What should you know about viral stomach bug treatment?

Viral gastroenteritis irritates the stomach and bowel. It can cause nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, loss of appetite, tiredness and sometimes fever. Rotavirus infection is one possible cause, especially in young children. Food poisoning, medicines and other illnesses can produce similar symptoms.

The main concern is fluid and salt loss. Young children, older adults, pregnant people and those with long-term conditions can become unwell more quickly. The number of bathroom visits matters less than whether the person can drink, pass urine and stay alert.

Take small, frequent sips of water or an oral rehydration solution. If vomiting occurs, pause briefly and restart with tiny sips. Once fluids stay down, add bland, easy-to-digest foods as appetite returns; there is no need to force a meal. Continue breastfeeding or usual milk feeds for infants unless a clinician advises otherwise.

Wash hands with soap and water, clean toilet and bathroom surfaces, and avoid preparing food for other people while ill. Do not use anti-diarrhoeal medicine for a child without professional advice. A pharmacist can check whether any medicine is suitable with your age, symptoms and health conditions.

Seek urgent help for severe dehydration, fainting, confusion, very little or no urine, blood in vomit or stool, severe or localised abdominal pain, a swollen abdomen, breathing difficulty, or vomiting that prevents all fluids staying down. A very young child or frail adult may need earlier assessment.

Arrange medical review if symptoms are persistent, worsening, repeatedly returning, or accompanied by fever and marked illness. Contact a clinician sooner after recent travel, hospital treatment or antibiotic use, or if you have a weakened immune system. Keep note of drinking, urination and the time symptoms began.

How much oral rehydration solution should I use? Which medicines should I stop or continue while vomiting? What signs of dehydration should I check? When is testing needed, and when can I safely return to work, school or childcare?