Hepatitis A is when the liver gets infected by the hepatitis A virus and might not work as well as it should. The liver, an organ in the right upper abdomen, has several jobs, including breaking down fatty food, storing energy, clearing toxins from the blood, and making proteins that help blood to clot.

Besides problems with the liver, hepatitis A can cause flu-like symptoms, belly pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). Some people may have few or no symptoms. Even without symptoms, an infected person can pass the hepatitis A virus to others. The virus spreads through food and water, and on hands or objects contaminated with stool (poop).

The virus will go away without treatment, but it can take several weeks to 6 months.

• Talk to your health care provider before you give your child any over-the-counter medicines (the kind you can buy without a prescription), such as pain or fever medicines (like acetaminophen or ibuprofen) or herbal supplements.
• Do not give aspirin to your child or teen as it has been linked to a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome.
• Make sure your child rests as needed.
• Your child should eat normally and drink plenty of liquids. Small, frequent meals without fatty foods can help with nausea.
• To keep the virus from spreading, family members should wash their hands well and often, especially after going to the bathroom or changing a diaper, and before preparing or eating food. Utensils and towels should not be shared.

Your child:

• has severe diarrhea or weight loss
• has pain under the ribs on the right side of the belly
• is bruising easily
• has a swollen belly
• has severe itching

Your child:

• vomits blood
• has blood in the stool (poop) or urine (pee)
• is vomiting and cannot keep liquids down
• seems confused or unusually sleepy
• has trouble breathing
• shows signs of dehydration, such as dizziness, drowsiness, a dry or sticky mouth, peeing less often than usual, dark pee, sunken eyes, or crying with little or no tears

What can protect others in the household from getting hepatitis A? The hepatitis A vaccine protects against the infection very well. Anyone who's been around your child and hasn't had the hepatitis A vaccine should get medical advice. Getting the vaccine or a special medicine right away might give them some protection against the virus. Regular handwashing and good hygiene help avoid spreading the hepatitis A virus and many other germs that cause illness.