Treatment of Viral Gastroenteritis

Although no specific medicines exists for viral gastro, but Antibiotics have somewhat effective. But problem of antibiotics is that they do not kill viruses, they can only kill bacteria. Thus only useful in such cases where bacteria is the cause of illness.

Make sure that you give antibiotics to patient only in case of bacterial infection (instead of viral infection like rotavirus. In case of viral infection, antibiotics may have a number of side effects including developing resistance to antibiotics for antibiotics.

Medicines for vomiting and diarrhea have not much established benefits. They may even delay the healing process and prolong gastro-enteritis.

The most vital treatment for children in viral gastro is to make sure they continuously replenish sufficient fluids wasted through vomiting and diarrhea; because dehydration may develop serious even require hospital treatment. Immediately contact your health care provider, if any signs of dehydration appear. Use the following fluids and foods, if no signs of dehydration appear. Continuously watch for signs of dehydration. The aim is to give at least as much fluid as a normal child have.

Fluids

Replenishing the lost fluids through vomiting and diarrhea is the main treatment for gastro or any such disease that cause flush of fluids from the body. Do not stop oral re hydration even if the vomiting and diarrhea does not stop. Re hydration helps to prevent dehydration. ORS like Gastrolyte, Repalyte or Hydrolyte, available from your pharmacy, are the best choice. Even you can prepare an ORS at home with the following formula:-

• One teaspoon of salt
• One eight teaspoons of sugar
• One liter 5 full cups (each cup about 200 ml.) of water. Water must be clean, filtered for drinking or boiled and then cooled.

If your child shows some problems in drinking ORS, some other safe substitutes are as follows:-

• Diluted cordial 10 ml + 150 ml water
  
• Diluted soft drink (e.g. lemonade) 50 ml + 150 ml water
  
• Diluted fruit juice 50 ml + 150 ml water
  

Caution:

• Undiluted drinks may complicate and boost diarrhea
  
• Low-calorie drinks are not appropriate

Food

• Try to give normal feed to child until the diarrhea has not settled.
  
• Breastfeeding should be maintained, if possible, with additional fluids like ORS.
• If reintroduction of a normal is not possible within two days, talk to a health care provider.

Diarrhea usually diminishes quite rapidly (five to eight days) and viral diarrhea may take a week more. The main treatment is to replace fluids lost through vomiting and diarrhea. Talk to your doctor or child health nurse if you are at all concerned about your child. Dehydration due to loss of fluids through vomiting and diarrhea can be dangerous and some children may need to be hospitalized for careful treatment.

Bicarbonate as Remedies for Gastroenteritis

Role of bicarbonate and base substances in treatment of acute gastroenteritis

Regardless of its aetiology, a dramatic decrease in the morbidity and mortality associated with childhood gastroenteritis have been seen due to widespread use of oral glucose-electrolyte rehydration solutions (ORS).

In developing countries, diarrhoeal disease continues to be the most common cause of death of children. More researchers making efforts for optimizing the effectiveness of ORS, because of its simplicity and economy. Different compositions of "ideal sodium and glucose" are now recommended in the developing and industrialized world. The addition of bicarbonate or a base substance (citrate, acetate, or lactate) in ORS is generally assumed to be necessary, both for increasing absorption of water and sodium and correction of acidosis.

Since early days, the use of oral rehydration solutions (ORS) has increased. Bicarbonate or a base substance is included in the World Health Organisation (WHO) ORS and in commercially manufactured ORSs throughout the world, on the premises that (a) bicarbonate enhances sodium and water absorption and (b) the metabolic acidosis of acute diarrhoea requires correction with exogenous base. Justification for the continued use of bicarbonate or base precursor in ORS must be supported by evidence for at least one or preferably both of these statements.

Treatment of Dehydration

Treatment

She was treated for twenty days with the following medicines

• Antibiotics (Entamizole syrup continuously for ten days,
• Amikacin injection - one time, which was later changed to Fortum
• Fortum ceftazidime pentahydrate injection - 4-times in two days
• Gravinate Syrup (Dimenhydrinate) for two weeks and one time injection resulted minor relief
• Zinc Sulphate monohydrate was given continuously
• ORS was given continuously
• Formula Milk having lactose contents
• After two week lactose free forumula was suggested

She was taken to the nearest doctor for almost two weeks without some temporary relief for one day where she was treated with antibiotics Gravinate injection Entamizole, and Zincat in Syrup form.

She was not dehydrated as she was continuously given ORS one-two ounces after every hour along with breastfeeding and formula milk.

Mostly feeding your baby or child as usual is a good practice. Most children can replenish nutrients lost through diarrhea. For babies, always continue breastfeeding or formula feeding.

After two weeks it was suggested that formula milk be changed to a lactose free formula.

She is now fine, feeding well and behaving normally with extra thirst which is satisfied by 2-4 ounces of ORS as per her wish.