The best home remedies for stomach flu are time, rest, and drinking fluids, once your body can keep them down. Once you can tolerate them, water, clear broth, and sugar-free energy drinks are all good options.
For young children, using an oral rehydration solution ORS can help avoid or treat dehydration. ORS beverages, such as Pedialyte and Enfalyte, are available without a prescription. They can be administered slowly, over a period of three to four hours, a few teaspoons at a time. Try giving your child one to two teaspoons, every five minutes. Babies can also be given ORS liquids via a bottle. These medications may make it harder for them to eliminate the virus from their systems.
Even if you feel hungry, avoid eating too much too soon. Once you start to feel better and your nausea and vomiting stop, opt for foods that are easy to digest. That can help you avoid additional stomach irritation. A bland diet, such as the BRAT diet is a good one to follow while you recover. The starchy, low-fiber foods in the BRAT diet, which include b ananas, r ice, a pplesauce, and t oast, help firm up stool and reduce diarrhea. Choose a low-fiber bread such as white bread, without butter and sugar-free applesauce.
As you start to feel better, you can add other easy-to-digest foods such as plain baked potatoes and plain crackers. Infants and babies with stomach flu should be seen by a doctor if they are running a fever or vomit for longer than a few hours. If your baby seems dehydrated, call the doctor immediately. Signs of dehydration in babies include:. Adults and the elderly should seek medical treatment if their symptoms are severe and last more than three days. The stomach flu typically resolves on its own within a few days.
The most serious concern, especially for infants, toddlers, children, and the elderly, is dehydration. Do you have a stomach bug or food poisoning? In many cases, dehydration can occur with stomach flu due to the amount of liquid lost during vomiting or diarrhea.
The NIDDK warn that a person should seek treatment immediately if they experience any of the following symptoms of dehydration:. Learn how to treat dehydration here. The norovirus can survive on surfaces such as changing tables for months.
A person can also catch the virus if they come into contact with bodily fluids, such as vomit or stools, from the child. Common symptoms of stomach flu in children may include:. Parents or caregivers of children should look for the following symptoms or complaints from their children, as they can indicate dehydration.
Symptoms of dehydration in infants or children include :. Although children can vomit more than adults, vomiting can often stop in children after 24 hours.
If the vomiting does not stop but does not increase significantly, the parent or caregiver should try to give the child clear liquids. They should not rush trying to give the child heavier foods. The most common route of infection is the fecal-oral route. In other words, most cases come from contact with infected stool. The CDC add that a person can also catch the norovirus from:. To help prevent getting stomach flu caused by the norovirus, the CDC recommend that people:.
Learn more about how to prevent stomach flu here. Some symptoms of stomach flu can suggest a severe case. They could also indicate dehydration or a different, potentially more serious, condition. According to the NIDDK , a person should contact a doctor if they experience any of the following symptoms:.
A person should contact a doctor if their symptoms do not improve within a few days. It is possible that they have a different underlying condition. One article recommends that people follow a bland diet when they have stomach flu and are recovering from its symptoms.
A person should also drink plenty of fluids containing electrolytes. These include low sugar sports drinks. Read about 33 foods a person can eat with stomach flu here. Treatment for food poisoning typically depends on the specific pathogen involved and the severity of symptoms. In most cases, food poisoning resolves without treatment after just a few days, though it can persist longer. Treatment can include replacement of lost fluids and electrolytes and taking doctor-prescribed antibiotics.
Also, anti-parasitic medications are available to treat certain foodborne parasites. A few simple things that you can do at home to speed your recovery from both viral gastroenteritis and food poisoning are:. Food poisoning and viral gastroenteritis can become severe enough to require medical attention.
Also keep in mind that other health issues can mimic the symptoms of viral gastroenteritis or food poisoning. Call your doctor if your symptoms worsen or if you experience any of the following:. Looking for a primary care physician? UH offers online appointment scheduling for select UH physicians and specialties, including primary care.
Or find a doctor with our online tool , which allows you to search by location. Tags: Flu , Primary Care. Skip to main content.
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