Children are at risk

By JIMENITA SWAIN

Guardian Staff Reporter

With more than 400 cases of acute gastroenteritis having been reported in children under four-years-old, the Department of Health is concerned.

Director of Public Health, Dr. Baldwin Carey said Friday that 406 cases have been reported for the first six weeks of the year, which represents a 250 per cent increase of the reported case from last year.

Dr. Carey said "the condition was commonly caused by a Rotavirus, that is typically seen in the months of January and February in The Bahamas. We are concerned about the cases and deaths in Guatemala and Jamaica." It was highlighted that a death in Jamaica was in an adult from the virus.

The director stressed that the ministry wanted to inform the public of the best ways to manage the infection and prevent the complications of gastroenteritis.

The team aligned to address the health risk consisted of Dr. Percival McNeil, head of the Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Mohammed Imana, who reports the number of cases found, Dr. Merciline Dahl-Regis and Senior Nurse Stephanie Dean, liaison with the institution in the public of health.

"Rotavirus Gastroenteritis is associated with fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhea, with three or more loose stools in a 24 hour period. The loss of fluid can result in severe dehydration that makes the child very ill. The only recognised treatment of this condition is fluid replacement given in small amounts and frequently," said Dr Carey.

He noted acceptable fluids were oral rehydration fluid (ORF), pedialyte or rehydralyte. The oral rehydration fluids, he said, "contained special nutrients and should be prepared according to instructions."

Dr. Carey also stated that "during rehydration at home the child may continue to have vomiting or loose stools, but it is important to continue to give the fluid and breast milk."

The director highlighted that a child should be taken to the nearest community clinic if he or she exhibits "sunken eyes, not passing urine, lethargic, is not eating or drinking normally and has a fever that is not responding to treatment with Calpol or Tylenol."

However he stressed "the most important preventative measure is good personal hygiene practices, such as hand washing after toilet use and proper sterilisation of feeding bottles and cups.

"Please avoid the use of antibiotic or anti-diarrhea agents such as Gravol, Phenergan, Kaopectate, Pepto-bismal, Lomotil, or Imodium, as they only worsen the child's condition."

Dr. McNeil said the antibiotic or anti-diarrhea agents only cause the children or infant to become more dehydrated. In cases where children were given either antibiotic or anti-diarrhea agents, resulted in hospitalisation for the child and having them placed on intravenous fluids (IV).

"For some reason or another this is a particularly bad epidemic year for us. The Rotavirus is extremely contagious," he stressed, stating that 55 children were admitted to the children's ward of the hospital during the month of February. He said the youngest child was two months, with the oldest child being about 12-years-old.

The illness can last about three to eight days, he explained, with resolution usually five days later. Dr. McNeil said day one is characterised with extreme bouts of vomiting, which he said, has been the primary cause for hospital admittance.

Thus far, he said 50 children have died in Guatemala out of 35,780 children diagnosed with the infection, Dr. Dahl- Regis pointed out. "The death rate was point 75 per 1,000 cases identified," she said.

Dr. McNeil also stated that the they are investigating one case of a four-month-old infant who died during this epidemic. "This baby presented with vomiting and subsequently died, prior to coming into the hospital as a patient," he stated.

Nonetheless as regards infants, Dr. McNeil said breast milk was the best preventative agent. He stated that children over the age of one years were more infected by the virus than infants were.

Dr. Dahl- Regis revealed that a vaccine was being developed, which the ministry was following closely with the hope of one day accessing, she said, in terms of future cases.

Family Islanders were encouraged to visit the community clinics which are fully stocked with rehydration fluids, should their child present with symptoms of the Rotavirus.

Posted: Saturday February 21, 2004