Another kindergarten has closed classes. I thought it was caused by the off-season influenza H3N2 that has been causing a lot of noise recently, but the culprit is actually herpetic anginitis which has been ignored for a while!
After entering the rainy season, the humid and high-temperature environment creates breeding conditions for viruses. Herpetic angina and hand, foot and mouth disease, which are highly prevalent in summer, are starting to look at children again.
Can you escape the out-of-season flu, but can't you avoid herpangina? How should parents face this menacing, high-incidence disease?
What is herpangina? Herpesangina is a common acute upper respiratory tract infection, mainly caused by enterovirus infection such as coxsackie group A virus, EV71 virus, adenovirus group C, etc. Herpangina is highly contagious, spreads quickly, and has an acute onset and is more likely to occur in preschool children under 5 years old.
Is herpangina an infectious disease?
Herpesangina is not a notifiable infectious disease, but is highly infectious and is mainly spread through feces and respiratory droplets. It can also be infected by contact with the oral and nasal secretions of sick babies and contaminated hands and objects. Sick children are contagious, especially in the first week of illness when they are most contagious.
How to determine whether a child has herpangina?
The main symptoms of herpetic angina are acute fever, sore throat and rash. Most children with the disease present with a sudden onset of high fever. Older children often complain of sore throat. Young children who cannot speak may show symptoms such as aversion to milk , refusal to eat, and increased salivation. Parents can lift the child's chin to expose the oral cavity, and use a flashlight to increase the light to observe whether there are small blister-like pimples in the back of the oral cavity that are yellowish-white or translucent, or the appearance of ulcers.
Attention! If your child has the following conditions, he or she may develop into a critical illness in a short period of time. You must seek medical treatment in time!
▲ Sustained high fever, body temperature greater than 39℃, conventional antipyretic effect is not good; ▲ Symptoms of oral herpes or sore throat lasting for more than 5 days without obvious improvement; ▲ Poor mental state, such as listlessness, lethargy, not eating for a long time, and irritability Restlessness, even lack of energy to cry, etc.; ▲Symptoms such as frequent vomiting, headache, convulsions or blurred vision; ▲Shortness of breath or difficulty, pale complexion, cyanosis of lips and other critical conditions.
How to distinguish herpangina and hand, foot and mouth disease?
Herpesangina is the "cousin" of hand, foot and mouth disease. They have many similarities: 1. Both are diseases caused by enteroviruses; 2. Both cause pharyngeal and soft palate growth in the patient's mouth. Herpes, accompanied by varying degrees of fever and sore throat. The difference is that herpangina only affects the mouth and soft palate, while hand, foot and mouth disease can also cause herpes on the lips, hands and feet, including around the anus.
Herpangina generally does not cause very serious complications and sequelae, but hand, foot and mouth disease does not. According to statistics from relevant departments, patients with hand, foot and mouth disease have a 1% chance of contracting complications, especially children under the age of three. Myocarditis, pulmonary edema, aseptic meningitis, etc. are common, and are sometimes dangerous. life. When parents find that their children have symptoms such as blisters on hands and feet and fever, they should go to a regular hospital for treatment in a timely manner without delay.
What should I do if my child has herpangina? Herpetic angina is a self-limiting disease. Systemic symptoms and pharyngeal symptoms usually heal on their own after 4-6 days, but sometimes it can take up to two weeks. For herpangina, there is currently no specific medicine, and symptomatic treatment is the main method. Under normal circumstances, you can isolate yourself at home and strengthen care. However, if the child has abnormal symptoms such as persistent high fever, low energy, irritability, pale face, trembling limbs, difficulty breathing, etc., he should seek medical treatment in time.
The key to taking good care of children with herpangina lies in symptomatic care .
Pay attention to isolation
Children with the disease should try to reduce unnecessary outings. It is best to isolate for 1 week after the body temperature is normal and the herpes has subsided. Generally speaking, the total quarantine period is 2 weeks, which is consistent with the legal quarantine period for hand, foot and mouth disease. At the same time, parents should try to avoid visiting the same house as much as possible, because adults may also become the vector for the spread of herpangina.
Cooling treatment
If the child body temperature exceeds 38.5℃ or appears listless, he can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen and other drugs to reduce fever under the guidance of a doctor; if the body temperature is lower than 38.5℃ , and the child is in a good mental state, you can let the child drink more water and perform appropriate physical cooling, such as taking a warm water bath. It is forbidden to use alcohol for bathing.
Oral and dietary care
It is recommended that children eat cooler foods, which can relieve oral pain; the food is best soft and glutinous. Babies over 2 years old can eat porridge, noodles, egg custard, etc. Ensure adequate rest, fresh vegetables and nutritious and easy-to-digest foods can increase the body's resistance. Avoid spicy and overheated foods.
Pay special attention to the replenishment of water, which is also an issue that is easily overlooked in home care. During the illness, children may be reluctant to drink water because of sore throat. Lack of water in the body may reduce body functions and immunity, prolonging the course of the disease. You can choose cold boiled water and drink small amounts frequently. Children who are unwilling to drink boiled water can try drinking cold, sweet liquids, such as cold honey water (over 1 year old), mild juice (preferably over 1 year old), pear water, etc. But do not choose fruit juices or drinks that are too sour or too sweet.
How to keep children away from herpangina? Herpetic angina is a self-healing disease with a good prognosis , but there is currently no specific drug for this disease. That is to say, if a child gets herpetic angina, he can only endure it patiently. Although there are usually no serious consequences, the symptoms of sudden high fever and sore throat make the baby suffer and the parents become anxious. Therefore, the best way to keep your children away from herpangina is to nip it in the bud.
Stay away from the source of infection
During the season when infectious diseases are high, try to avoid taking children to public places with dense crowds and poor air circulation; once a child develops suspected symptoms, he should be diagnosed and isolated as soon as possible; tableware, toys, etc. used by children should be disinfected , to avoid cross-infection of and repeated infection of .
Good hygiene habits
Wash your hands before meals and after going to the toilet, wash your hands frequently, and correctly use the seven-step handwashing method Wash your hands; those who care for younger children should pay attention to hand hygiene when breastfeeding, changing diapers, and coming into contact with children, and try their best during illness Avoid close contact with young children; pay attention to keeping the home environment hygienic, regularly opening windows for ventilation and accelerating indoor air circulation.
Enhance autoimmunity
Currently, the vaccine against hand, foot and mouth disease and herpangina is EV71 vaccine, which can produce protective antibodies to a certain extent. Children of suitable age for vaccination with EV71 vaccine are between 6 months and 5 years old. It is recommended to vaccinate as early as possible. Younger children should try to complete the 2-dose vaccination program before 12 months of age (two vaccinations, one month apart), so that the protective effect can be exerted as early as possible.
It should be noted that there are many types of viruses that can cause herpangina. The EV71 vaccine can only protect against this type of virus, so you may still be infected with other types of viruses after being vaccinated. Parents still need to help their children strengthen their own resistance, eat more foods rich in high-quality protein and trace elements, have a diversified diet, ensure balanced nutrition, strengthen exercise, have a regular schedule, and improve immunity.
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Source: Hubei Maternal and Child Health Hospital
