Is typhus dangerous for children?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Cao Thi Thanh - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital. Dr. Thanh has worked for 25 years in the treatment of neonatal pediatric diseases.
Typhus is a disease in children between the ages of 6 and 36 months. Because this is the time when children have low resistance, they are easily attacked by viruses that cause typhus. Parents need to update information about the disease as well as how to prevent and treat typhus for their children.

1. The route of typhus infection

Children will usually have typhus at least once, however, depending on the health status and resistance of the child, it can be many times. The viruses that cause typhus in children are mostly benign and will go away on their own in 5-7 days if well cared for. Children with typhus, if the cause is not understood, and how to properly care for them when they get sick, it can cause dangerous complications or cause them to frequently have fever again, greatly affecting their health in the future. .
Fever in children is contagious, especially in kindergartens and schools. This environment is suitable for respiratory infection when sick children sneeze, runny nose, cough, spreading small droplets of saliva containing the disease virus to other children. This is the basic way that children get typhus.

2. Is typhus dangerous for children?

Parents can know that their child has typhus when the child shows symptoms of a mild fever of 37.5 - 38 degrees Celsius or a fever as high as 39.4 degrees Celsius. The average incubation period for typhus is about 1 week, depending status and causes of illness in children. When the fever subsides, the child begins to develop a rash on the body. Specifically:
Red rash caused by measles virus: Children have symptoms of fever, rash appears when the fever subsides. Initially, the measles rash will appear behind the ear, then spread to the face, gradually spreading down the chest, abdomen and all over the body. After that, the measles rash disappears in the order in which it appeared. Measles rash is a type of papule that, when gone, leaves characteristic dark spots on the skin. Children with this type of typhus may have other symptoms along with a runny nose, cough, and red eyes. Parents should note that this virus can cause many dangerous complications for children such as complications of pneumonia, viral encephalitis. Another type of typhus is rubella virus rash, also known as roseola: This type of rash first appears on the eyes and then spreads to the legs, lasting for about 3 days. This rash is usually thicker than the measles rash. Children may have accompanying signs such as swollen lymph nodes behind the ears, neck nodes, below the occipital, some children will have symptoms of joint pain. This typhus condition is considered benign for children, does not cause complications or dangerous like the measles typhus above.

3. Children with typhus what to do?

Doctors said that children with typhus fever, parents need to know early signs to know how to take care of as well as early take the child to a medical facility for treatment if they cannot take care of themselves properly at home. Some principles of caring for children with typhus at home that parents need to know when their children fall into this condition are as follows:
Properly reduce fever for children: Antipyretic drugs need to be prescribed by a doctor and taken correctly indicated dose. In addition, parents combine to cool the child with warm enough water when needed to avoid complications of high fever causing the child to have a convulsion.

Relieve cough and sore throat for children by taking cough medicines as prescribed by the doctor or using herbal cough remedies such as honey kumquat, steamed ginger with alum sugar, drinking water with herbs, .. .Decongest the baby's nose with dilute physiological saline, soft tissue, make sure the baby is easy to breathe, easy to eat, drink and breastfeed. Food for children should be soft, liquid, easy to digest, with enough nutrients and water. Parents should divide meals into many small meals so that children can easily absorb them and do not lose their appetite when the body is feverish and tired. Let children drink more water, healthy fruit juices, ensure vitamin supply for the body, improve resistance. Pay more attention to vitamin A supplementation during the period when the child has typhus fever. Detecting that the child has typhus, parents should take the child to the hospital for examination and an appointment to be treated at the hospital or can take the child home to take care of him at home according to the instructions and appointment for a follow-up examination. . Parents need to take their children to the hospital when they have the following symptoms:
The child has a high fever that does not go down after the rash has developed. Changes in consciousness: lethargy, lethargy, coma. The child has a convulsion. Children breathing tired, fast breathing, difficult to breathe. In addition, limit children's contact with other children to avoid infection.
Common typhus will not be dangerous for your baby, but typhus caused by Rubella virus, measles is extremely dangerous. If not treated early, it will cause serious complications to respiratory, nervous, cardiovascular. Therefore, when your baby shows signs of typhus fever or other unusual symptoms mentioned above, you should take them to a medical facility immediately.
Pediatrics Department, Vinmec International General Hospital has successfully treated many pediatric patients with respiratory and tropical infections. Doctors will help parents have a scientific treatment of typhus for their children, as well as provide methods and vaccines to prevent the disease for children in a complete and effective way. A team of highly qualified and experienced medical professionals; Smart one-way hospital design helps to minimize contact between pediatric patients, effectively preventing cross-infection.
If you have a need to examine and treat typhus for your baby, please register directly at the website or contact the hotline for detailed advice.

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