Many mothers have faced such a problem as rotavirus infection. The baby's he alth deteriorates sharply, the disease is accompanied by vomiting, indigestion. This raises the logical question of how to feed children with rotavirus infection. In the article you will find a complete list of recommendations, a list of allowed and prohibited foods, a sample menu.
What is rotavirus infection
The source of this disease is a virus carrier. The infection attacks the lining of the stomach and intestines, and a sick person can spread the virus through the air.
A feature of rotavirus infection is that in the initial period, the symptoms are similar to respiratory diseases. Its first manifestations are coughing, sneezing, fever. Because of this, diagnosis is difficult, which contributes tofurther spread of the infection.
Rotavirus infection in a child. Symptoms and treatment
A baby can become infected not only through close physical contact with a sick person, but also through infected household items, toys, food and water. Entering the body through the mouth, the virus enters the intestines and causes severe diarrhea. The disease is accompanied by fever, acute pain in the abdomen, vomiting. Due to dehydration, the child becomes weak, lethargic.
Rotavirus infection in children is dangerous precisely because of the threat of severe dehydration, which can lead to serious consequences, including death. Moreover, the lower the weight and age of the child, the greater the risk he is exposed to, the faster the deterioration occurs. Therefore, the diet for rotavirus infection is so important. Menus and recipes suitable for sick children can be found in this article. For a successful recovery, following a proper diet is essential.
Rotavirus infection in a child, the symptoms and treatment of which we are considering, is resistant to drugs. There are currently no drugs that kill rotavirus. We can only help the child's body cope with the disease itself. This will help the diet and the elimination of the threat of dehydration.
Features of the diet for intestinal infection
With rotavirus infection, it is important to follow a diet not only in the acute period, but also to maintainrestrictions on some products for another two to three weeks, otherwise unpleasant symptoms may return. At the same time, even if the child has a good appetite, you should not allow him to overeat. It is better to eat little and often.
Follow the same principle when taking liquids. Drink the child as often as possible, every half an hour, but in small portions of 50-70 ml. Large amounts of food or drink can induce vomiting.
If a child has no appetite, then you cannot force him to eat, but you must definitely drink. If the baby refuses any drinks, dehydration sets in and a doctor should be consulted immediately.
All meals for the sick must be prepared in a special way. No fried, spicy, s alty, fibrous or rough foods! Better to boil or steam. At the same time, it is preferable to grind food and offer it in the form of mashed potatoes.
Features of the breastfeeding diet
How to feed a child with rotavirus infection if he is breastfed? Rotavirus causes inflammation in the intestines and inhibits the production of enzymes that break down lactose. Therefore, many doctors recommend breastfeeding to be reduced or stopped altogether for two to three weeks. Lactose-free or soy mixtures are introduced into the diet.
He alth food for children with intestinal infection
So, what can you feed a child with rotavirus infection? Often childrenrefuse food on the first or second day of illness. At this time, offer the baby liquid cereals on the water, jelly, mashed boiled dishes. But regarding fermented milk products, doctors disagree. In some children, they cause deterioration, diarrhea and vomiting. For other babies, cool sour-milk products bring relief, relieve spasmodic reactions, and vomiting. Therefore, when improving, you can give the child a little yogurt, if he loves him, and carefully monitor the change in state.
During illness it is very important to give the child more to drink. In this case, portions should be small so as not to provoke vomiting. As a drink, you can offer water, tea. Drinks do not need to add a lot of sugar, just a little sweeten.
What to feed a child after a rotavirus infection? Even when all the unpleasant symptoms are in the past, the intestines have not yet returned to normal, so restrictions on dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits, fried, spicy foods should be kept for two to three weeks.
What to do if the child refuses to eat
What to feed a child with rotavirus infection if he refuses to eat? In the first, most difficult days of illness, the baby can completely refuse food. No need to force him to eat, this will only cause vomiting and will not bring any benefit. Insist on fluids only to avoid dehydration.
On the second or third day of illness, offer your baby light meals, preferably in the form of mashed potatoes. It can be lean meats,chicken, fish, boiled, stewed and steamed vegetables, liquid porridge on the water.
Usually, rotavirus infection resolves on its own and without serious consequences. However, this condition should not be taken lightly. Intestinal infection can cause dehydration, loss of nutrients, weaken the immune system.
What foods are banned
To understand how to feed a child with rotavirus infection, you need to know the list of prohibited foods. When introducing restrictions, it is important to take into account the age of the child and the severity of the course of the disease. A newborn cannot completely do without breast milk, so one or two feedings are left, supplementing the diet with a lactose-free mixture.
But older kids can easily survive a dairy ban for a few weeks. What to feed a child after a rotavirus infection? The menu of a sick child is similar to the diet prescribed for gastritis - no products that irritate the mucous membrane.
For rotavirus infection prohibited:
- raw vegetables and fruits, especially cabbage, radish, radish;
- whole milk;
- baked goods, black and white bread;
- sweets;
- spicy dishes;
- sausage of any kind;
- fried;
- smoked.
It is not recommended to eat some types of cereals - semolina, barley, millet.
What foods are allowed
Children who already eat at the common table follow the same diet as adults. What to feed a childwith rotavirus infection? These could be:
- slimy soups with meat and vegetable broth;
- mashed cereals on the water - rice, buckwheat, oatmeal;
- low-fat kefir, cottage cheese;
- lean chicken, fish, boiled or steamed;
- weak unsweetened compotes from blueberries, currants, apples;
- jelly and jelly;
- crackers.
Proper nutrition greatly facilitates the course of the disease and speeds up recovery, helps to avoid complications.
Recipes
Here are a few recipes for dishes allowed for rotavirus infection.
Rice congee is a drink that helps to alleviate the course of the disease. Take four tablespoons of rice per liter of water and cook for about two hours until the grains are completely cooked. Then wipe the mixture to get a homogeneous mass, add half a teaspoon of soda and the same amount of s alt, stir. Ready broth can be stored in the refrigerator. If necessary, separate small portions and reheat.
Carrot-apple puree is a tasty and he althy dish that a child with a poor appetite will eat with pleasure. Take half a kilogram of apples and carrots, wash, peel. Rub them on a fine grater, add 5 tablespoons of sugar, bring the mixture to a boil. The finished puree can be poured into glass jars or wide-mouth bottles and stored in the refrigerator.
Menu for a child affected by rotavirus infection
BIn conditions of a limited diet, it is important to create a menu so that the dishes are varied and do not bother the child. Here is an example.
For breakfast, you can give a steamed omelet, low-fat cottage cheese with tea and breadcrumbs, rice or oatmeal.
For lunch, offer your baby vegetable soup, broth, steamed meatballs with rice or buckwheat, boiled fish. Rosehip broth as a drink.
Dinner may consist of steamed fish cakes, porridge, carrot-apple puree.
Baked apples, bananas are suitable as a dessert. As the state of he alth is restored, dried white bread, low-fat boiled meat and fish, meatballs, steam cutlets, soufflés can be introduced into the diet.
Vegetables are given boiled, in the form of mashed potatoes. Zucchini, pumpkin, broccoli are appropriate. Dairy products should be low in fat. Kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt, yogurt will do. Offer whole milk only three weeks after recovery.
Water-brine solution
When thinking about whether it is possible to feed a child with rotavirus infection with certain products, parents often forget that the most important thing during this period is drinking, especially in the early days. To avoid dehydration, you need to give the child a water-s alt solution. You can buy it in sachets at the pharmacy or make your own.
Dissolve 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of s alt and ½ teaspoon of baking soda in a liter of boiled water. Instead of water, you can take a decoction of raisins. It is necessary to give a solution every 2 hours, 50 ml. Exceptsolution offer the child tea, rosehip broth, rice broth, water, chicken broth.
If a child has a rotavirus infection, nutrition is very important. The rate of recovery also depends on the diet.
