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Many parents lack knowledge about a highly contagious common cause of viral gastroenteritis, rotavirus, that causes vomiting and diarrhea which can lead to dehydration. Dehydration can be so extreme in some children that they require hospital admission and intravenous fluid therapy. Rotavirus is transferred via the fecal-oral route between people due to poor hygiene, which is common for children and child care facilities. A survey conducted on parents found that the majority were not aware of this common cause of diarrheal illness and did not realize that their children would have most probably been infected by the time they reached kindergarten. Once informed of the severe symptoms, including projectile vomiting and frequent diarrhea, parents rated them as the worst possible symptoms their children could experience. In some cases resultant dehydration can kill the child, with almost 2 children per week dying in the U.S as a complication of rotavirus gastroenteritis. Viral gastro tends to be more prevalent in the Fall and Spring in the U.S.
Source: summary of medical news story as reported by PRNewswire
About: Parents need to be more aware of Rotavirus
Date: 31 October 2005
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