Children with abdominal pain, nausea, don’t think about mysterious hepatitis, experts show how to treat it at home

Children have abdominal pain, acute nausea due to what?

Recently, many parents, even medical staff, shared about many children experiencing symptoms of nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and in some cases even had to be hospitalized for examination.

It is worth mentioning that the above symptoms are similar to those of a mysterious hepatitis disease that is appearing in many countries, so many worried families are even more worried. Accordingly, acute hepatitis appears in many countries including Southeast Asia, symptoms of this disease include vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, yellow eyes …

TS.BS Truong Huu Khanh – Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City Infectious Diseases Association said that mysterious acute hepatitis is possible to enter Vietnam, but parents should not worry, not because they see their children. diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea that think of this disease.

Children with nausea, diarrhea without signs of jaundice are cared for as usual, no need to worry about mysterious hepatitis. Illustration.

“Parents should pay special attention, if the child has diarrhea, vomiting and jaundice, then quickly take the child to the hospital. Even children who do not have gastrointestinal symptoms but see yellowing of the whole body, yellow eyes, dark urine, should also be taken to the hospital for examination, “doctor Khanh recommended.

So when children have abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, what are the causes, what are the signs and how to handle it? Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Viet Ha – Head of Gastroenterology Department of Central Children’s Hospital said that there are many causes of abdominal pain and vomiting in children, so depending on different groups of causes, the child’s condition It can be acute in a few days or last for weeks to months. Acute abdominal pain and vomiting are often indicative of many dangerous diseases that require urgent intervention.

For the case of acute abdominal pain and nausea that many parents are worried about recently, Associate Professor Viet Ha points out the following reasons:

– Acute gastroenteritis caused by viruses such as rotavirus, norovirus, calicivirus, adenovirus, COVID-19.

– Contaminated water, contaminated food.

– Food poisoning: Children with food poisoning often feel nausea and vomiting right away, sometimes even vomiting blood, abdominal pain, diarrhea many times loose stools that may have bloody mucus. Your child may not have a fever or have a fever above 38 degrees Celsius.

– Inappropriate diet such as overeating, food allergies, or toxic or drug overdose are also common causes of vomiting and abdominal pain in children.

– Some surgical emergencies require quick surgery such as intussusception, appendicitis, intestinal obstruction…

Children have vomiting, abdominal pain due to many reasons, so the treatment must also be based on the cause of the disease. Illustration.

Signs when children vomiting, acute abdominal pain is what?

The case of a child with a stomach ache According to Associate Professor Viet Ha, the manifestation of abdominal pain in children varies according to the cause of the disease and the age of the child:

– For children who do not know how to talk, it will often manifest with symptoms such as: constant crying with a painful grimace.

– Older children may be able to tell parents about abdominal pain, locate the pain and describe the nature of the pain, although it is not always accurate.

The child should be taken to the hospital if the pain is below the navel and tilts to the right side, the abdominal pain spreads to the groin area with difficulty urinating, the pain persists for more than 24 hours, or the pain is getting worse because In this situation the abdominal pain could be caused by appendicitis or other serious problems.

In case of vomiting: Doctor Viet Ha instructs, take the child to the hospital if vomiting lasts more than 24 hours or the child vomits continuously, vomits everything after eating or drinking, the vomit is green or yellow, is present of bright red blood or clotted blood.

Children with diarrhea: This is a symptom that often appears at the same time or after vomiting and abdominal pain. Diarrhea may persist even after the abdominal pain has gone. Children need to be taken to a medical facility if they have loose, watery stools many times a day, bloody stools or signs of dehydration.

It should be noted with children already infected with COVID-19 because studies around the world show that 30-40% of children infected with COVID-19 have gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea. From 4 to 6 weeks after being infected with COVID-19, about 10% of children have abdominal pain and vomiting.

It is very important to treat children with abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea at home before taking them to a medical facility.

How to treat children with colic and vomiting at home

It is very important to treat children with colic and vomiting at home, so that the condition can be determined to take the child to a medical facility in time. Specifically, Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Viet Ha guides parents when seeing children with abdominal pain and nausea at home as follows:

– Reassure, comfort and rest the child.

– Closely monitor the child to detect abnormal signs to take the child to the hospital in time.

– Do not use pain relievers because they can obscure the necessary signs to detect the disease, making it difficult to diagnose.

– Give your child enough water to drink enough to prevent dehydration when vomiting or diarrhea is a lot. It is best for children to drink rehydration and electrolyte solutions according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

– When the child takes rehydration and electrolytes according to the instructions according to the principle of little but still vomiting, the condition of bowel movements is still a lot, parents need to quickly take the child to the hospital to be rehydrated, electrolytes with intravenous fluids.

– Do not self-administer anti-vomiting and anti-diarrheal drugs.

– Children should be given liquid, easily digestible foods during the illness and return to normal and eat more when the child recovers.

– If the child has a fever of 38.5 degrees Celsius or higher, parents should use common antipyretic drugs such as Efferalgan, Hapacol, Tylenol.

– Do not arbitrarily use antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription.

According to Associate Professor Viet Ha, vomiting and diarrhea can increase infection in the family. Parents should pay attention to prevent infection in their family and people around them by washing their hands with soap and water after changing diapers and clothes, before and after preparing food, and keeping sick children out of school. limit the spread.