Herpangina: what it is, symptoms and treatment

Herpanine is a disease caused by the Coxsackie virus, enterovirus or herpes simplex virus that affects infants and children between the ages of 3 and 10, causing symptoms such as sudden fever, mouth sores and sore throat.

Herpanine symptoms can last up to 12 days and there is no specific treatment, only relief measures are recommended to relieve symptoms and help with healing.

  • Herpanine is usually a mild condition that lasts a few days.
  • But in rare cases.
  • Some children may experience complications such as changes in the nervous system and heart or pulmonary failure.
  • Therefore.
  • If you suspect.
  • You should always go to the pediatrician to assess the disease.
  • And initiate the most appropriate treatment.

The main characteristic of herpangin is the appearance of blisters in the child’s mouth and throat that, when they burst, leave whitish spots. In addition, the other characteristic symptoms of the disease are:

Symptoms may appear 4 to 14 days after contact with the virus and it is not uncommon for the child to develop symptoms approximately 1 week after being in a waiting room with other sick children waiting for consultation or overcrowding and in poor condition. hygiene, for example.

Diagnosis is made by looking at your symptoms, but your doctor may order tests to confirm the disease, such as isolating the virus from one of the sores or blisters in your throat or mouth. However, in the case of an outbreak of herpanine, your doctor may choose not to request more specific tests, based on the diagnosis of the similarity of symptoms developed by other children during the same period.

Herpanine virus contagion can occur when the child comes into contact with the secretions of a person infected with the disease, such as sneezing or coughing. However, the virus can also be found in faeces, so diapers and dirty laundry can also spread the disease.

As an easily transmitted disease, infants and children who attend day care centers and day care centers are most likely to have contact with each other.

Herpanine treatment is done by relieving symptoms and no specific antiviral medications are necessary. Thus, the pediatrician may recommend home treatment with the use of antipyretic drugs, such as acetaminophen, to relieve fever, and anti-inflammatory and topical anesthetics in children over 2 years of age.

Also learn how to relieve your baby’s sore throat

Due to the presence of mouth sores, chewing and swallowing can be painful, so it is recommended that the food be liquid, pasty and low in salt, with the consumption of juices, soups and purees without citrus, for example. In addition, natural yogurt is a good option to keep your baby nourished and hydrated, especially since the child more easily accepts cold foods.

It is recommended to provide enough water to keep the child well hydrated so that he or she can recover more quickly. In addition, a lot of rest is also recommended, avoiding overstimulation of the child so that he can rest and sleep properly.

Signs of improved herpanine include a decrease in fever in 3 days, an improvement in appetite, and a decrease in sore throat.

However, if this does not happen or if there are other symptoms such as seizures, for example, you should return to the pediatrician for a re-evaluation. Although this is rare, complications such as meningitis can occur, which should be treated in isolation in the hospital. Find out how viral meningitis is treated.

Washing your hands frequently and always after changing your child’s diaper or clothing is a simple step that can help prevent the spread of your child’s disease to other children. Using a gel alcohol solution after a diaper change is not enough and should not replace washing your hands properly. Find out how to wash your hands thoroughly to prevent disease transmission in this video:

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