- Herpangina symptoms
- How contagion happens
- How the treatment is done
- How to feed baby and child
- Signs of improvement or worsening
- How to avoid transmission
Herpangina is a disease caused by the Coxsackie virus, enterovirus or herpes simplex virus that affects babies and children between 3 and 10 years of age, causing symptoms such as sudden fever, mouth sores and sore throat, as well as small sores in the child's mouth, as if they were herpes. Herpangine symptoms can last up to 12 days and there is no specific treatment, and symptom relief is recommended.
This disease is usually mild and lasts for a few days, but in rare cases some children may have complications such as changes in the nervous system and heart or lung failure, and therefore in case of suspicion, you should go to the pediatrician as soon as possible to start it. more specific treatment.
Herpangina symptoms
The main characteristic of herpangina is the appearance of bubbles in the child's mouth and throat, which when they leave leave whitish spots. In addition, other characteristic symptoms of the disease are:
- Sudden fever, which usually lasts 3 days; Sore throat; Red and irritated throat; Small white sores inside the mouth with a reddish circle around it. The child may have 2 to 12 small canker sores inside the mouth, measuring less than 5mm each; canker sores are usually found on the roof of the mouth, tongue, throat, uvula and tonsils, and can remain in the mouth for 1 week; Tongue may appear in the neck region.
Symptoms can appear between 4 and 14 days after contact with the virus and it is not uncommon for a child to have symptoms about 1 week after being in a waiting room with other sick children waiting for consultation or in crowded places with poor conditions. hygiene, for example.
The diagnosis is made by observing the symptoms but the doctor may order tests to confirm the disease, such as isolating the virus from one of the sores or blisters in the throat or mouth. In the case of a herpangine epidemic, however, the doctor may choose not to request more specific tests, the diagnosis being based on the similarity of the symptoms presented by other children in the same period.
How contagion happens
Contagion by the virus responsible for Herpangina can happen when the child comes into contact with the secretions of a person infected with the disease, either through a sneeze or cough, for example. However, the virus can also be found in feces, so diapers and dirty clothes can also spread the disease.
Thus, as it is an easily transmitted disease, babies and children who attend nurseries and day care centers are the most prone due to the contact they have with each other.
How the treatment is done
The treatment for herpangina is done through the relief of symptoms, and it is not necessary to use specific antiviral drugs. Thus, the pediatrician can recommend treatment at home with the use of antipyretic medication, such as Paracetamol, to relieve fever, and topical analgesics, such as topical lidocaine, for example, which should be applied in the mouth, reducing the discomfort caused by wounds.
Also learn how to relieve your baby's sore throat.
How to feed baby and child
Due to the presence of sores in the mouth, the act of chewing and swallowing can be painful, so it is recommended that the food be liquid, pasty and with little salt, with the consumption of non-citrus juices, soups and puree, for example. Gelatin, ice cream, jelly and natural yogurt are good options to keep your baby fed and hydrated, especially since cold foods are more easily accepted by the child.
It is recommended to offer enough water to keep the child well hydrated, so that he can recover faster. In addition, a lot of rest is also recommended, avoiding over-stimulating the child so that he can rest and sleep properly.
Signs of improvement or worsening
The fever should go down in 3 days, if this does not happen or if other symptoms such as seizures arise, for example, you should go back to the pediatrician for a new evaluation. Although it is rare, complications such as meningitis, which must be treated in isolation at the hospital, can arise. See how treatment for viral meningitis is done.
How to avoid transmission
Washing your hands frequently and always after changing your child's diaper or clothes is a simple step that can help prevent the spread of this disease to other children. Using an alcohol gel solution after a diaper change is not enough and should not replace the act of washing your hands properly. See how to wash your hands properly to avoid spreading disease in this video:
