Extremely effective way to prevent measles for children, parents should know
According to doctors, measles is an acute infectious disease caused by a virus and there is currently no specific treatment. The main treatment is to improve symptoms, personal hygiene and diet.
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According to Dr. Nguyen Van Lam - Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children's Hospital, measles is an acute infectious disease caused by a virus and there is currently no specific treatment. The main treatment is to improve symptoms, personal hygiene and diet.
“The most effective way to prevent measles is to get vaccinated. For children aged 9 months, the first dose is 85% effective. The second dose is given at 18 months of age and the effectiveness increases to 95%.
All children who are overdue for vaccination and have not yet contracted measles should go to a medical facility for consultation and full vaccination. This is also a way to prevent the risk of spreading the disease to the community," Dr. Lam advised.
Care and monitoring of sick children at home:
For measles, if conditions for care and isolation are met, children can be cared for and treated at home.
- Isolate sick children from healthy children.
- Give your child fever-reducing medicine when the fever is ≥ 38.5°C as prescribed by your doctor.
- Caregivers need to wear masks and wash their hands before and after each contact with sick children.
- Clean your body by bathing daily, avoid getting cold. Change clothes, clean the surrounding environment, keep the room clean and airy.
- Cut your nails to avoid scratching your skin.
- Use 0.9% saline eye drops 3 times a day.
- Avoid the notion that patients should abstain from bathing or wind as this will make the disease worse.
- Breastfed children should continue to be breastfed and supplemented with appropriate foods (if the child is ≥ 6 months old).
- How to prepare food: soft and easy to digest, cooked thoroughly and divided into many meals. It is best to prepare according to the patient's taste.
To avoid spreading the disease, healthy children and sick children should not share personal items (face towels, toothbrushes, glasses, cups, bowls, chopsticks, etc.), toys or objects that are easily contaminated with nasal secretions. Clean toys and objects suspected of being contaminated with the patient's nasal secretions with soap or common detergents and clean water.Some notes when children have measles: Do not abstain from food, to promptly compensate for nutrients lost due to infection. Do not use spices that cause indigestion.
In case of complications of diarrhea or pneumonia, zinc should be supplemented orally. Older children need to ensure adequate nutrition, drink plenty of water, and fruit juices rich in Vitamin A.
