Distinguishing fever caused by hand, foot and mouth disease, dengue fever and Covid-19

Statistics from Children’s Hospital 2 in Ho Chi Minh City show that from May 3 to May 9, the number of children with hand, foot and mouth disease in outpatient care reached nearly 500 cases, 40 children were hospitalized. At Children’s Hospital 1, there are currently 30 children with hand, foot and mouth disease undergoing inpatient treatment.

At this time, dengue patients are the majority and are expected to continue to increase until July. Hand, foot and mouth disease is new at the beginning of the season, skyrocketing in number but no serious cases have been recorded. The departments have prepared medicine and facilities ready to respond when the disease increases in the coming weeks.

Master, Doctor Nguyen Dinh Qui, in charge of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Children’s Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, said that some parents are still afraid to take their children to the hospital for examination even though they have severe symptoms. Most adults assume that a child’s fever is caused by Covid-19 so they unknowingly ignore the child’s early treatment.

Not only in Covid-19, fever also appeared in patients with hand, foot and mouth disease and dengue fever.

However, with dengue fever, the child’s fever lasts from 2 to 7 days, is difficult to lower, has a feeling of chills. Some children complain of headaches, especially on the temples, back of the neck, hot and painful eye sockets. In addition, may be accompanied by cough, sore throat.

During the first 2 days, parents can monitor their children at home. If the child has a fever above 38.5 degrees Celsius, give them medicine or fever-reducing syrup. Pay attention to wear cool, not covered clothes.

About eating, should give children liquid food, divided into many small meals. Avoid giving children foods with red and dark colors because when vomiting and diarrhea, adults will determine whether the child has gastrointestinal bleeding or not.

Parents monitor the skin on the inside of the child’s arm and thigh because there may be red, bleeding pimples. In some cases, children have bleeding feet, nosebleeds, vomiting blood, black stools. When the child has a high fever continuously for the 3rd day, it is necessary to take him to the hospital for timely examination and treatment.

With hand, foot and mouth disease, the onset stage, the child has fever, fatigue, sore throat, fussiness. At the same time, children salivate a lot, anorexia, stop feeding … due to blisters floating in the oral cavity, cheeks, tongue causing burning pain.

Children’s palms, soles, knees, buttocks appear blisters and blisters. However, having more blisters does not mean the disease is more severe. Danger signs of hand, foot and mouth are when children are startled, delirious, staggered… because of complications of the disease.

In cases where the child has a fever, accompanied by symptoms of cough, sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, which has epidemiological factors (such as having been in contact with someone with Covid-19) or suspected to have Covid-19, adults should test quickly. for children.

Children with Covid-19 or hand, foot and mouth should limit contact, wear masks, avoid infecting others and other children. When a child has a high fever for more than 2 days, parents need to take their child to the hospital to determine the cause and appropriate treatment.

Recently, medical facilities have recorded many cases of co-infection with Covid-19 and dengue fever.

Doctors recommend that prevention is the most important thing. With Covid-19, the most effective measure is to vaccinate children at an appropriate age, wash their hands and wear a mask. Washing hands, washing toys, and cleaning surfaces with soap is recommended for the prevention of hand, foot and mouth disease.

Particularly for dengue fever, families need to kill the larvae and mosquitoes, to prevent mosquitoes from being the vectors that bite children and family members.

Linh Giao

Signs of hand, foot and mouth disease in children, parents should not ignoreHand, foot and mouth disease is a common disease in young children every season. The disease is common in many Asian countries, including Vietnam.