The complicated developments of weather and hand, foot and mouth disease in children

(Baonghean) - Unusual rainy and sunny weather and high humidity are favorable conditions for some diseases such as dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease to develop strongly. According to the latest statistics from the Department of Infectious Diseases, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, from the beginning of September until now, over 200 children have been hospitalized due to viral fever and hand, foot and mouth disease, especially in the past 2 weeks, the number of children with hand, foot and mouth disease has increased dramatically, with an average of 5-6 cases hospitalized each day in Vinh City, Nghi Loc, Yen Thanh... The main symptoms are blisters, loss of appetite, fussiness, high fever, convulsions...

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai, mother of 17-month-old Tran Truong Giang, in Hung Dung ward (Vinh city), said: "A few days ago, my child had some blisters, but I thought he was bitten by ants so I didn't take him to the doctor. Then he had a high fever and convulsions. My family took him to the Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital and found out he had hand, foot and mouth disease." For example, due to parents' subjectivity or lack of understanding of the signs of the disease, many children when they come to medical facilities for examination and treatment are in the late stages, the disease has complications due to initial symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, loss of appetite... or due to the appearance of ulcers in the mouth, tongue, gums, which are often confused with common mouth ulcers. Or when the buttocks, knees, palms, and soles of the feet have blisters, the family thinks the child has chickenpox, skin infections, allergies... Moreover, due to the child's weak resistance, they are also more susceptible to the disease, especially children under 5 years old. Meanwhile, hand, foot and mouth disease spreads quickly and can easily spread to the community.

BSCKII Nguyen Van Son is examining a patient with hand, foot and mouth disease.

Faced with the above situation, Dr. Nguyen Van Son, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, recommends: Hands should be washed with soap under clean running water many times a day (for both adults and children), especially before preparing food, feeding and holding children; after going to the toilet, after changing diapers and cleaning children. Regarding food for children, it is necessary to ensure adequate nutrition; eat cooked food, drink boiled water; eating and drinking utensils must be washed clean before use, use clean water in daily activities; do not feed children; do not let children eat with their hands, suck their fingers, or suck on toys; do not let children share napkins, handkerchiefs, eating and drinking utensils such as cups, bowls, plates, spoons, and unsterilized toys...

Households, kindergartens, and home childcare facilities need to regularly clean surfaces and objects that come into daily contact such as toys, learning tools, doorknobs, stair handrails, table/chair surfaces, and floors with soap or common detergents. Use hygienic toilets, and children's feces and waste must be collected, treated, and disposed of in hygienic toilets. Children's health must be regularly monitored to promptly detect, isolate, and treat cases of illness, and avoid spreading the disease to other children. Nurseries, kindergartens, and concentrated child care groups and families with children under 6 years old need to proactively monitor their children's health to promptly detect and immediately take them to medical facilities for timely treatment. Sick children must be isolated for at least 10 days from the onset of the disease, and children showing symptoms of illness must not be allowed to attend class or play with other children to avoid spreading the disease.

Thanh Hoa