Rotavirus & Diarrhoea: Is It Just Poo Poo Or A Major Boo Boo?

As a mother of a newborn, motherhood for me is like taking a walk down memory lane. When my husband and I knew we were pregnant again, we had to prepare ourselves with the knowledge that we’ve long forgotten.

We attended online prenatal classes, reading books about pregnancy, scrolling online for a new set of breast pumps and the list is endless. I even join Mummy Groups to keep abreast with trends and to grab certain baby items at a sale.

From the Mummy Groups, a post grabbed my attention and after some digging, I realized that the post was talking about Rotavirus.

What Is Rotavirus and Why Your Child Needs Rotavirus Vaccine? 

For those who are still unaware of this disease, Rotavirus is in fact a highly contagious infection that can cause severe diarrhoea and vomiting¹.

In fact, according to the Ministry of Health Malaysia, up to 50% of diarrhoea cases among children are caused by Rotavirus².

Through further reading, I also read that Rotavirus also kills half a million children every year as published by the World Health Organization, which makes up to 500,000 deaths involving children annually³.

Symptoms of Rotavirus in Children That All Parents Should Know

What you need to know is that it takes up to 2 days for symptoms to develop after a child comes in contact with the virus⁴. Some of the common symptoms include:

• Nausea and vomiting⁴
• Watery diarrhea that may last from 3 to 8 days⁴
• Abdominal pain⁴
• Fever that goes away after 1 to 2 days⁴

Rotavirus spreads easily from hand-to-mouth due to contact with stools from an infected person². This is also often because a child does not wash their hands properly⁴.

Most of the children recover on their own from the infection. In the case of extreme loss of fluids, a child may not be able to survive it at all².

Rotavirus Vaccine in Malaysia

We need to first understand that the Rotavirus vaccine is NOT part of the National Immunisation Programme².

Generally there are two types of vaccines that are made available in Malaysia - the 2-dose and the 3-dose shot which can be given as early as 6 weeks old². 

We opted for the 2-dose type which was given with a 4-week interval in between. The Rotavirus vaccine is given orally and the vaccination course should be completed before my son is of the age of 24 weeks².

These vaccines are proven to prevent between 85 to 98% of severe Rotavirus disease and between 74 to 87% of all Rotavirus diseases².

Of course, we need to remember that a vaccine is not the cure. There will be risks, as do other types of vaccines. So I suggest, parents speak of their concerns openly with their doctor. 

How to Prevent Rotavirus Disease in the Future?

The rule of thumb is to always ask ‘what if’, so we are better prepared. I have four children and each of my children displayed different reactions every time we had to take a trip to the clinic.

Other than vaccination, hand hygiene is one of the keys to reducing the risks of Rotavirus spread. A general rule is to always wash your hands regularly, especially after dealing with your baby’s poo poo.

Every time we welcome new addition at home, I literally have to say goodbye to nice manicures. I just keep my fingernails short and clean. I also remind my children to wash their hands at the sink on our porch every time they come back from the playground to ensure they don’t bring anything back to their little siblings.

So, if you ask me, Rotavirus vaccine, yay or nay? Always yay! Remember, if we find experiencing diarrhea is a major ordeal, imagine when our little children are experiencing it. 

Asian Parent 2nd Issue - Rotavirus Article (v0.1)

NP-MY-ROT-JRNA-210001 03/23

GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Sdn Bhd

195801000141(3277-U)

www.my.gsk.com

This educational program is brought to you by GSK

©2023 GSK group of companies or its licensor

For further information please contact your doctor.

Reference:

1. (n.d.) Mayo Clinic. Rotavirus. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rotavirus/symptoms-causes/syc-20351300
2. (n.d.) Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia. Rotavirus Vaccine. Retrieved from https://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/rotavirus-vaccine/
3. (n.d.) World Health Organization. Common Virus and Senseless Killer: A Briefing Paper on Rotavirus. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/immunization/monitoring_surveillance/burden/vpd/surveillance_type/sentinel/Rotavirus_briefing_paper_Sept09.pdf
4. (n.d.) Stanford Children’s Health. Rotavirus Infection in Children. Retrieved from https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=rotavirus-infection-in-children-90-P02540