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ROTAVIRUS

Doctors recommend that your child get two or three doses of the vaccine (depending on the brand).

  • 1-2 months
  • 4 months
  • 6 months (if get the RotaTeq vaccine)
Jonas Salk

Rotavirus causes severe diarrhea and vomiting. It affects mostly babies and young children. Diarrhea and vomiting can lead to serious dehydration (loss of body fluid). If dehydration is not treated, it can be deadly. Rotavirus is contagious and can cause severe watery diarrhea, often with vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain, mostly in infants and young children. Children can become severely dehydrated from the disease and need to be hospitalized. If a dehydrated child does not get needed care, they could die. Rotavirus is one of the first vaccines an infant can get; it’s the best way to protect your child from rotavirus disease.

HOW IS ROTAVIRUS SPREAD?

Rotavirus commonly spreads in families, hospitals, and childcare centers.

People who are infected with rotavirus shed the virus in their poop. If you get rotavirus particles in your mouth, you can get sick. This can happen if you

  • Touch contaminated objects or surfaces and then put your fingers in your mouth
  • Put your unwashed hands that are contaminated with poop into your mouth
  • Eat contaminated food

Rotavirus can survive on objects for several days. It is very difficult to stop its spread just by hand washing or disinfecting surfaces. The best way to protect young children from rotavirus is to get them vaccinated.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

Rotavirus symptoms include:

  • Fever
  • Watery diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Stomach pain

Diarrhea and vomiting can last for three to eight days. Children may stop eating and drinking while they are sick.

WHEN IS THE VACCINE GIVEN?

Your baby should get either of the two available rotavirus vaccines:

  • RotaTeq® (RV5) is given in three doses at ages 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months
  • Rotarix® (RV1) is given in two doses at ages 2 months, and 4 months

There are two brands of rotavirus vaccine: RotaTeq® and Rotarix®. Both brands of the rotavirus vaccines are given by mouth (drops), not by a shot.

 

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?

Side effects are rare, usually mild, and may include fussiness, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Some studies have shown a small rise in cases of intussusception within a week after the first or second dose of rotavirus vaccine. Intussusception is a type of bowel blockage that is treated in a hospital. Some babies might need surgery. Studies estimate a risk ranging from about 1 intussusception case in every 20,000 infants to 1 intussusception case in every 100,000 infants after vaccination.