Symptoms and care of herpetic pharyngitis in summer

In summer, herpetic pharyngitis also enters its peak period, and the number of children seeking medical treatment across the province has increased dramatically. Today, let’s learn about this common infectious disease in young children so that we can take preventive and response measures.

1. What is herpetic pharyngitis in children?

Herpangina is mainly caused by Coxsackie A virus and occurs frequently in summer and autumn. It is a common viral pharyngitis with epidemic incidence. The clinical features are sudden high fever accompanied by sore throat, headache, anorexia, and often pain in the neck, abdomen, and limbs. People of all ages can be infected, but it is more common in children aged 1 to 7 years.

2. How to determine whether a child has herpetic pharyngitis?

The main symptoms of herpetic pharyngitis are as follows:

1. Herpes ulcers of 1 to 2 mm appear in the mouth, throat, and under the tongue.

2. Sudden high fever, convulsions may occur. The body temperature is generally between 37.7 and 40 degrees Celsius.

3. Sore throat, so painful that the child may drool and refuse to eat.

4. Vomiting or headache often occurs during the illness, and a few children have abdominal pain.

If a child shows the above symptoms, we should consider the possibility of herpetic pharyngitis and seek medical attention promptly. Otherwise, there is a possibility of bacterial infection, and the small blisters may develop into pustules, which will worsen the condition.

3. Herpetic pharyngitis is not hand, foot and mouth disease

Hand, foot and mouth disease is caused by herpes in the mouth, hands and feet, while herpetic pharyngitis only causes herpes in the mouth. The initial symptoms of herpetic pharyngitis are not much different from those of the common cold, and parents do not know much about the disease, so it is easy for them to mistake it for a common cold and delay treatment.

4. Highly contagious and requires isolation

Herpangina is a disease caused by enterovirus characterized by acute fever and herpetic ulcers in the pharyngeal isthmus. It is mainly transmitted through the fecal-oral or respiratory tract, and is highly contagious and spreads quickly. Children should stay at home as much as possible and reduce unnecessary outings. It is best to isolate them for another week after their body temperature returns to normal and the herpes subsides. Generally speaking, the isolation period is 2 weeks, which is the same as the isolation period for hand, foot and mouth disease, especially in the first week of the onset of the disease, when the infectiousness is the strongest. Parents should also visit their children as little as possible, because they may also become the medium for the spread of herpangina.

5. How to care?

1. The diet should be light, tasty and easy to digest. The child should be given warm, soft, liquid or semi-liquid food that is appropriate to his/her age, such as noodle soup, porridge, rice paste, breast milk, etc. Avoid irritating food such as overly salty, overly sour, spicy, etc.

2. Rest is very important within one week after the onset of the disease. Try to limit the amount of activity to prevent excessive fatigue; pay attention to keeping the oral cavity clean and hygienic, rinse the mouth with warm or cold water after each meal or drink an appropriate amount of warm or cold water directly.

3. Remember to wash your hands frequently. Especially before meals and after defecation, it is recommended to wash your hands with soap or hand sanitizer and running water, and do not wipe your hands with dirty towels to avoid repeated infection or cross infection.

6. Pay attention to disinfection

Enterovirus can survive for 1 year at 4°C, and can survive for a long time at -70 to -20°C. The virus can survive for a long time in the outdoor environment, but it is not resistant to high temperatures. Toys played by sick children, milk utensils, bowls and chopsticks, or other clothing and other daily necessities should be thoroughly disinfected.

1. Ultraviolet irradiation: If conditions permit, ultraviolet light can be used to directly irradiate for 0.5 to 1.0 hours, but the disinfection is limited to the surface of the object that can be irradiated by the light.

2. Sunlight exposure disinfection. When there is sunshine, the items that need to be disinfected can be placed in the sun for 0.5 to 1.0 hours, but only the surface of the object that can be illuminated by the sun;

3. Parents also need to pay attention to cleaning and disinfection. Parents or caregivers should wear gloves or wash their hands with soap and water before and after contacting the sick child, changing diapers, and handling feces.