Get Ready 4 Rotavirus

A Message from Carol J. Baker, MD

New parents expect to change lots of messy diapers, but they may not expect that something as common as diarrhea could lead to a trip to the emergency room (ER). Parents are often surprised to learn that rotavirus is a leading cause of severe diarrhea among infants and young children in the U.S. In fact, it accounts for approximately 250,000 ER visits each year among children under five.

Rotavirus symptoms can include fever, vomiting, and watery diarrhea that may occur many times throughout the day, persisting up to nine days. Vomiting and diarrhea caused by rotavirus can be constant and lead to dehydration and, in rare cases, can be life-threatening.

In my 30 years as a pediatrician, I have seen countless cases of rotavirus, many of which were severe enough to require hospitalization. Parents of these children often feel helpless and scared, especially seeing their baby or toddler connected to an IV to treat dehydration caused by rotavirus.

While nearly all children will become infected with rotavirus before they begin kindergarten, it is alarming that most parents have heard little or nothing about the illness. That's why NFID is launching a new public health initiative, "Get Ready 4 Rotavirus!" NFID is urging parents to remember 4 important tips about rotavirus:

1. Nearly all children will get rotavirus, the most common cause of severe diarrhea in the U.S. by their fifth birthday.
2. Rotavirus is unpredictable - while most children will have a mild case, some can have a severe case. There's no reliable way to tell what kind of experience your child will have.
3. Rotavirus can be serious - By age five, one in 17 children will visit an emergency room. The virus also accounts for an estimated 70,000 hospitalizations among children under five in the U.S. each year.
4. There's something you can do about it. New parents and parents-to-be should talk to their child's doctor about rotavirus and review resources on this site for more information.

Rotavirus vaccines are available. Talk to your child's doctor about if the vaccine is right for your child. Click here to learn more about rotavirus and the vaccine.

I hope you will take the time to explore the important rotavirus information contained on this Web site and get your family ready for rotavirus. It is NFID's goal that through education and immunization, we can prevent the burden this illness takes on infants, young children and their families.

Carol J. Baker, MD
Past President, NFID