Measles is an acute infectious disease caused by a virus and often affects children. Because children's resistance is still weak, home nutritional care for children with measles is interesting to many parents. The following article will guide parents on how to provide nutritional care at home for children with measles.
1. Who is at high risk for measles?
• Children or people who have not been vaccinated are at higher risk of infection when exposed to sources of infection
• Children or adults who do not provide enough vitamin A in their daily meals. This group is at risk of more severe complications of measles than other groups
• People who travel frequently, especially to countries where measles is prevalent, and do not pay attention to preventive measures are also at risk of contracting the disease.
2. What should children with measles eat?
Measles increases the need for vitamin A in children, so supplementing vitamin A in daily meals plays an important role in helping children recover quickly. According to some studies, supplementing vitamin A for children can reduce 50% of deaths caused by measles.
According to the "Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of measles" issued by the Ministry of Health in Decision No. 1327/QD-BYT, dated April 18, 2014, the Ministry of Health's measles treatment regimen specifies 3 age groups of children with measles who need to take vitamin A supplements at the following doses:
• Children from 0 to under 6 months old: Take 50,000 units/day. Take for 2 continuous days.
• Children from 6 to 12 months old: Take 100,000 units/day for 2 continuous days
• Children over 12 months old and adults (except pregnancy): Take 200,000 units/day. Take continuously for 2 days.
• Measles with symptoms of vitamin A deficiency: Repeat the above dose after 4 to 6 weeks.
Supplement vitamin A from food sources in meals
Vitamin A is abundant in foods of animal source, especially in liver, meat, carp, snakehead fish, basa fish, catfish, salmon, herring, eggs, milk. In addition, foods of plant sources such as yellow and red vegetables, dark green vegetables such as amaranth, spinach, kale, jute, and Malabar spinach also contain a large amount of vitamin A.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, so children's diets need to supplement enough cooking oil or lard to absorb and convert pre-vitamin A into vitamin A.
Add foods rich in zinc to children's meals
Zinc helps develop and maintain the immune system, helps protect the body, and heal wounds quickly. When the body lacks zinc, immune function is damaged, increasing the risk of bacterial and viral infections, causing malnutrition, reduced growth and development in children, and even increasing the risk of death.
When children have measles, their daily meals need to include foods containing zinc such as shrimp, oysters, pork liver, clams, eels, beef, soybeans, almonds, cashews, peanuts or green beans because these foods are easily absorbed.
Children who are breastfeeding need to increase breastfeeding because zinc in breast milk is more easily absorbed than cow's milk.
In addition to supplementing zinc from food, children with measles should also be supplied 10 mg of zinc/day for children under 6 months old, and 20 mg of zinc/day for children over 6 months old, for a 14-day treatment period. However, when supplementing zinc for children, parents need to strictly follow the doctor's instructions to provide the right amount of zinc for their children.
Increase foods rich in vitamin C
Supplementing vitamin C helps the body fight allergies, strengthens the immune system, helps the body stay healthy and recover quickly.
Vitamin C is abundant in fruits such as oranges, mangoes, bananas, grapefruits, watermelons, etc., and dark green vegetables. During the treatment, parents should give the child 1-2 cups of juice from the above fruits to strengthen the immune system.
In addition to supplementing foods rich in protein and essential vitamins, parents should also pay attention to how to prepare food for the child.
• The child's food should be divided into small portions, cut into small pieces, softer, and thinner than usual.
• Food should be eaten immediately after cooking to avoid losing nutrients, especially vitamin C
• Ensure hygiene for cooking equipments, wash hands before cooking and before feeding children
3. What should children with measles avoid? What should parents pay attention to?
Measles is an infectious disease, so when a child in the family get disease, parents need to pay attention to how to care for the child at home as below to prevent the spread and help the child recover quickly.
• When a child has measles, parents should isolate the child from healthy children or adults to limit the spread of the disease. Take the child to the doctor for timely treatment.
• In the family, everyone needs to maintain personal hygiene, keep the house and surrounding environment clean and airy.
• Dress the child in cool, clean clothes
• Always wash hands properly before and after caring for the child to avoid cross-infection.
• When a child has measles, especially for children with high fever, vomiting or diarrhea, give the child fruit juice, oresol to replenish water and electrolytes as prescribed by the doctor.
• Parents should also not avoiding bathing, avoiding wind, and covering children tightly because this will make the disease worse. Parents need to consult a doctor on how to care for and bathe their children daily with warm water to prevent the disease.
• Do not give hot spices such as pepper, chili, cinnamon, onions, curry, foods high in fat and absolutely do not give children strange foods or foods that have caused allergies.
Vinmec International General Hospital provides vaccination services with a variety of vaccines, serving the vaccination needs of different people as follows:
• Customers will be examined by specialists, screened for physical and health problems, consulted on vaccines and vaccination regimens, how to monitor and care after vaccination before prescribing vaccination according to the latest recommendations of the Ministry of Health & World Health Organization to ensure the best and safest results for customers.
• Team of experienced, professional doctors and nurses, understand psychology and apply effective pain relief methods during the vaccination process.
• Customers will be examined by specialists, screened for physical and health problems, consulted on vaccines and vaccination regimens, how to monitor and care after vaccination before prescribing vaccination according to the latest recommendations of the Ministry of Health & World Health Organization to ensure the best and safest results for customers.
• 100% of vaccinated customers are monitored for 30 minutes after vaccination and their health is re-evaluated before leaving.
• General medical monitoring before, during and after vaccination at Vinmec Healthcare System and an emergency team always ready to coordinate with vaccination team to solve anaphylactic shock, respiratory failure - circulatory arrest, ensuring timely and correct treatment when incidents occur.
• The vaccination room is airy, with a play area, helping children feel comfortable and have a good mentality before and after vaccination.
• Vaccines are imported and stored in a modern cold storage system, with a cold chain that meets GSP standards, keeping vaccines in the best conditions to ensure quality.
• Parents will receive a reminder message before the vaccination date and their child's vaccination information will be synchronized with the National Immunization Information System.
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