Gastroenteritis in children and babies

Gastroenteritis causes diarrhoea and vomiting. It's common in young children, and it's usually down to a bacterial or viral tummy bug. Most cases in children are caused by a virus called rotavirus.

Gastroenteritis can be very unpleasant, but it usually clears up by itself within a week. Normally you can look after your child at home until they're feeling better.

There is a separate page on gastroenteritis in adults.

The main symptoms of gastroenteritis are:

• sudden, watery diarrhoea
• feeling sick
• vomiting, which can be projectile
• a mild fever

Some people also have other symptoms, like:

• a loss of appetite
• an upset stomach
• aching limbs
• headaches

The symptoms usually appear up to a day after the infection starts. They typically last less than a week, but they can sometimes last longer.

You usually don't need to see a doctor if you think your child has gastroenteritis. It should get better on its own, and taking your child to a doctor's clinic can put other people at risk.

Your child:

• vomits blood, or has vomit that looks like ground coffee
• has yellow-green or green vomit
• may have swallowed something poisonous
• has a stiff neck and pain when looking at bright lights
• has a sudden, severe headache or stomach ache
• has blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue (on brown or black skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet)
• is having severe difficulty breathing, or is taking lots of quick, short breaths
• is difficult to wake up, confused or not responding as usual
• is less than 3 months old, has a temperature of 38°C (101°F) or above, and has not had a vaccination in the past 2 days
• is less than 3 months old, has a temperature of 36°C (97°F) or less, and has not had a vaccination in the past 2 days

With gastroenteritis, talk to a doctor or call the 16263 health line if you're concerned about your child, or if they:

• have symptoms of dehydration, like passing less urine than normal, being unusually irritable or unresponsive, pale or mottled skin, or cold hands and feet
• have blood in their poo
• are vomiting constantly and are unable to keep down any fluids or feeds
• have had diarrhoea for more than 7 days or vomiting for more than 2 days
• are breathing a bit faster than normal or working a bit harder to breathe
• are over 3 months and have a temperature of 39°C (102°F) or above
• have a temperature less than 36°C (97°F)
• have a serious underlying condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease or a weak immune system, and have diarrhoea and vomiting

Your doctor may suggest sending a sample of your child's poo to a laboratory to confirm what's causing the symptoms. If the result shows a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be prescribed.

If your child has diarrhoea and vomiting, you can look after them at home. Gastroenteritis doesn't usually have any specific treatment, and most children start feeling better within a few days.

You don't normally need to see a doctor unless the symptoms don't improve or there's a risk of a more serious problem.

There are some things you can do to help ease your child's symptoms.

• Encourage your child to take small sips of diluted juice (full sugar) to prevent dehydration.
• Feed babies as usual, either with breast milk or other milk feeds.
• Make sure your child gets plenty of rest.
• Let your child eat if they're eating solids and feel hungry. Try small amounts of plain foods, like soup, rice, pasta and bread.
• Give them paracetamol for fever or aches and pains. Young children may find liquid paracetamol easier to swallow than tablets.
• Use special rehydration drinks from a pharmacy if they're dehydrated. Your pharmacist can advise on how much to give your child.

• Don't make baby formula weaker. Use it at its usual strength.
• Fruit juice and fizzy drinks can make diarrhoea worse, so don't give them to children.
• Children under 12 should not be given medicine to stop diarrhoea.
• Aspirin must not be given to children under 16.

Don't give your child antidiarrhoeal and anti-vomiting medicine unless your doctor or pharmacist advises it.

Read further information about treating dehydration.

Read further information about treating diarrhoea in children and babies.

While your child has gastroenteritis, make sure you both wash your hands regularly. Keep your child away from school or nursery until at least 2 days after their symptoms have cleared.

A pharmacist can help with gastroenteritis. Speak to a pharmacist if your child:

• has signs of dehydration, like dark, smelly pee or peeing less than usual
• has a weakened immune system
• has other health conditions that increase their risk of dehydration
• needs to stop diarrhoea for a few hours

The pharmacist may recommend:

• oral rehydration powder that you mix with water to make a drink (it's helpful to add diluted squash to improve the taste, but not "sugar-free" squash)
• medicine to stop diarrhoea for a few hours, like loperamide (not suitable for children aged 11 years and under)

The bugs that cause gastroenteritis spread very easily from one person to another.

You can catch the infection if tiny particles of vomit or poo from an infected person get into your mouth. This can happen through:

• close contact with someone who has gastroenteritis, because they may breathe out small particles of vomit
• touching contaminated surfaces or objects

Eating contaminated food can also put you at risk. This can happen if:

• an infected person doesn't wash their hands before handling food
• you eat food that has been in contact with contaminated surfaces or objects
• you eat food that hasn't been stored and cooked at the correct temperatures

A person with gastroenteritis is most infectious from the time their symptoms start until 48 hours after all their symptoms have passed. They may also be infectious for a short time before and after this.

You can't always avoid gastroenteritis, but the advice below can help stop it spreading.

• keep your child off school or nursery until at least 48 hours after the symptoms have passed, and don't visit anyone in hospital during this time either
• make sure your child washes their hands often and well with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and before preparing food
• disinfect any surfaces or objects that could be contaminated (a bleach-based household cleaner works best)
• wash contaminated clothes and bedding separately on a hot wash
• flush any poo or vomit away in the toilet or potty, and clean the area around it
• make sure food is properly refrigerated
• always cook your food thoroughly

• do not rely on alcohol hand gels to clean hands, as they're not always effective. Use soap and water
• do not eat food that is past its use-by date
• do not share your child's towels, flannels, cutlery or utensils while your child is ill
• do not let your child use a swimming pool until at least 2 weeks after their symptoms stop

Young children can have the rotavirus vaccination when they're 2 to 3 months old. This can reduce their risk of developing gastroenteritis.