mother, infants under 1 year were more at risk of developing dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), you know! Therefore, Mother It is advisable to be observant of the initial symptoms.
DHF or dengue hemorrhagic fever is a disease that is common in tropical countries, such as Indonesia. This disease is caused by the dengue virus which can infect humans through mosquito bites A. aegypti. Anyone can get this disease, including babies and children.
Symptoms of DHF
A person can experience DHF within 4-10 days after being bitten by a mosquito that carries the dengue virus. When exposed to DHF, your little one may show several signs and symptoms, namely:
- High fever for 2-7 days. Fever temperature can reach 39 to 41 degrees Celsius.
- Digestive disorders, such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
- Decreased appetite or refusal to breastfeed at all.
- Looks sleepy.
- More fussy than usual.
- A rash appears on the skin.
- Nosebleeds or bleeding gums.
- There is blood in the stool, urine, or vomit.
- Hard to breathe.
If your little one experiences the symptoms above, it is advisable to immediately take him to the nearest doctor or hospital for examination and treatment.
Treatment and Pdengue fever treatment
Until now there is no specific treatment method to treat DHF. Treatment aims to reduce symptoms and prevent complications, while helping the body to fight the dengue virus and heal naturally.
Handling of dengue fever should be done in a hospital with monitoring from a doctor, until the baby's condition improves. If the doctor allows the little one to be treated at home, the mother can do the following things to treat the little one who is sick with dengue fever:
- Make sure your little one is not dehydrated or dehydrated. So, give fluid intake more often than usual. Infants aged 6 months and under are only allowed to drink breast milk or formula milk. Water can be given when your little one is over 6 months old.
- To relieve the fever, Mother can give fever-reducing medication prescribed by the doctor.
- Make sure your little one gets enough rest.
Don't Let Mosquitoes Bite It
The only effective way to prevent babies from getting DHF is to keep them away from mosquito bites, because there is no vaccine that can protect babies from the dengue virus. The dengue vaccine is only recommended for children aged 9-16 years.
To keep your little one away from mosquitoes that cause dengue fever, you can do the following:
- Apply insect repellent containing 7-20 percent DEET, picaridin, or IR3535. However, this medicine should only be used in infants aged 2 months and over.
- Wear your little one loose cotton clothes that cover the body to the feet and hands.
- Install mosquito nets or mosquito nets on the bed and stroller-his.
- Also install mosquito nets on windows and doors so that mosquitoes cannot enter the house.
- Clean water reservoirs, such as bathtubs, flower vases, gutters, and drinking water reservoirs, at least once a week. After cleaning, don't forget to close the water reservoirs.
- Dispose of garbage that can hold water, such as plastic and used bottles, so that mosquitoes don't lay eggs there.
If your little one's condition worsens after the fever goes down, take him back to the doctor immediately. The critical period in DHF often occurs when the body temperature drops after the febrile phase. This condition requires medical monitoring and treatment from a pediatrician in a hospital.