Symptoms of dengue fever in children to watch out for

Indonesia is a country with the highest cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) in Southeast Asia. According to the 2017 Ministry of Health Infodatin, children aged less than 15 years are the most susceptible to dengue fever. Not only ordinary fever, what are the symptoms of dengue fever (DHF) in children that parents need to know? Check out the explanation below.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) symptoms in children according to their type

Did you know that Indonesia is one of the ideal habitats for mosquitoes Aedes aegypti because it is a tropical country?

It should be remembered for parents that dengue fever is an infectious disease that occurs every year and is most common in Southeast Asia.

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, the cause of dengue fever is due to the dengue virus which is spread by mosquitoes through the bloodstream.

Therefore, the virus cannot spread directly from person to person.

In rare cases, dengue fever can cause more serious conditions in both adults and children.

There are 3 types of dengue fever, namely dengue fever and dengue fever dengue (DHF), and dengue shock syndrome .

Following are the characteristics and symptoms of DHF in children that parents need to know, namely:

1. Symptoms of dengue fever in children

Fever dengue is a mild form of dengue that does not or has not yet caused bleeding.

Initially, this condition does not cause any symptoms or features. Especially if your child has never had dengue fever before.

Sometimes, the symptoms are dengue or fever dengue in children can be mistaken for the flu or other viral infection.

Here are the symptoms of a fever dengue in children to watch out for:

• Acute high fever 3-14 days after being bitten by a mosquito
• The child complains of headaches and nausea
• Children complain of muscle pain and aches all over the body
• A red rash appears on the skin
• The child's lymph nodes are swollen

In addition, your child may have a fever dengue if during a blood test the white blood cell count is low.

Symptoms of this type of dbd in children usually last 2 to 7 days.

2. Symptoms of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) in children

If you have a fever dengue the child gets worse, the symptoms can be accompanied by bleeding in several parts of the body so it is called dengue fever dengue (DHF).

The appearance of symptoms of dengue fever dengue in children can be caused by a late diagnosis.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever can also occur because the child's immune system is not strong enough to fight the virus even after receiving medical treatment.

The risk of dengue fever in children can be fatal if it is too late to get treatment. So, parents must pay close attention to the characteristics or symptoms of dbd in children at home.

Symptoms in children generally begin within 24-48 hours after the body temperature begins to drop.

Here are the symptoms of dengue fever in children that you should be aware of:

• The child complains of stomach pain, or the stomach feels pain when pressed
• Body temperature changes drastically, from a fever to hypothermic conditions
• Continuous vomiting
• Vomiting in the form of blood, or feces that come out when defecating contains blood
• The child keeps getting nosebleeds
• The child's gums bleed suddenly for no reason
• The doctor found a plasma leak when examined
• Decreased blood platelet count
• Damage to the work system of the spleen organs
• The child looks tired, feels restless, irritable, or irritable

Another thing that parents need to pay attention to regarding the symptoms of DHF in children is the risks that can occur.

If the child's immune system is weak or has previously had dengue fever, there is a greater chance of experiencing dengue fever dengue .

3. Symptoms of dengue fever in children accompanied by shock (dengue shock syndrome)

The symptoms of dengue hemorrhagic fever in children who are not treated can turn fatal. This condition is known as Dengue Shock Syndrome or DSS.

Dengue shock syndrome is the most severe type of dengue fever.

In children, the symptoms of this condition include all the symptoms of fever dengue and dengue fever dengue . Coupled with shock marked:

• Sudden and continuous bleeding from any part of the body (nose, gums, mouth, feces)
• Blood pressure drops dramatically which causes the child's consciousness to decrease rapidly
• There is a leak in the blood vessels.
• There is a malfunction of internal organs
• The platelet count can drop to below 100,000 / mm3
• The child's pulse weakens

These characteristics of dengue fever, shock in children, can cause death if they do not get medical attention immediately.

Based on Ministry of Health data collected during January-February 2019, dengue has resulted in the death of 207 people. This most likely includes children.

Collecting evidence from various news sources, the dengue outbreak in early 2019 caused the death of a toddler in Kediri and two elementary school children; in West Jakarta and in Mojokerto.

Dengue fever (DHF) symptom phase in children

The appearance of DHF symptoms in children is divided into three phases which are often called the "Saddle Horse Cycle".

This phase describes the rising and falling of a fever, which indicates the body's resistance to a viral infection dengue .

The following are the characteristics of the phases of dengue fever symptoms in children that parents also need to know:

The fever phase is the first stage that every person with DHF, both children and adults, will go through.

Symptoms of dengue fever in children in this phase are high body temperature.

Your child will have a fever suddenly reaching 40 º Celsius for 2 to 7 days.

Apart from fever in the child, he will also show signs of red spots or rash on several parts of the body and muscle aches.

Some of the symptoms of dbd in children may lead to seizures.

In this early phase, children are also prone to dehydration. This symptom is what most distinguishes cases of dengue fever in children and adults.

The reason is, children tend to be more easily dehydrated and show signs of dehydration when fever is high than adults.

1. The critical phase

After 2-7 days of having a fever, your little one can enter a critical phase.

This phase is often misleading, because the body temperature drops to 37 ºC so that the child is considered cured.

There are also many children who feel they can do their activities and are happy again.

In fact, the symptoms of dengue fever (DHF) in children in this phase are potentially dangerous.

In the critical phase, young children are very at risk of experiencing leakage of blood vessels or plasma.

Leaking blood plasma can cause organ damage and heavy bleeding in the body.

Symptoms of bleeding in this phase can be indicated by the condition of the child who is experiencing vomiting, nosebleeds, or severe abdominal pain.

Immediately take it to the hospital or to the doctor if the symptoms of DHF in this child occur.

2. The healing phase

After your little one has successfully passed the critical phase, there are generally several symptoms that indicate that he is healthy again.

Symptoms of DHF in children in the healing phase are that their platelet levels have started to return to normal. Fever in children also gradually disappeared.

Sometimes, your little one may feel a fever again. However, parents need not worry too much, this is normal at the healing stage of dengue fever.

In this healing phase, the amount of fluid in the child's body is likely to slowly return to normal in the next 48-72 hours.

What if a child experiences symptoms of DHF?

If your child suddenly has a high fever, appears red spots, or has aches and pains and muscle aches, you should immediately take your child to the doctor.

The doctor will perform a number of tests to check whether these characteristics really show symptoms of dengue fever in children or not.

There is no specific treatment that can be done to cure DHF. The doctor may prescribe paracetamol to reduce fever in children.

In addition, to help cure the symptoms of DHF in children, you can also:

• Make sure the child gets enough rest.
• Provide children with foods that are nutritious, easy to swallow and digest, and contain vitamin C.
• Give guava juice to increase platelets.
• Give your child plenty of water or electrolyte to prevent dehydration.

Don't underestimate the symptoms of dengue fever dengue in children. Parents are advised to always pay attention to the cleanliness of the environment around the house so that children do not get bitten by mosquitoes.