Symptoms

Symptoms of rotavirus include fever followed by very bad vomiting and diarrhea that can last up to 1 week. Some children may only have vomiting without diarrhea.

Care at home

If your child is vomiting or has diarrhea, watch them closely because they can become dehydrated very quickly. When your child becomes dehydrated, they can have serious health problems. Learn how to care for your child if they have rotavirus.

Keep your child at home while they are sick and for a few days after they feel better. They may still be able to spread the virus to others after they feel better.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for rotavirus.

Children sick with rotavirus may be given fluids orally (by drinking them) or by an intravenous (IV) in a hospital. They may also be given electrolytes orally or through IV to help prevent or treat dehydration.

Vaccine

The rotavirus vaccine (Rot/Rot-5) protects against rotavirus infection. Unlike most vaccines, your child will get the rotavirus vaccine by mouth (instead of with a needle).

Prevent the spread

To help prevent rotavirus from spreading, wash your hands thoroughly and often. Washing your hands is most important after doing things such as changing diapers or going to the bathroom, and before handling or preparing food.

It’s important to know that even if your child gets sick with rotavirus once, they can still get it again. Immunization against rotavirus is still recommended even if your child has already had rotavirus.