Gastroenteritis

About gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis or ‘gastro’ is an illness that involves inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It usually gives you diarrhoea and sometimes makes you vomit.

Symptoms of gastro

Gastro symptoms might include:

Your child might not feel like eating or drinking or might have trouble keeping down food or drink because of vomiting. If your child doesn’t get enough fluid, there’s a risk they’ll get dehydrated.

Medical help: when to get it for children and teenagers with gastro

Take your child to the GP if your child:

has diarrhoea that doesn’t improve after 48 hours
is vomiting often and can’t seem to keep any fluids down
has blood in their poo
is under 6 months and has gastro symptoms.

Take your child to a hospital emergency department or call 000 for an ambulance straight away if your child has symptoms like:

severe stomach pain
blood in their vomit or green vomit
signs of being very unwell.

Also seek emergency medical attention if your child seems to be dehydrated. For example, your child isn’t passing urine, looks thin, has lost colour in their face, has sunken eyes, cold hands and cold feet, is drowsy or is very cranky.

You know your child best. If your child seems unwell, seek medical attention. Signs that your child has a serious illness that requires urgent medical attention include severe pain, drowsiness, pale, blue or grey skin, dehydration, troubled breathing, seizures and reduced responsiveness.

Treatment for gastro

Most cases of gastroenteritis in children aren’t serious. But your child needs enough fluids and food.

Fluids
If your child is at risk of dehydration, you need to make sure your child has enough fluids. Our article on preventing and treating dehydration explains how much fluid children of different ages need and how often they need it.

Food
Your child might refuse food to start with. But don’t stop food for more than 24 hours.

If your child is hungry, you can give them food at the same time as fluid. It’s generally best to start with bland foods like plain crackers, bread, rice, potato or jelly. Your child can start eating other foods gradually.

It might be best for your child to avoid or eat only small amounts of dairy products for 7-10 days after an episode of gastro. Dairy products might make diarrhoea go on longer.

Don’t treat your child with antidiarrhoea medicines. There’s no evidence that these medicines work. Your doctor or pharmacist will tell you about the best treatment options for your child.

Preventing gastro

Gastro spreads easily.

You can help prevent the spread of gastro by making sure everyone in the family washes their hands regularly, especially after using the toilet or changing nappies. It’s also important not to share drink bottles, cups or food utensils.

If your child has gastro, keep them away from other children and school or child care until they’ve had no vomiting or diarrhoea for at least 48 hours.

Causes of gastro

Gastro is usually caused by a virus and sometimes by a bacterial or parasitic infection. These germs cause inflammation of the stomach and intestine walls, which in turn causes the diarrhoea and vomiting.

Rotavirus is a common cause of viral gastroenteritis in children. It’s becoming less common, because rotavirus immunisation is part of Australia’s National Immunisation Program.