Even with good hygiene and sanitation, it is not easy to avoid the spread of infection. By the age of five years, almost all children will have had one or more bouts of rotavirus gastro.

Vaccination is widely thought to be the best approach for reducing the number of severe cases of this disease.

Further ways to help stop the spread of Rotavirus:

• Keep children with gastro away from other children
• Do not send a child with gastro to school or childcare
• Nappies of babies with gastro should be sterilised and washed separately from other clothes
• Rotavirus cannot be destroyed by hand-washing with plain soap but to try and reduce the spread of infection, thorough hand-washing – ideally with a waterless hand-cleansing agent – has been recommended (talk to your pharmacist)
• Wash your hands thoroughly after changing nappies or after playing with children
• Make sure food preparation areas are clean
• Teach children to wash their hands after going to the toilet and before eating

Even with good hygiene and sanitation, it is very difficult to stop the spread of rotavirus. Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about ways you can help prevent rotavirus infection in your baby.

Treatment