Gastroenteritis in Children

The Department of Health has recently discovered that acute gastroenteritis has become rampant in Hong Kong, with young children and the elderly becoming the targets of the attack. Pediatric specialists pointed out that various diseases are taking advantage of the situation in spring. Among them, norovirus is the most active acute gastroenteritis disease in recent times. Patients will suffer from severe vomiting. Basically, this virus appears all year round. There is no so-called peak or low moment, and everyone will be infected if they are not careful. After being infected with norovirus, patients have no resistance even after recovering and can be infected again and again.

The Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health recently stated that the level of acute gastroenteritis activity in Hong Kong has increased, with child care centres, kindergartens and residential care homes for the elderly being particularly serious. Norovirus can generally be transmitted through droplets, or through the mouth through common diseases, such as eating unclean food or unclean hands.

Children like to run around and touch objects, and are not very hygienic, so they are most likely to become patients. Elderly people who lack the ability to take care of themselves are also susceptible to infection. Of course, even young people can be easily infected if they don't pay attention to their hygiene. Once infected, patients will develop fever, constipation and vomiting, and children may also experience cramps.

Norovirus is highly transmissible, and even if you recover from infection, you will not be able to resist it. Pediatric experts recommend that parents wash their hands thoroughly with alcohol or hand sanitizer after taking care of sick children. Washing with ordinary soap may not be effective, and virus residues will trigger another wave of infection. For example, when cleaning items that have been in contact with patients or their feces, they need to be washed with bleach to ensure that the virus is eliminated.

If children at home are infected, they should not continue to attend classes. Norovirus, which is highly contagious, will spread very quickly when children are together. Children should also be taught hygiene knowledge. The pediatrician said that he recently treated a case where the whole family was infected with norovirus. The infection is not only fast but also pervasive. Therefore, parents should completely eliminate the chance of viruses when cleaning their homes.

Pediatric specialists said that patients can take drugs to relieve symptoms, such as antipyretics. Fighting the virus always relies on their own resistance. Increasing children's resistance is better than treatment. Pediatricians remind parents that norovirus may cause high fever and dehydration in patients. If they are not careful, there is still a fatal risk.