Why does gastroenteritis cause dehydration

Food products purchased from stores could be tainted with harmful bacteria, and food prepared at home or at a restaurant with inadequate sanitation protocols could become contaminated. These bacteria can also spread from person-to-person. Protozoa such as Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum can also cause gastroenteritis. Most individuals who become infected with these parasites do so from consuming contaminated water.

They also spread from contact with an infected individual. These types of infections are more common when travelling in developing countries.

Antibiotics might increase the risk of gastroenteritis in susceptible populations by disturbing the balance of gut microbiota. Gastroenteritis affects millions of Canadians each year.

While it is difficult to accurately count the number affected, approximately four million Canadians, or about one in eight, get food-borne gastroenteritis each year.

Of these, 11, are hospitalized and cases result in death from complications. Your physician will likely make a diagnosis of gastroenteritis based off symptoms alone. They might request a stool test to check for the presence of certain viruses, bacteria, and protozoa in order to determine the source of the gastroenteritis.

Treatment will vary depending on the source of gastroenteritis. However, since some form of highly contagious agent usually causes gastroenteritis, maintaining a healthy hand-washing routine, and staying home when sick, can help avoid the spread of the illness and prevent community outbreaks. There are no medications available to treat viral gastroenteritis. Instead, treatment focuses on symptom management and preventing complications. In the rare cases of bacterial gastroenteritis, an antibiotic might be useful.

While travelling, drink bottled water and beverages if possible — and make sure they are sealed before you open them — and only consume local water after boiling it for three minutes. Brush your teeth with bottled water and keep your mouth closed while showering.

Avoid raw fruits and vegetables unless they have a skin you can peel bananas, citrus, avocado, etc. Try to avoid street vendors, which are more likely to be contaminated than restaurants. As with gastroenteritis at home, regular hand-washing is important. The rotavirus vaccine is an effective means of preventing children from developing this dangerous form of gastroenteritis.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that infants receive their first dose of rotavirus vaccine between 6 weeks and 15 weeks-of-age, and their final dose before 32 weeks-of-age.

For most cases of gastroenteritis, home treatment is adequate. It is important to drink plenty of fluids, but sip slowly rather than chug large amounts to ensure consistent hydration and avoid increased vomiting. If your infant is sick, continue their normal feeding routine, whether it is breast milk or formula. It is useful for children who experience vomiting and diarrhea, and adults who have had these symptoms for 24 hours or longer, to consume electrolyte preparations.

Electrolytes are the salts and minerals that the body uses to conduct electrical impulses that allow the muscles and nervous system to function correctly. Excessive diarrhea and vomiting, and the resulting severe dehydration, can cause an imbalance in these electrolytes, which is potentially dangerous if left untreated. Avoid sports drinks, which tend to be higher in sugar and lower in electrolytes. For mild gastroenteritis, coconut water can be effective.

There are also many recipes for homemade electrolyte drinks available. It is important to be careful following recipes for homemade electrolyte drinks and to use recipes from health professionals. Recipes made with the wrong ratios can be ineffective at replenishing electrolytes adequately, and liquids with too much salt can increase diarrhea. These also might not taste as good as commercial varieties, and could be off-putting for some children, especially when they are already ill and having trouble consuming anything.

Note: Wash hands with soap and water as this is the best way to prevent infection. Alcohol-based hand sanitisers while effective against some viruses such as coronavirus , are not effective against gastroenteritis. Learn more about gastroenteritis in children and how to be a Soapy Hero! This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. The type of pain felt in the abdomen can vary greatly.

Children may feel stomach pain for a range of reasons and may need treatment. Around half of cases of anal fissures heal by themselves with proper self-care and avoidance of constipation. Anthrax is a rare but potentially fatal bacterial disease that occasionally infects humans. The Western obsession with cleanliness may be partly responsible for the increase in allergic asthma and conditions such as rhinitis.

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Skip to main content. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Symptoms of gastroenteritis Causes of gastroenteritis Infectious gastroenteritis Diagnosis of gastroenteritis Treatment for gastroenteritis Prevention of gastroenteritis Where to get help. Symptoms of gastroenteritis The symptoms of gastroenteritis can include: Loss of appetite. Abdominal cramps. Abdominal pain. Bloody stools poo — in some cases. In its use to improve the success of ORT, ondansetron did show a reduction in the median number of further emesis episodes.

Ondansetron has a good side-effect profile compared to other antiemetics. Overall several randomised controlled. The only other issue is that diarrhoea is more pronounced in those given ondansetron than in the placebo groups. Reintroduction of solids There is now good evidence that food restriction or starvation results in weight loss, diarrhoea of longer duration and a slower recovery of intestinal function. However, fatty foods or those high in simple sugars should be avoided as they may result in osmotic diarrhoea.

Early feeding may decrease the changes in intestinal permeability caused by infection and therefore hasten recovery. Early feeding may also lead to enterocyte healing and maintenance of disaccharidase activity.

Therefore, solids should be reintroduced as soon as possible and food should be reintroduced irrespective of the presence of diarrhoea. Then after ORS for four hours, normal feeds should be reintroduced immediately thereafter. Post gastroenteritis diarrhoea Many children will have ongoing diarrhoea for up to two weeks post-gastroenteritis and very few actually have post-gastroenteritis lactose intolerance.

Routine use of lactose-free formula or dilution of milk post-gastroenteritis is not recommended. Coli Yersinia Parasites Giardia Cryptosporidia Differential diagnosis It is important to make a diagnosis of gastroenteritis and exclude other causes of diarrhoea. Recommendations on assessment of hydration status: Assess the risk of dehydration on the basis of age highest in young infants and the frequency of watery stools and vomiting Assess severity of dehydration on the basis of recent weight loss if possible and clinical examination.

Signs of proven value in assessment include: tachycardia; dry oral mucosa; increased thirst; sunken eyes; decreased skin turgor; and altered neurological status. The latter is usually seen in severe dehydration. Children should be back on full diet 24 hours after beginning treatment Antidiarrhoeals such as loperamide and diphenoxylate with atropine Lomotil are not recommended in children with gastroenteritis Antiemetics, with the exception of ondansetron, carry a risk of dystonic reactions and likewise should be avoided Most bacterial gastroenteritis does not require or benefit from antibiotic treatment.

Antibiotics may be recommended in salmonella gastroenteritis in the very young, if immunocompromised or if systemically ill Hospital referral The essential steps for calculation of fluid requirements in a child with acute gastroenteritis are as follows: A daily 24 hour maintenance requirement which is needed by all children ie.

Int ravenous rehydration should be reserved for those children with severe dehydration. Stemetil, Motilium are not recommended in acute gastroenteritis Ondansetron is a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, which affects serotonin receptors of the vagal nerve and also acts centrally on the chemoreceptor trigger zone.

Overall several randomised controlled trials have shown that, in children with persistent vomiting during ORS, the administration of oral ondansetron can increase the likelihood of successful oral rehydration. Randomised controlled trial comparing oral and intravenous therapy in children with diarrhoea. Lactobacillus GG administered in oral rehydration solution to children with acute diarrhoea: a multicenter European trial.

Management of childhood gastroenteritis in the community. An evidence and consensus based guideline for acute diarrhoea management.

Diarrhoea and gastroenteritis in the infant and young child. Acute gastroenteritis, Evidence-based paediatrics and child health.