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Last updated 10:37 pm CT February 08, 2010.
Stomach Virus Hits Southern Illinois
There is a nasty stomach virus going around, and it's affecting children and adults alike.
Five year old Zack is looking pretty healthy right now, but over the course of two days this week, Zack was in a lot of pain.
His mom says he had bad stomach pain, accompanied with diarrhea and vomiting.
Physicians assistant Mike Staff says over the last few weeks he's seen more cases like Zack's at the Center for Medical Arts in Carbondale.
He says parents are sometimes not sure when to take a child to the doctor.
"Large volume, watery diarrhea for example, you're not able to stop it. They're having bloody stools, high fevers, severe abdominal pain, vomiting frequently. That usually needs to be evaluated," said Staff.
Staff says often times with these kinds of viruses, children are at risk of becoming dehydrated.
Signs include infrequent urination, constant vomiting, and weight loss.
"Normally if you pinch a child's skin, especially up around the collar bone where it's tight, it will snap right back down. But if it's getting doughy, that's concerning too."
To help prevent dehydration, Staff suggests Pedialyte. He says try to avoid things like flat soda, tea, or sports drinks.
"Any fluid is better than no fluid. But we're trying to replace physiologic fluid, sodium, potassium for example. True rehydration fluids are the best for that."
And to prevent spreading unwanted germs, scrub up. Staff says hand washing is one of the best ways to stop the illness.
Staff says don't confuse this virus with the flu. According to reports from the Centers for Disease Control, influenza will likely hit our region in January.
So there is still time to get a flu shot.
by Kevin Hunsperger
khunsperger@wsiltv.com
Now: 1265690469
