Is your child complaining of severe stomachaches and diarrhea? There is a high possibility that your child may be infected with rotavirus. Rotavirus infection happens as a reaction to improperly cooked food, reheated meat dishes, seafood, and dairy and bakery products.
Due to this, the rotavirus starts infecting the large intestine and the walls of the stomach, leading to stomach cramps and infectious diarrhea.
Your doctor may probably advise you to get a rotavirus antigen test done in order to determine the possibility of rotavirus infection.
This test helps detect the rotavirus in feces of young children as old as two or three years. To get your child tested, you need to collect a stool sample which will be tested in a pathological laboratory. Depending on the results, treatment will be suggested and the infection can be taken care of.
There are many ways to collect a stool sample. You can collect the stool in a plastic wrap placed over the toilet bowl and then put it in a clean container, or you can use a special test kit that has a special toilet paper to collect a sample and then place it in a clean container.
If your child wears a diaper, then you can place a plastic wrap on the lining of the diaper in order to prevent the urine from mixing with the stool. Position the plastic wrap in such a way to prevent the mixing of the two for better results. You need to collect the sample when your child is in the acute phase of the infection for accurate results.
There is no special preparation that is required before undergoing the rotavirus antigen test.
The best way to avoid rotavirus infection is by handling food properly. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after serving food to your child. If your child is suffering from rotavirus infection, make sure that you dispose the diaper correctly, as the infection may spread and contaminate nearby areas.
Vaccinate your child properly in order to avoid this infection. The vaccine is given orally when your child is two, four, and six months old. The only side effect that this vaccine has is a mild fever which will subside in a day or two after the immunization. Once your child turns one year old, this vaccine will become a regular part of his/her immunization schedule.
Cleanliness is the best way to keep this virus away and ensure that your child is safe.