What to do about the stomach flu: Remedies for children
Stomach Flu in Kids: The Best Remedies and What to Feed Children With Stomach Flu
The stomach flu, or viral gastroenteritis, the one caused by a virus; it shouldn’t be confused with the flu caused by the influenza virus. Stomach flu is caused by viruses — like norovirus and rotavirus — that irritate and infect the digestive system. It can be a common illness in children, who may not be as meticulous about hand washing as adults and who spend more time touching the same objects as other children.
The stomach flu, unfortunately for little ones, can bring on nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Isabel Rojas, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist at Children’s Health℠ and Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern, shares the best stomach flu remedies in kids and some helpful methods to settle your child’s belly.
What can you do at home for a child with a stomach virus?
The most effective treatments for stomach flu in children are hydration and rest. “You can take a rehydration solution available in any store and over the counter” for hydration, Dr. Rojas says. “Do small sips, and increase very slowly, so they’re not vomiting it up.”
So it is not necessarily safe to rehydrate kids exclusively with water, particularly younger children. Kids can lose electrolytes through vomiting or diarrhea. This can cause low blood sodium, a dangerous condition. A rehydration solution, such as Pedialyte, replaces fluids and electrolytes. Broth can also be helpful.
You can also prepare a rehydration solution at home with 4 ¼ cups of water, 6 teaspoons of sugar and a ½ teaspoon of salt mixed in.
With children, Dr. Rojas also advises a lot of rest. Rest allows the digestive system time to settle and heal.
Is there medicine for the stomach flu?
While you might seek to offer your child a medicine to relieve stomach flu, Dr. Rojas suggests otherwise. And health care professionals won’t prescribe antibiotics, because the stomach flu is caused by a virus.
“Most of the time we just need to let the virus run its own course,” Dr. Rojas says. “Fighting to take medications can extend symptoms and exacerbate them.”
The only exception to the no-medicine rule, Dr. Rojas says, is an appropriate dose of acetaminophen if your child has a fever.
What should you feed a child who’s had the stomach flu?
After your child has finished vomiting, you may begin to allow eating foods again. The top foods to try after the stomach flu are the BRAT diet of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.
“These foods are super easy to digest,” Dr. Rojas says. “Crackers, grilled or boiled chicken can also be given to children.”
Children can stick to bland foods and avoid greasy, heavy or spicy foods for a few days after vomiting, Dr. Fox recommended. And avoiding dairy could also pave the way for a little relief, because some people are temporarily lactose intolerant following stomach flu, meaning they can’t digest the sugar present in dairy, but infants should continue to get the breast or formula if they can tolerate it.
Some beverages — including apple juice and carbonated drinks — can irritate the lining of the digestive tract and worsen vomiting or diarrhea, Dr. Schaefer said, so the best drinks are rehydration solutions or plain water.
If your child is again nauseous or vomiting, it’s important to stop the food until his or her stomach settles.
How long does the stomach flu in a child last?
Symptomatic stomach flu typically lasts one to three days. Vomiting usually goes away within 24 hours.
But, if your child’s symptoms last more than 5 days,call your pediatrician. You also should contact your pediatrician if your child has:
- A high fever
- Severe abdominal pain
- Bloody diarrhea or vomiting
- Symptoms of dehydration, such as dry skin, dry mouth, no tears or rapid breathing
With proper rest and rehydration, your child will probably be back to normal in a few days. They can even go back to school once the diarrhea has ended, and they’ve had no fever for 24 hours, Dr. Rojas says.
