and three years.
Rotavirus gastroenteritis is more common during winter and spring. The first infection tends to be the most severe, because the body builds up immunity (resistance) to the virus afterwards. This is why rotavirus infections are extremely rare in adults.
The rotavirus is highly contagious among children with no immunity to the virus. Even if your child has had a previous infection, they may not have built up full immunity. There are also different strains of the virus that your child may not be immune to.
Therefore, it is important to keep an infected child isolated from other children for 48 hours after their last episode of diarrhoea and vomiting.
Outlook
Most cases of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children are mild and normally pass within five to seven days, without the need for medical treatment. However, children (particularly those under the age of two) are at risk of dehydration, so it is very important that they drink plenty of fluids.
More severe cases of gastroenteritis and associated dehydration may require hospital treatment. However, it is estimated that only 1.5% of all childhood cases of gastroenteritis in England will require hospital treatment.
Deaths caused by rotavirus gastroenteritis are extremely rare in England. Only three deaths occurred in England and Wales in 2008.
