What is rotavirus, and what causes it? Rotavirus is a virus that
infects the intestinal tract of almost all young children by age
5. Children can get rotavirus more than once, but the first
infection is usually the worst. Most children get sick from
rotavirus by age 2. This infection causes stomach upset and
diarrhea. Babies and very young children with rotavirus
infections need to be watched closely, because they can become
dehydrated very quickly. Dehydration occurs when the body loses
water more quickly than it is replaced. When your child becomes
dehydrated, severe health problems can arise. Rotavirus
infections spread easily. Outbreaks usually occur in the winter
and early spring. Rotavirus infections often spread in settings
where many children are together, such as day care centers. The
virus spreads through contact with the stools from an infected
child. The virus can spread easily even when people try very
hard to keep places clean. For example, when a caregiver changes
the messy diaper of a child wh