Gastro - a tummy bug

Contents

• What is gastro?
• What is it like?
• How do you get it?
• How can you protect yourself and others?
• What you can do
• Dr Kate says

What is gastro?

Gastro, or gastroenteritis (gas-tro-en-ter-ye-tus) to give it the full title, is the name we give to an illness which causes vomiting and diarrhoea (runny poo).
Being really sick with gastro is often caused by a virus but it can be caused by bacteria.

What is it like?

Someone who has gastro may have the following symptoms.

	Cramping pains in the abdomen (tummy).
	Feeling really nauseous (sick).
	Throwing up (vomiting).
	Diarrhoea (say di-uh-ree-a) - when you have to keep dashing to the loo, (dunny, toilet, lavatory or whatever you call it at your place.) because you have to pass a lot of runny poo many times.
	Feeling hot, then cold, then hot again.
	Feeling shivery and weak.
	Feeling really horrible for a couple of days.

How do you get it?

Gastro is contagious (say con-tay-jus) - that means you get it from another person.

	You may get it from something that the other person's poo is on – maybe they did not wash their hands well enough after they went to the toilet and they touched something that you touched afterwards. You then carried the germs on your hands to your mouth. It may be that a person with gastro coughed or sneezed on you.
	It may be that a person with gastro coughed or sneezed on you.
	It may be from your food that has been touched by someone who hasn't washed their hands after going to the loo.

How can you protect yourself and others?

• Always wash your hands after you go to the toilet even if you feel well. Use running water and soap. Use a clean paper towel to dry them or a hand dryer, or at home use a clean dry towel. 
• Make sure that things that a person with gastro handles are washed, and that you wash your hands if you have had to touch something that might have their germs on.
• Make sure that people who have gastro do not prepare food for you or for others.
• Do not go to school if you have gastro.

What you can do

If you are throwing up then you will probably feel a little better when you have vomited everything that is in your stomach. 

	Don't eat anything for a while – you might vomit that food up again too. You probably won't feel like eating anything for a while anyway. Start eating again when you start to feel hungry.
	Have lots of small drinks often or suck ice cubes often. Your parents could have a look at the topic Gastroenteritis for more ideas about what drinks to give to you.
	Rest, not too far away from the bathroom!
	Wash your hands very carefully after you have vomited or done runny poo – you don't want to give the germs to someone else.
	Stay away from other kids so you can't pass it on to them.
	Make sure that other people in your family wash their hands very well too so they don't catch the germs from you.

When you have stopped throwing up you can have bigger drinks of water or your mum or dad may give you a special oral rehydration drink (say ree-hi-dray-shun). This is something that you can buy from a pharmacy. It will replace some of the good things you lost while you were vomiting or had runny poo!

	You can then have a bit of food, like toast or cracker biscuits and wait to see what happens.
	If that stays down then you can slowly start to eat again.
	Take it easy at first, eat small portions and stick with plain foods that can easily be digested, eg. pears, noodles or rice.
	Gradually try other foods over the next few days until you feel better.

Dr Kate says

It is important to try and keep some water going into your body when you have gastro. Getting dehydrated can make you feel sicker.

So, don't forget to have lots of small drinks or ice cubes and wash those hands really carefully. You don't want to make other people in your family get sick. (Not even an annoying brother or sister?? Just kidding! )

Often people who have gastro lose a bit of weight because they can't eat normally for a couple of days. Don't worry – you will put that weight back on as soon as you can eat normally again.

Gastro-Oh-Oh-Oh!!
I'm feeling kind of queasy
My tummy feels quite -- sad.
My head is feeling achey,
I think that this is -- bad.
I try to take my mind off
The sickness that I feel.
But have to run quite quickly
And at the dunny kneel.
Oh no! now I need to turn
Around the other way.
My body's getting rid of germs 
From both my ends today!
Mum comes to hold my head
As round and round it goes.
She holds a bowl as well
Right underneath my nose.
I think that is the last of it
As I stagger to my bed
I rinse my mouth with water
And wish that I was dead.
Uh oh, here we go again
I'm feeling pretty rough.
Mum says I have a weak stomach
But, I'm chucking far enough!
I'm sipping at my water
I'm sucking ice in cubes.
I think that I'm ok now
With very empty tubes!
BH
(Just had a thought. Isn't it odd that when you throw up there are always carrots…even if you haven't eaten any!!)

We've collected this information to help you to understand important things about staying healthy and happy. However, if you feel sick or unhappy, it is important to tell your mum or dad, a teacher or another grown-up.