Beware of the risk of hand, foot and mouth disease spreading into epidemics

• Hand, foot and mouth disease in the season with severe complications increases, parents confuse the disease in the dry season.

Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said that since the beginning of the year, there have been 1,670 children with hand, foot and mouth disease (TCM) in the city, including 270 inpatient treatment. In week 21 (from May 22 to 28), the city recorded 157 cases, an increase of 47.1% compared to the average of four weeks ago. Cases increased in both hospitalizations and outpatient visits compared with the previous four-week average.

I thought I was sick in the hot season, but I thought I had Hand, Foot, and Mouth

Recorded at Children's Hospital 2 days 3-6, a representative of the hospital said that every day the hospital receives, examines and provides outpatient treatment for dozens of cases of TCM. Currently, the Hospital's Infection Department has 24 cases of TCM requiring inpatient treatment.

Ms. TTBL (40 years old, living in Binh Phuoc) said that her child was being treated for TCM on the fourth day at the Infection Department of Children's Hospital 2. According to Ms. L, her child was hospitalized with a fever of more than 39 degrees Celsius, purple lips and mouth. sores, lots of blisters on hands and feet. The baby staggered, his limbs trembled, so his mother had to hold him.

Ms. L said before that the baby had a fever and anorexia, so she took her son to the provincial hospital for examination. The doctor saw a granuloma in the baby's mouth, diagnosing a sore throat. Despite being treated by a doctor, the baby always had a fever of more than 39 degrees Celsius.

“After four days of treatment, my son's condition has not improved. Because I was worried, I would like to transfer him to Children's Hospital 2. At the time of transfer, he could not walk because he lost a lot of weight. Recently, I was seriously transferred and was treated by doctors, so far my health is much better. I hope the baby gets well soon and gets discharged from the hospital," said Ms. L.

Recorded at Children's Hospital 1, many parents take their children to TCM examination at the Hospital's Department of Infection - Neurology. Currently, this department is treating 22 cases of TCM, including two severe cases of grade II B.

Ms. NMG (living in Kien Giang) said that her 17-month-old son was hospitalized due to severe TCM II B. Previously, she had been treated at the local hospital for four days, but the disease turned severe, so the local hospital transferred her to the hospital. Children's Hospital 1 at noon on May 30 to continue treatment. "My child's health is gradually stabilizing, the doctor will monitor him more, if his health improves, he will be discharged from the hospital in the next few days" - Ms. G shared.

Recorded at the Children's Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), the Hospital's Infection Department is treating two children with severe TCM as an inpatient. The representative of the hospital said that a week ago, the hospital did not receive any TCM cases. However, from the beginning of the week (May 29), the hospital began to record cases of TCM visiting. On average, the hospital receives 5-10 children with TCM every day.

Recognize TCM signs, avoid confusion

Dr. Tran Ngoc Luu, Department of Infections at Children's Hospital 2, said that there were some cases of young children salivating, refusing to eat, high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and when they went to the doctor, they discovered TCM because this disease also has symptoms. may cause gastrointestinal symptoms. Or older children have sore throat, chest tightness, parents do not think their child has TCM.

There are severe cases, hospitalization because of lethargy, coma, wheezing. These signs are easily confused with asthma, respiratory failure. Often these cases are due to small and discreet erythema, so it is difficult for parents to recognize.

Dr. Du Tan Quy, Head of the Department of Infection - Neurology at Children's Hospital 1, also said that the symptoms of HFMD in children that parents can easily recognize are fever, erythema, blisters on palms, feet, etc. pillow, butt…

However, with the current hot weather, many children show signs of illness with few small rashes, so parents mistake it for heat rash, heat or diaper rash... Therefore, until the child turns severe (high fever does not go down). , constantly startled, even breathing irregularly) took the child to the hospital.

Besides, parents also mistake the symptoms of salivation accompanied by fever in young children as teething. In fact, doctors have noted that many children develop sores inside the mouth with fever due to TCM, which causes saliva to continuously flow.

“If your child is drooling but has a high fever that doesn't go down, that could be one of the signs of TCM. Parents should take their children to medical facilities as soon as they detect early signs of the disease, and adhere to the schedule of follow-up visits "- Dr. Quy warned.

* SOURCE: https://plo.vn/coi-chung-nguy-co-benh-tay-chan-mieng-lan-thanh-dich-post736370.html