Herpes in children: symptoms, treatment and prevention of disease
Dear friends, welcome to the site about skin diseases! Our kids get sick very hard. Unfortunately, even a common cold can be very dangerous for the baby.
Herpes in children can be 6 types and each of them has its own specifics. But what and how to treat different types of herpes you will learn from today’s article.
Specificity of child herpes
The specificity of this viral pathology is that it affects children more often than adults. Why? The fact that viruses provocateurs are widely distributed and can be transmitted in various ways, for example, contact and airborne droplets.
Kids are more sociable than adults, so 3 years of life most of them unwittingly become carriers. For infection is not necessary that the infection was sick, someone from the household.
Can infect friends, children, acquaintances, anyone on the street.
Overly protect the child from infections is not recommended, as the human body is able to produce virtually life-long immunity to all types of herpes viruses, and to develop this immunity should be infected.
The only thing that we really worry about is the complications of herpetic infections, which can even be fatal. But with proper and timely treatment, the child normally takes the disease, especially if he has a strong immune system.
What is the herpes virus can affect the baby?
In the world there are more than 200 types of herpes viruses. For children, it is dangerous to only 6 types. Why, you ask? But what about other types? They are also dangerous, but are extremely rare, so the contamination is considered unlikely.
Children of different ages in our country often attack the 6 types of herpes viruses:
What is the virus from the above the kids cling to most often? Of course, 3 type, which causes chickenpox.
To protect the child from chickenpox is not necessary, if he was all right with immunity (no innate deficiency).
The best age to recover from chickenpox — to 8-years-old. In the past, people have deliberately tried to infect the child in early childhood, then he was a strong immunity.
Each of these types provokes individual pathology specific symptoms.
About chicken pox know absolutely everything, and about mononucleosis and pseudotrisomy you will surely tell your health care pediatrician. Therefore, this article will look at the standard cold sores, which is caused by viruses 1 and 2.
Herpes symptoms in children
The symptoms do not differ from adults, but can have some peculiarities. In children they are usually more pronounced, as a small body with unformed until the end of the immunity difficult to overcome such a serious infection.
Much depends on the age ill. The smaller it is, the harder it will be for infection.
If infection occurred in newborns at birth (this is also possible and is called «neonatal herpes»), then the disease becomes particularly severe and specific development.
About neonatal infection we talk a little bit later, but for now consider the classic version.
Children under 1 year the first symptoms may be blurred because of what the parents do not always understand that this is a herpetic disease. The primary manifestations are as follows:
- the victim becomes less active;
- may refuse food;
- cranky;
- it raises the temperature;
- begin symptoms of illness.
Now you know how it starts heresince. Additionally, in the initial stage can be pain in the throat, resembling quinsy. Such signs can be easily mistaken for normal SARS and start the wrong treatment.
The next stage occurs more typical herpes symptom is a rash in the form of small foldericon, which can be placed in different locations on the face and body: on the lips or around the lips; mouth; nose; around eyes; in the genital area (with dirty hands infection can be recorded and there).
Herpes Valderice filled with liquid, which is often transparent and slightly sticky. In appearance they are the same as in adults, but in children they are more extensive and inflamed.
Rash in the mouth can be located on the tonsils, inside the cheeks, on the tongue and on the gums. In the last place she will look like small white dots.
Gradually the blisters develop and become opaque, the fluid within them becomes cloudy and begins to resemble pus. When this occurs, soreness and itching, which are very difficult to tolerate the child.
Examples of herpes rash on various parts of the body you see in the photo. Agree, not to notice it.
If the disease will develop in severe form, the child will become severely cranky, constantly tired, so won’t be able to sleep properly. Ill can scream, refuse to eat, not to let him touch you.
The next day, the blisters burst, they derived an infected fluid, and in their place appear ulcers gradually becoming covered with a crust. In this form of the skin defect almost not worried.
But the kids are constantly trying to tear off the crust and touch the rash hands, spreading the infection to other parts of the body. For patients need to constantly monitor and forbid him to do it.
Fortunately, after healing in place of ulcers does not remain traces. Children’s skin is quickly restored, allowing consequences in the form of scars after herpetic rash does not happen.
Approximately the same characteristics and are available for neonatal herpes infection, as discussed above. Let us now consider it in more detail.
Children’s neonatal herpes infection: features
This form of infectious disease not just the so-called congenital. The infection is from mother to child during childbirth or in the first hours after them.
The disease makes itself felt in the first days after birth. Babies very badly, as they have a weak immune system. Newborns herpes disease can develop into serious complications:
- hydrocephalus;
- the microcephaly;
- epilepsy;
- cerebral palsy;
- hepatitis;
- cirrhosis;
- problems with the eyes.
In infants with neonatal infection may develop in three forms:
Localized — affects the skin and mucous membranes. This form is found in 30% of infected infants. Valderice on the skin are held in 2-3 weeks.
Generalized — complete set of symptoms, severe disease development. Affects many internal organs. Rashes on the skin may not appear.
Affects affects the Central nervous system nerves. Very dangerous pathology with a wide range of complications. To the standard symptoms added convulsions and other signs of CNS.
What to do with a sick child?
Ill child with signs of herpes infection it is necessary to show the pediatrician. The doctor will listen to all complaints and examine the lesions of the rash.
An experienced specialist will distinguish this infection from any visually, but all the same sent for additional tests, such as:
- cultivation of the virus from different infected fluids (will help to determine what the herpes virus settled in the body);
- electron microscopy;
- PCR;
- a full medical examination to detect additional pathologies.
After diagnosis, treatment against the herpes virus. Want to know how to treat this infection in children? If you want, then carefully read the next paragraph of the article.
Antiherpetic treatment of children with traditional and non-traditional means
With the appearance of primary symptoms should immediately conduct antiviral therapy with the help of special medicines for children. Such drugs include Acyclovir — modern drug for the treatment of herpes infections in different forms.
For children it is recommended to take an intravenous solution. The solution is administered at a dosage of 45 mg per 1 kg of body weight. If the disease has become generalized, the dosage is increased to 60 mg.
Therapeutic course lasts for 14 days maximum. Additionally, it is recommended to apply the preparations of local action for the treatment of lesions. For external treatment use ointment Acyclovir and Zovirax.
If the herpes infection has caused serious complications on eyesight, additionally appointed eye drops: Vidarabine, Trifluridine, Addictiondid.
If the immune system is weakened, which happens often, then support it with the help of drugs based on interferon. This natural protein that is produced in our body.
In addition to these drugs are inducers (provoking production) interferon. The most famous drug-interferon to date is interferon. The course of treatment with this drug lasts for more than 5 days.
Folk medicine recommends to treat the outbreaks of the rash decoction of licorice and St. John’s wort. Decoctions are prepared in a standard way: a spoonful of dried herbs per Cup of water. Wiping is necessary to carry out the daily morning and evening. St. John’s wort effectively destroys the virus, and licorice will speed the healing process.
Preventive measures
Standard prevention of herpes is the hygiene and the protection of the child from hypothermia. Prevention of neonatal infection is a bit more complicated. She has a number of features:
That’s all the information on herpes in children the infection. Questions you can ask an experienced dermatologist online. Read and share with your friends from social networks, and if you subscribe to the updates site, then do not miss the new publication. All the best to you!
Author: Ksenia Borisova (dermatologist)