Seeking Information or Advice on Getting the Rotavirus Vaccine

My son contracted the Rotavirus when he was 18 months old. He was very ill. When I couldn't get him to stay hydrated I rushed him to the ER, and he was flopping virtually lifeless in my arms. They gave him fluids because we thought it was a flu bug initially and he was sent home. A few hours later he was about the same again, and I rushed him to the ER where they started fluids again and he was admitted. The IV could barely get enough fluids into his body. It was horrible.

My hyper active son could barely move he was so dehydrated and sick. I spent a three day and night vigil by his bedside in the hospital. Finally on the fourth day in the hospital, after much praying and sobbing, my son's health turned around for the better.

I would go for the vaccine now that it has been developed. Rotavirus can be deadly to a young child. I would never again want to have to sit by a child's bedside and have to pray because they only seemed to be getting worse despite the doctors' best efforts.

I got the vaccine for my son 1 month ago. Our doctor mentioned that he had given it to many children - with no problems. My son also had no problems. He got the vaccine along with 4 other shots (which is torture for a mother)! I gave him some Tylenol for 1 day following his shots/vaccine and he was just fine.

For info I would look on the CDC or American Acadamy of Pediatrics website. I like it, I give it to patients, and my baby was just took it. Roto is bad on the kids!!
C. (I'm a nurse practitioner and mom of 3)

Hi K.,
I am a pediatric nurse and actually was on the research team a few years ago that did trials of this vaccine on infants and I am happy to report it all went very well. All of the babies tolerated the vaccine without difficulties afterward. All of the babies that were enrolled in the study were able to complete the vaccine series. I hope this helps. Good Luck!
N.

If my son was the age where he could get it, I would let them give it to him. At 6 months he came down with the virus for 3 days and then again at 8 months. The second time he had it for 9 days which was just awful.

Hi K.,

My daughter, Ava, had Rotavirus just about a year ago (she was about 2). It was horrible. And I mean, horrible!! I could go on for days but here's our story.

Ava was throwing up non-stop and had loose bowel movements that basically just turned into liquid (I'm sorry, too much info I'm sure). But at that point she was still wearing diapers and we all know how much the newer ones will hold and she was overflowing/leaking out of these in a matter of minutes. On the night her symptoms began we went to the ER at 2am as she was hardly responsive she was so lethargic and still vomiting. Luckily, he nurse we met in the exam room knew exactly what it was as they had had many recent cases and apparently Rotavirus bowel movements have a distinct smell (more TMI, sorry). We were very fortunate the nurse and doctors were so perceptive and knew what was going on. They put a little IV in her for fluids and gave her a tylenol supostitory for her fever as she couldn't keep anything down. After about 6 hours they released us and she was feeling a bit better, she was finally responsive and coming to life again, but still very bad. In the days to come, she had diaper rash SO bad, I could no longer wipe her - it was bleeding! With every diaper change our (wonderful, life-saver) pediatrician instructed us to bathe her!! Can you imagine? She would scream when her poor little bottom touched the water and I had to swish water around her to insure I wasn't touching her but rinsing the area appropriately. Once I had her out and dried and diapered, I had to sanitize the tub with clorox and HOT water and then rinse and rinse to be sure no clorox was left to hurt her little bottom the next round. Now this is with every single diaper change! The amount of laundry we went through was absurd b/c we would line her bed with towels in case her diaper leaked, to catch vomit, etc. and then with all the baths she was taking we needed fresh towels for each drying. Rotavirus is EXTREMELY contagious so we were constantly washing/sanitizing everything. My hands were SO dry by the time it was all over. Her serious symptoms (high fever - 103.7, vomitting, diarrhea, lethargy, etc) lasted about 7 days. But I was out of work for a total of 10! My husband and I got it as well - not as bad (2-3 days) but my husband actually ran a fever of 103 at one point! Ava was luckily getting better at this point but it was close to impossible for us to care for her while we were both sick. We turned down offers for family to come help us b/c you wouldn't wish this virus on your worst enemy!! Not to mention when Ava was finally able to eat solids again we had to start her slowly with mild foods, jello, rice-based products, etc (to not upset her sensitive tummy) and that was a process in itself! She's very picky so finding 'safe' foods for her to eat was close to impossible - meanwhile she was starving! Shortly after she recovered and went back to daycare (yes, this is where it all started) she came down with another little nasty virus. The doc said it was probably b/c her little immune system was exhausted after her fight with Rotavirus. Needless to say, I missed another 4 days of work after only returning for one day after Rotavirus!

So, long story long - it's the worst! I tell everyone I know with a young child to GET THIS VACCINE - beg for it if you have to! I'm pregnant now and will be thrilled that this will now be an option for our next little one after out bout with it a year ago!