Many people refer to infections that are caused by a stomach virus as the stomach flu. This is a highly misleading term because this type of stomach infection has absolutely nothing to do with the flu virus that occurs every winter. These viruses are completely unrelated, and the illnesses they cause have nothing in common.

Dirty Hands

The most common way to catch a stomach virus is from contaminated hands. If your child touches an object or another child's skin that is contaminated with the virus, the virus immediately transfers to your child's hand. After this initial step, it's just a matter of time before your child sticks his dirty hand inside his mouth. This is how a stomach virus gains entrance into the body.

Given that children between the age of six months and three years love putting everything inside their mouths, this is the age group most likely to be affected by these viral infections. The only ways to prevent the virus is to practice frequent hand washing and to avoid other sick children.

Stomach Virus Versus Food Poisoning

While most children get sick because of their frequent hand-to-mouth contact, eating contaminated foods is the more common way for adults to contract stomach viruses. Food poisoning differs from stomach virus in that food poisoning is caused by a bacterial toxin instead of a virus. A true case of food poisoning is not contagious, and vomiting tends to be more severe but shorter in duration than with infection from stomach viruses. It may take up to a few days after catching a virus before someone starts showing symptoms, whereas food poisoning can trigger bouts of vomiting within a few hours after the contaminated food is consumed.

Most food poisoning problems last less than twelve hours, but an attack from a stomach virus can last many days. The younger the victim, the longer the diarrhea lasts for a stomach viral infection.

Signs of Dehydration

The most important thing to prevent during a bout of intestinal problems is dehydration. Babies are more susceptible to becoming dehydrated than older children. This is because they have less of a water reservoir in their bodies to begin with due to their overall small size. Infants can become moderately dehydrated after even a few hours of not drinking. Toddlers are a lot more resistant to dehydration. Typically, they can go for a day or two without significant fluid intake before they succumb to dehydration.

In order to detect dehydration, it's important that parents know what to look for. The first thing that changes when your child becomes dehydrated is her activity level. A dehydrated child becomes listless and tired when there isn't enough water in the body to keep her brain functioning at an optimal level. Some children become sleepy, while others become cranky. A baby might sleep longer and be difficult to wake up at feeding time. Even though these findings are not specific to dehydration, meaning they can also be signs of other conditions, you should consult your doctor when you observe these symptoms in your child.

Another useful physical finding in evaluating dehydration is the amount of moisture in your child's mouth. If you swipe your finger inside your child's mouth and it comes out wet, chances are your child is reasonably hydrated. If your finger is dry, you should call your pediatrician to schedule a visit.

Finally, you can tell whether your child is dehydrated by the amount of urine she's producing. This may be a tough finding to confirm, especially in babies. Today's diapers are so super-absorbent that it can be hard to ascertain how much urine they have soaked up. Older children may also use the bathroom without telling you, and they might forget how many times they have emptied their bladders. If you are concerned, you can monitor your infant's urine production more closely by putting a sheet of tissue paper inside her diaper. You can also monitor the frequency of your older child's bathroom visits.

Even though urine production is more difficult to monitor, it is a more reliable sign than other indicators. Your pediatrician may even ask you whether you have been checking urine production when you bring your child to the office. If it is feasible, recording such information could be a tremendous help to the doctor in making medical decisions.