Stomach Bug Attacks!

I write this because here at my house we are in the throws of family style vomiting and general feelings of ickiness all around. It was like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Some stomach flu virus went through the whole family, one by one, the last few days. Is the saying, " family that pukes together...."?

Norovirus on the rise.

Norovirus is an acute stomach illness sometimes called the stomach flu, also known as Norwalk virus- named for Norwalk, Ohio, the site of a severe outbreak of vomiting, nausea and diarrhea among schoolchildren in the late 1960s. It is also possibly known as an effective pre-awards show diet for some Hollywood characters.

Typical symptoms:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Stomach Cramps
• Diarrhea
• Dehydration (in some cases)
• Fever, chills
• Creepy crawly skin
• Aches
• Fatigue

Norovirus infection usually clears up after two or three days, but medical epidemiologist Marc-Alain Widdowson, a norovirus expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says the misery of those days shouldn't be dismissed.
"When you're ill, you're really ill," he says. "People (can) vomit 20 times a day."

People can become sick with this stomach virus in several ways, including:
* Eating food or drinking liquids that have been contaminated by a person who is sick.
* Coming into contact with vomit from an infected person or a recently contaminated surface.
* Having direct contact with another person who is sick.
* Sharing foods or eating utensils with someone who is sick.
* Changing a diaper of a sick child.

About half of food-borne diseases are thought to be caused by norovirus, the CDC says.
But this winter, it is spreading mainly from person to person through communities, and experts believe the majority of cases are unreported. In recent years we have all heard about these outbreaks- cruise ships have become famous norovirus carriers, with several large outbreaks grabbing headlines.

Once it's in the house, experts say, it's tough to wipe out. It can linger for days on surfaces such as children's toys, keyboards, telephones and doorknobs, and both vomit and stool are highly infectious. It is present in the stool up to three weeks after the patient recovers, so health officials stress the importance of hand washing, especially after using the bathroom and before preparing food. So once baby has puked, might as well give him/her a big yummy kiss, cuz Mama (or Papa), you're next. I know, sounds SO negative but unfortunately it is usually true. Unless of course you have the immunity of my dad who never gets sick.

The virus causes illness year-round, though like many, it is more common in colder months. Why it's so widespread this winter is not known, Widdowson says. "Some years, it does seem to be a lot worse than others, and this is one of those.

The “24-Hour Bug” Is a Myth
Some children may feel nauseated for 2-3 days, and then have diarrhea for another week, which sort of throws hot water on the 24 hour theory. This is no reason to panic. How long each bout lasts depends on the particular virus and on how your child’s intestines react to it. But when your child is vomiting, there is a concern about dehydration.

Signs of dehydration in babies can include tearless crying, dark urine and sunken eyes, says William Cochran, vice chairman of pediatrics at the Geisinger Clinic in Danville, Pa. “A small infant with profuse diarrhea and vomiting could become dehydrated in six to 12 hours” without otherwise appearing dramatically ill, he says. “When an infant starts to look really sick, you are late in the game.”

A baby or toddler vomiting green bile should be seen immediately, he adds. And, in anyone, sudden bruising and broken blood vessels (except in the face, where the strain of vomiting may be to blame) could signal a breakdown in blood platelets, seen in infections with the dangerous E. coli 0157:H7 strain. (www.usatoday.com)
Other Causes for Concern
If vomiting lasts more than three days, diarrhea lasts more than seven days, or if fever lasts more than two days, then go see a health specialist. Vomiting and diarrhea combined, or a prolonged fever may cause severe dehydration with various symptoms:

* excessive thirst
* dry mouth
* little or no urine or dark yellow urine
* decreased tears
* severe weakness or lethargy
* dizziness or lightheadedness
* markedly sunken fontanelles (the soft spot on the top of the head) in an infant
Source: www.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment:
* Plenty of fluids
* Rest
* Take a high quality probiotic every 30 to 60 minutes until you feel better.
* Try adding raw honey (to calm the inflammation) if the symptoms persist more than a few hours after starting the probiotics.
* Allow your gastrointestinal tract to settle by not eating for a few hours.
* Sip small amounts of clear liquids or suck on ice chips if vomiting is still a problem.
* Give infants and children oral rehydration solutions to replace fluids and lost electrolytes- A teaspoonful of electrolyte solution every twenty minutes or so to replace the nutrients they’ve lost. It contains a proper mixture of sugars and minerals to help their delicate intestines absorb liquid. Bigger children should take an ounce of electrolyte solution in the same time period. If that stays down for fifteen minutes, then give another ounce, rehydrating the child over hours. At this point, don’t worry about getting them to eat anything.
* If you are still breastfeeding a baby, continue to nurse right through the illness, because mother’s milk has protective antibodies. With bigger children, other liquids can be substituted. (Surprising Facts About Stomach Flu, Sarah McCraw Crow, December 2002 issue of Parents Magazine)
* Gradually reintroduce food, starting with bland, easy-to-digest food, like toast, broth, apples, bananas, and rice.
* Avoid dairy products, caffeine, and alcohol until recovery is complete.

Washing your hands regularly with soap and water will help tremendously. Since the virus can spread through body fluids, it’s especially important to wash your hands after changing the diaper of a sick baby.
Avoiding sharing food, drinks, and/or utensils with an infected person, or coming into contact with any of his or her bodily fluids, will also help.

It may be tempting at this point to reach for over-the-counter anti-diarrhea or upset-stomach remedies. I advise against them because they don’t actually cure anything, they just slow things down in the intestines, leading to an overgrowth of harmful gut bacteria. As well, Pepto-Bismol contains salicylates, an aspirin-like compound that can lead to a serious condition called Reye’s syndrome in younger children.

Antibiotics won’t do much to treat a stomach flu. If anything, they will make it worse because they kill the good bacteria in your intestinal tract, making you more susceptible to severe abdominal cramps.


I know I have brought up hand washing several times…Don’t count on hand sanitizers as a substitute for washing your hands. The state says waterless hand sanitizers have been shown to be ineffective against the norovirus.

Here is to hoping you are not "blessed" with the barf bug. Good Luck!
-SBH