Be alert to the risk of complications of chickenpox in children

(Baonghean.vn) - From the beginning of January 2015 until now, the Infectious Diseases Department, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital has received and treated about 50 children with chickenpox, some even had complications from this disease.

On the morning of February 3, at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, following the doctors and nurses to the rooms, they saw many children with chickenpox all over their faces, hands, feet and bodies. Struggling with her child who was crying because of the itching and pain caused by the disease, Ms. Le Thi Thu Hong, mother of Le Ba Hoang An (5 and a half months old) in Dong Vinh Ward - Vinh City, said: "He was infected by his brother and mother. After being infected, he had a rash all over his body, a high fever, and even in his mouth, making it difficult for him to eat and swallow, so his family took him to the hospital and treated him here. He had pneumonia due to complications of the disease. Because he was still a month old, he had not been vaccinated, but his brother had been vaccinated, so when he was sick, his condition was milder and he recovered quickly."

Doctor Nguyen Van Son checks the health of a child with chickenpox.

According to Dr. Nguyen Van Son - Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, chickenpox often occurs in the spring, easily causing epidemics, especially in preschool children because it is transmitted through the respiratory tract. Therefore, when children cough, the virus is released into the surrounding environment, other children are easily infected. Chickenpox is a benign disease, most children who come to the clinic are sent home for treatment. Initially, children often have high fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, body aches... Some children do not have all the symptoms as above, sometimes only a mild fever. After 1 - 2 days, typical symptoms of chickenpox begin to appear, such as rash and blisters on the skin. In the same area, there are new rashes that have broken, creating blisters mixed together. The time from appearance to rupture is about 2 - 3 days. At first, the rash is firm and small, then blisters form, larger in size, clear water. In case the water is cloudy, it is infected. When the rash breaks, it leaves behind sores on the skin, causing the child to itch and scratch, which can easily lead to infection. If infected, the damage will be deeper and can easily leave scars on the skin.

In addition to appearing on the skin, the rash can grow in the throat, mouth, and digestive tract, making it difficult for children to eat, swallow, and cause pain and diarrhea. Some children even cough and have difficulty breathing if the rash grows in the respiratory tract. The disease progresses benignly if well cared for and without complications. However, through each treatment period at the Infectious Diseases Department, it has been shown that some children still have some complications of the disease such as pneumonia, encephalitis, etc. that have been actively monitored and treated.

Doctor Nguyen Van Son recommends that when children are sick, parents should take them to the doctor for advice on how to care for them, improve oral and skin hygiene, and avoid complications. Pay attention to giving children a nutritious diet to improve their resistance. It is best to let children stay home from school until they are completely recovered to avoid spreading the disease. When taking care of children, parents also need to pay attention to avoid catching the disease. Items such as clothes and towels of sick people need to be soaked in soap, dried in the sun, or ironed. When chickenpox blisters break, antiseptics such as methylene blue should be applied to them, which will shrink the blisters and prevent bacterial superinfection, and dry quickly. Do not apply to blisters that have not broken because they have no effect. In addition, you should bathe your child in warm water, taking care not to bathe for as long as when the child is healthy. Avoid scratching, because scratching causes blisters to break, which can lead to bacterial superinfection.

To prevent diseases for children, improve hygiene, diet, skin and nose and throat. It is important that parents take their children to get vaccinated fully, on schedule, and at the prescribed time.

Thuy Hien

Nghe An Information and Education Center