Rotavirus and Your Child

If you are like many people, you may be asking "What is Rotavirus?". Rotavirus is of course, a virus. Rotavirus causes severe diarrhea, and mainly affects babies and children 5 years of age and younger. Rotavirus also causes vomiting and fever, along with the diarrhea. Rotavirus is a very severe form of diarrhea, though it is not the only cause of diarrhea, it is one of the worst.

Every year in the United States of America, Rotavirus sends over 400, 000 people to the doctors office and over 200, 000 people to the emergency room. Rotavirus is also the cause of 55,000 to 70,000 hospital stays in the United States of America each and every year. Rotavirus also kills 20-60 people every year.

Most people who acquire Rotavirus are under the age of 5 years old. The most likely time to get infected with the Rotavirus is from the months of November and May, and this also depends upon your geographical location. Children get Rotavirus by being around other children who are infected with the virus.

The good news is that there is a vaccine for Rotavirus. Babies are only allowed to get the vaccine up until they are 32 weeks old. The vaccine is not a shot, it is given orally in 3 doses. About 74% of children who have received the vaccine never acquire Rotavirus, and about 98% do not get a severe case of Rotavirus. Keep in mind that hand washing and sanitation have not been very successful ways of lessening the chance of getting Rotavirus.

The risks of getting Rotavirus are far greater than the risks of getting the vaccine. Mild problems that children have had after receiving the vaccine include mild diarrhea or vomiting within a week of getting the vaccine, but this has only affected 1-3% of all children who have received the vaccine. There have been no severe reactions to this vaccine thus far.

As with any vaccine, if there were an allergic reaction to the vaccine, you should look for difficulty in breathing, paleness, hives, dizziness, and /or rapid heart beat. You should always consult with your pediatrician if you think your child is having a reaction to any vaccine. Make sure your doctor knows that your child has received a vaccine, and ask them to report the reaction. You can also report the reaction by calling 1-800-822-7967, or by going to their website www.vaers.hhs.gov which stands for Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.