Acute gastroenteritis sounds nasty and it is. This virus is hitting kids in the Briargate area. That's according to Dr. Michael Halenkamp with Colorado Springs Health Partners.

He says the main symptoms of this virus are vomiting and diarrhea. But that can lead to more complications like dehydration. You also could see a fever in your child. Dr. Halenkamp says a virus like this can cause diarrhea for up to two weeks.

This is a virus, so antibiotics won't work. In fact, there is no immediate cure. So you'll want to know how to treat the symptoms.

Dr. Halenkamp says you want to prevent dehydration, so lots of fluids are necessary. Water is important, but so are calories. So give your child table food as well... Starchy foods are digested best. Dr. Halenkamp says there is no effective, safe drug for diarrhea. So extra fluids and diet therapy work best.

And don't forget -- diarrhea is very contagious. So wash your hands frequently to protect everyone in the family.