Rotavirus Is Not Pretty

Eirsa was infected last Ramadhan, so did her Papa 3-4 days after her.


Day 1 and 2.
The first 2 days Eirsa vomitted mildly and berak more than 8 times a day. We though it was just an ordinary diarrhea that would naturally go after a while. We took her to her regular pediatrician and he said that it's a diarrhea and gave us a bottle of medicine for diarrhea.


Later back home, her diarrhea showed no sign of ceasing. She was so weak and she would do nothing but lay down on my chest. I cried seeing her in that helpless condition.


Day 3.
Eirsa had high fever, still weak, sleeping all day long and her body dried. The fever was still high and she refused to eat everything except breastmilk. Around 11 a.m., I saw her lips was even drier until they cracked. And that's it. She was dehydrated, a bad sign. We hurried up to hospital. I cried again.


We arrived emergency room and the staffs stripped all her clothes and bring wet towels in cold water. She was practically bathed on the bed with nothing except her diaper. I helped by comforting her (I was not allowed to hug her, to avoid from transferring my body heat to her). Still in nothing but her diaper, she was laid down and the staffs did the normal procedure for drip. I didn't have the heart to watch and cowardly hid behind the curtain (in which I regret my move until now, I should have been stronger for my daughter!). Luckily she did not hysterically scream throughout the procedures. Perhaps she didn't have the energy to do so.


Day 4.
The assigned paediatrician came in the morning and mentioned that they were analyzing Eirsa's poo poo. There was high possibility of Rotavirus infection, she mentioned. Her visit was quite short and we had no chance to ask further.


And the same paediatrician came again in the afternoon with the lab result. Positive Rotavirus. It was a small relieve that the caused was identified and we could now focus on the treatment. But there was no specific treatment for Rotavirus, though. Eirsa's just got to be strong to go through the days, until Rotavirus was completely flushed out off her body.


Day 5-7.
The diarrhea was on and off, no vomit, alhamdulillah. Her appetite signs of improvement and she has started to smile and talk to me. She even wanted to walk, but her legs were so weak that she fell after 3 small steps. She was disconnected from the drip, made it easier for her to move. She watched her favorite DVD a lot and she could then attend to her long abandoned Bearbear.


Throughout day 6 and 7, she was getting better and better. No more diarrhea and she was discharged on day 7 and we left the hospital in late afternoon.


Notes :
Rotavirus immunization program for babies is available, but is still not made compulsory in Malaysia. As such, the government clinics or hospitals don't offer the jab for free, as per practiced for other compulsory vaccinations namely BCG, Hepatits B, DTP & Polio and MMR. But you could get the series of jabs at private clinic with cost around RM170 - RM200 per round.


We did not take the jab for Eirsa, assuming that effect is not severe and even worse, assuming that there is low possibility for Eirsa to get infected. The fact is that, yes, even though the possibility for your baby to still get infected after being vaccinated is still high, but the impact is not severe as what Eirsa had gone through. Your baby would just probable had 1-2 days of diarrhea with minimal degree of fever. And for all infected babies, the chance to be re-infected is still there but the intensity is low.


Your choice, parents.



P/S : My dear friend Nuurill was recently being tested with series of hardship and among them was her boy affected by rotavirus. Be strong darling.