Signs of children with viral fever and preventive measures

The article was professionally consulted by Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hung - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

Viral fever is a very common disease in young children, especially those with low resistance. To help parents understand this disease and have an effective remedy, it is first necessary to memorize the signs of viral fever in children.

Viral fever, also known as viral fever, is a fever caused by infection with different viruses (viruses). There are many typical viral fever agents among which are Rhinovirus, Coronavirus, Adenovirus, Influenza virus, Enterovirus.
The disease is most common at the time of season change, the weather changes suddenly from hot to cold or from cold to hot and humid. The disease usually lasts from 7-10 days, if treated actively, it will quickly improve. However, parents should not be subjective because the disease progresses very quickly, if not treated, it can cause dangerous complications.

Signs of viral fever in children are often quite similar to common diseases, so parents need to pay attention to effective treatment.
During the incubation period, most cases of viral fever have relatively similar symptoms: Fatigue, body aches, and then fever. Fever in viral fever can be mild or very high, continuous or intermittent. In addition, the child may have pharyngitis, runny nose, stuffy nose, headache, red eyes, cough, joint pain, muscle pain, and skin rash.
In the early stages of viral fever, the symptoms of the disease are not clear, it is easy to confuse with common diseases. Viral fever will cause a moderate or high fever, from 38 - 39 degrees Celsius, in many cases it can be up to 40 degrees Celsius; accompanied by symptoms such as runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, dry red throat. The neck area can be swollen, causing headaches, muscle fatigue, sluggishness, and fussiness.
If not treated in time, the disease will turn into a full-blown stage, with typical signs such as: High fever in episodes, convulsions, possibly falling into a coma, directly affecting life of children.
Special note: If you have these signs, you should quickly take your baby to a doctor for timely examination and treatment:
High fever continuously for more than 2 days with cold hands and feet, unusual shivering. Whole body rash. Abdominal pain, vomiting. Passing blood, black stools. Or startled.

Currently, viral fever has no specific treatment, but only supportive treatment by improving physical condition, strengthening resistance, treating symptoms and preventing complications.

First, it is necessary to check the child's body temperature. For cases of high fever over 38 degrees Celsius, children should take antipyretic drugs as directed by the doctor (Paracetamol dose 10-15mg/kg/time, divided equally, given 4-6 hours apart). Let the child lie down to rest in a quiet, cool place. Take a warm towel wring out the water to wipe your body, paying special attention to the groin and armpit areas. Dress your child in cool, sweat-wicking clothes. Give your child plenty of water to drink to reduce fever and help excrete toxins in the body. Eat liquid food, easy to swallow, easy to digest such as porridge, soup; Divide into many small meals during the day, do not force your baby to eat too much in one meal. Adding fruit juices containing a lot of vitamin C to help strengthen resistance. Closely monitor the child, if there are any abnormal signs, quickly take the child to a medical facility or consult a doctor. Avoid letting your child have a fever that is too high, leading to convulsions or unpredictable complications.

Having a scientific and nutritious diet plan to improve children's resistance. Keep the house and surrounding environment clean and cool to prevent the penetration of harmful agents. Maintain personal hygiene: Wash hands before eating, after going to the toilet, limit letting children put toys in their mouths. Fully vaccinated/prevented. Limit children's contact with infected children or crowded places. Hopefully, the above useful information will help parents have an accurate view of viral fever in children, thereby, proactively overcome the disease sooner and more effectively, limiting the dangerous complications that may arise. may happen. If you notice signs such as fatigue, pain, runny nose, stuffy nose, headache, red eyes, cough, ..., parents should take their children to reputable medical facilities for advice and treatment. examination.
As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health System, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of leading pediatricians : Consists of leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), rich experience, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108,... The doctors are well-trained, professional, have a mind - range, and are knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. upon reaching adulthood. Advanced techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - craniofacial surgery, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.