“Child dies of dengue, two more due to fever”

“Two more children succumb to dengue; death toll rises to 12 in city”

“3 children die of dengue, spurt in kids’ cases this year”

These are just a few of the headlines from the past few months that are etched in my mind. Waking up to a newspaper full of such news is not only heart-wrenching but also leaves one feeling helpless.

While our country has been plagued by dengue cases even in the past, this year, the statistics witnessed the count of children, in particular, infected with dengue fever going up sharply. And let’s face it, as parents, we fear dengue.

The worry of our child getting infected with dengue fever always lingers on mainly because:

1. Kids have a weaker immune system, hence they are susceptible to aggravated levels of any infection; and

2. Children go to school, hobby-classes, parks, etc, basically spend a lot of time outdoors, hence they are exposed to a lot of infections and disease-carrying mosquitoes.

While it is imperative to be watchful of any symptoms in children, it is equally important to be aware of the early symptoms of dengue fever.

Early Symptoms of Dengue in Children

Being a mosquito borne disease, dengue raises its ugly head during humid monsoons. It so happens that the Aedes Aegypti mosquito bites an infected human, carries the dengue virus and now whoever it bites contracts dengue.

Dengue begins suddenly, with more benign symptoms at first which tend to get severe with time. The symptoms may not show immediately and can become apparent anywhere from 4 days to 2 weeks after being bitten or being infected by the virus. The Dengue fever lasts for around 10 days.

Symptoms of dengue in children generally start like a viral fever, a runny nose, cough and a mild rash on the skin. The pains & chills give a kind-of bone-breaking feeling and that’s why Dengue fever is also referred to as “breakbone fever”.

Generally, the early symptoms of dengue in children are as follows –

• Sudden high fever- up to 105.8°C
• Extreme body ache, especially joints & muscle pain
• Severe headaches and chills
• Pain behind eyes
• Mild body rash or a red and white patchy rash, which generally appears a couple of days after the fever
• Flu-like condition – cough and cold

At times, symptoms of dengue in children are not prominent and therefore dengue fever is confused with other viral infections. Such confusions can actually turn out to be life threatening because the dengue fever can be present in a more serious form, known as Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF). In such cases, while the fever eases, other symptoms get worse and become evident in more serious ways like –

Severe symptoms of dengue in children include –

• Abdominal pain
• Bleeding from nose and gums
• Low blood pressure
• Vomiting or nausea
• Dehydration and loss of appetite
• Difficulty in breathing
• Itchiness on the soles of the feet

DHF can cause multiple serious conditions and can lead to dengue shock syndrome (DSS), which is severe and fatal.

Undoubtedly, dengue is a dreadful and grievous infection. While research & development of medicines & vaccination is one side of the story, the good news is that this is a preventable infection. If you keep a close tab on things, you will be able to keep yourself and your baby safe from this infection.

Prevention Tips

The dengue virus, one of the most dangerous diseases caused by mosquitoes, can be prevented if one takes proper care. Below are a few tips that might help –

1.  Do not let mosquitoes enter your surroundings

Install mosquito mesh on windows. Install an auto door-closing mechanism on your doors so that mosquitoes do not enter due to the carelessness of keeping doors open. Better still, keep windows and doors closed during the evening when the house is more prone to the entry of mosquitoes.

2. Do not allow water to stagnate inside and around the house

Water cooler tanks, flower pots, bird feeders, unused tyres, ornamental planters, etc. are some of the most common spots that become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, if left unchecked. Ensure there is no stagnant water or puddles around you. Check that the water emitted from air conditioners does not collect and become a breeding place for mosquitoes.

There is a misconception that all mosquitoes only breed in dirty, stagnant water. In fact, the dengue mosquito also breeds in water that is clean enough to drink. So keep a check on water filter drip trays and leaky faucets as well.

3. Wear appropriate clothing

These pesky bugs are attracted to dark colors. It’s a good idea to avoid wearing dark colored clothing to prevent the possibility of being bitten. Also, make sure children wear clothes that cover their arms, legs and feet completely.

Since kids are always on the run and spend a lot of time outdoors, for extra protection you can use 4 dots of Goodknight Fabric Roll-On. This mosquito repellent is completely safe for use as it is 100% natural and certified by paediatricians.

4. Maintain clean surroundings

Mosquitoes breed in unhygienic surroundings or living conditions. Ensure proper and timely disposal of garbage without letting it pile up. Garbage bins should have lids. Clear off the rotten vegetables or waste in your kitchen. As stated earlier, maintaining a clean and hygienic environment is the key to keeping dengue at bay!

5.  Be protected outdoors

Unlike other mosquitoes, the Aedes aegypti is a daytime feeder, meaning it is important to be protected during early morning hours and just before dusk. Common places where you need to protect kids when they are outdoors are the backyard, parks, clubs, etc.

With school-going kids, avoiding outdoor exposure during the day is not be possible. Thus an easy way out is to use Goodknight Patches. These are 100% natural and paediatrician certified, hence safe to use on kids.

6. Ensure regular use of mosquito repellents at home

It may sound like the simplest of prevention methods, but at times we miss out on the basics! Make the use of mosquito repellents a part of your everyday care routine. Hence it is a good practice to always switch on the Goodknight Activ+ System when you are indoors. This mosquito repellent machine comes with a dual mode which makes it amazingly effective.

As they say, what cannot be cured, must be endured! And dengue is preventable. So just follow these tips to keep the mosquitoes away!

Go Mommy!