Measles outbreak: What should be abstained, what should be done?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Master, Doctor Vu Quoc Anh - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
According to a report of the Ministry of Health, the measles epidemic has a very complicated development and is on the rise. Measles is a contagious disease, so if there are no timely preventive measures, it is easy to become an epidemic.

1. What is measles?

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by the Paramyxoviridae virus.
The time when the disease often appears is in the changing seasons, winter and spring.
The disease is transmitted through the air, so it is easy to break out into an epidemic, especially for those with low immune systems.

2. What should I do if I have measles?

Subjects with a weak immune system, weak resistance, and malnutrition are conditions for the virus to attack the body. So it is very easy to catch measles.
When nutrition is not guaranteed, people with measles will be worse off because they are not provided with adequate nutrients.
Measles makes patients often feel nauseous, anorexia ... making the body's physical condition worse and worse, malnutrition is more severe, the disease is worse.
When sick with measles should:
Always supplement with nutrients including 4 food groups: vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Always add a variety of food sources Breastfed children have measles: need to breastfeed more, mothers must also supplement with adequate nutrients to ensure their own health and help children absorb enough nutrients. In addition to ensuring nutrition, patients also need to improve their lifestyle: Limit going to crowded places to avoid spreading the disease, need to wear a medical mask when in contact with others. Always clean personal hygiene, however, should not clean much to avoid increasing the risk of dermatitis, the ability to recognize signs such as skin superinfection will decrease... The bed must be clean and bright. Add enough water, can drink more orezol to rehydrate. At the same time, can add fruit juice to ensure enough water and nutrients. 2.1 At the full measles stage: Patients need to take vitamin A immediately. For children under 6 months: take 50,000 units/day for 2 consecutive days For children from 6-12 months: take 100,000 units/day for 2 consecutive days For children and adults (not applicable to pregnant women): 200,000 units/day for 2 consecutive days. For patients with vitamin A deficiency, after 4-6 weeks, repeat the above doses. Vitamin A plays an important role in preserving the integrity of epithelial cells, so when vitamin A levels are low, anti-measles antibodies will increase the risk of measles. Vitamin A supplementation is extremely important.
Supplement with foods rich in zinc: Lack of, immune functions will be impaired, creating favorable conditions for the measles virus to invade and cause disease. Zinc has the function of strengthening the immune system, healing wounds and limiting the invasion of viruses and bacteria, and at the same time maintaining the functioning of other organs. Enhance vitamin C supplementation: Vitamin C helps strengthen the immune system, helping the body to resist the invasion of viruses and bacteria, including measles virus. Help patients recover quickly. 2.2 When measles is complicated, the patient should: When complications such as infection, encephalitis or respiratory failure appear, the patient should immediately go to a medical facility for examination and treatment.
Always supplement with nutrients. If you cannot eat, you can give fluids to ensure enough nutrients for the body.
2.3 After recovering from illness: Must ensure that the diet is full of nutrients, even when the patient is cured, the rashes are gradually disappearing.
Need to increase food for at least 2 weeks to make up for the amount of nutrients lost during the disease.

3. What should abstain from measles?

People with measles should pay attention to abstain from the following foods:
Fried foods, too much fat, foods that are unhygienic and difficult to digest: Because of the disease, the absorption of nutrients diminished. If you consume foods that are difficult to digest and unhygienic, this increases the risk of intestinal infection, the more malnourished, the weaker your body, and the more severe dehydration. Avoid spicy foods: Hot and spicy foods make the sores take longer to heal. Avoid foods to which the patient is allergic: Foods to which the patient is allergic will make the patient's measles condition worse. Should abstain from fishy, ​​sour foods: The digestive system of a patient with measles will become serious if the patient uses sour and fishy foods. People with measles must supplement with adequate nutrients and at the same time should abstain from foods that are not good for the treatment of the disease to avoid the risk of unnecessary complications appearing and to ensure quick recovery.

4. Measles vaccination

The best way to prevent measles is to be fully vaccinated. When children are 9 months old, they should be vaccinated with Measles vaccine and then when they are 15 months old, they should get MMR and booster shots at 4-6 years old to prevent measles well.

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