Measles must abstain from water and wind right or wrong?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Pham Thi Suu - Pediatrician - Vinmec Royal City International Clinic.
Recently, measles has developed very complicatedly with unpredictable complications. So when having measles, how should the patient be taken care of, do they need to abstain from water and wind as people often say?

1. What is measles?

Measles is an airborne infectious disease caused by the Paramyxoviridae virus. The disease usually appears in the winter - spring time, is common in children but also in adults, very easy to cause epidemics.

2. What are the symptoms of measles?

At the onset of measles, patients usually present with: high fever, conjunctivitis, upper respiratory tract inflammation, acute laryngitis, Koplik granules may appear. After 3-4 days of fever, the rash begins to appear, the maculopapular rash, pink, appears in order from behind the ears, forehead, down to the chest, back, then down to the thighs and feet. When the rash disappears, it also disappears in the above order, the rash scabs leaving dark spots on the skin.

3. When you have measles, do you need to abstain from water and wind?

When having measles, it is completely wrong to abstain from water and wind, not only not helpful for the patient, but also very easy to cause complications. According to Doctor Pham Thi Suu - Vinmec International General Hospital, measles patients should be properly cared for as follows:
Isolating the patient, avoiding the patient in crowded places. Wear a medical mask for the patient. Rest the patient in a well-ventilated, well-lit room (avoid strong light as the patient may be photophobia). Clean the room regularly. Get plenty of rest, get enough sleep. Keep the body warm if the weather is cold, keep body hygiene, oral hygiene, do not abstain from water, abstain from wind. Instill eyes and nose with 0.9% NaCl physiological saline solution or use specialized eye drops 3-4 times a day. Enhance nutrition, improve physical condition, give the patient easy-to-digest foods, can give the patient many meals. Actively add vitamin-rich foods, especially foods high in Vitamin A. For children who are still breastfed, continue to give breast milk to the child, and breastfeed more often when the child has diarrhea. Let the patient drink a lot of water, fruit juice and preferably Oresol to ensure enough water - electrolytes.

Apply a warm compress when the patient has a low fever, if the fever is higher than 38.5oC, use antipyretic drugs as prescribed by the doctor. Other drugs, especially antibiotics, should only be used as prescribed by the doctor, absolutely not for the patient. Caregivers need to wear medical masks and wash their hands before and after taking care of the sick person. If a patient (especially a child) shows severe signs of illness, it is necessary to immediately take him to a medical facility for examination and treatment: Fatigue, lethargy, or irritation; poor suckling or skipping. High fever, a lot of cough, fast breathing, difficulty breathing... Ban is gone but the patient still has a fever.

4. What to do to prevent measles?

Measles is an infectious disease that can become epidemic due to a viral etiology, so measles vaccination is the first preventive measure. According to the National Expanded Immunization Program, children need to be vaccinated with two doses, the first dose when the child is 9 months old, and the second dose when the child is 18 months old.

In addition, the general prevention methods should be implemented:
Isolating people with measles, avoiding large gatherings when there is an epidemic. Patients and those in contact with the patient should wear a medical mask. Wash hands before and after contact with the patient. Environmental hygiene, personal hygiene. Improve physical condition, complete and balanced nutrition. As soon as there are signs of measles, the patient should be taken to the nearest medical facility for timely examination and treatment, to avoid dangerous complications.

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