[Audio] Don't be subjective with chickenpox

Students of Kim Anh Kindergarten wash their hands with soap before eating, after using the toilet and before leaving to limit the outbreak and spread of chickenpox.

Chickenpox is a benign infectious disease, but if not properly cared for and treated promptly, the patient may experience very dangerous complications.

The number of patients is more than 10 times that of last year.

On February 21, a 3-year-old child studying at Thanh Ha Town Kindergarten contracted chickenpox. Within a few days, the school had 4 more children with the disease. Under the guidance and support of local health authorities, a series of epidemic prevention measures were quickly implemented. More than half a month has passed, and no more students have contracted chickenpox, and all patients have recovered. However, the school is not complacent. Every day, the entire campus and classrooms are cleaned and disinfected. Equipment and toys are also thoroughly cleaned. On the Zalo group of each class, the school sends many contents to parents on how to prevent chickenpox for children according to the instructions of the health sector.

“In class, teachers have the responsibility to monitor and track the health of each child. We cannot be subjective because the outbreak not only endangers the health of the children but also disrupts the care and education activities of the school,” said Hoang Thi Van Anh, Principal of Thanh Ha Town Kindergarten.

Since the beginning of the year, Kim Anh Kindergarten (Kim Thanh) has had 8 students diagnosed with chickenpox at home. Although there have been no cases in class, the school has paid special attention to epidemic prevention. At the end of the afternoon class, teachers have each child wash their hands with soap before being picked up by their parents. The classroom floors, stairs, and hallways are cleaned. All kinds of utensils and toys are also collected and soaked in water mixed with a disinfectant solution. Every time someone comes to pick up their children, teachers remind them to take care of their children during the changing seasons to avoid contracting diseases, especially taking the children to get vaccinated against chickenpox if they have not been vaccinated.

Ms. Phan Thi Thuy Linh, whose child studying at Kim Anh Commune Kindergarten has just recovered from chickenpox, said: "Many families have not yet taken their children to get vaccinated against chickenpox, so it is very necessary for teachers to remind them like this."

It is very necessary for schools in general and parents in particular to pay attention to chickenpox prevention. From the beginning of the year to March 8, the whole province recorded 114 cases of chickenpox in 7 out of 12 districts, towns and cities, an increase of 10.3 times compared to the same period in 2022 (11 cases). All patients are children and most have not been vaccinated against the disease. The current weather is favorable for the risk of chickenpox outbreak and spread. Worryingly, there is still a large number of children who have not been vaccinated against chickenpox.

Teachers at Thanh Ha Town Kindergarten clean classroom floors with disinfectant solution every day to prevent chickenpox in children.

Vaccination is the most effective method

Since the beginning of the year, Hai Duong Children's Hospital has treated many patients with complications due to chickenpox, commonly infected dermatitis. Most of these cases were treated at home but did not recover before being admitted to the hospital. Although infected dermatitis is not life-threatening, it is painful and leaves large scars on the child's skin.

Dr. Nguyen Huu Vinh (Hai Duong Children's Hospital) warned that although the rate of children with complications from chickenpox is not high, in reality, there have been patients with sequelae such as encephalitis, meningitis, and pneumonia. If these complications are not treated promptly, they can be life-threatening or leave serious sequelae such as epilepsy. "Vaccination is the most effective method to prevent chickenpox effectively and long-term. Most people who have been vaccinated have absolute immunity to the disease. Those who have been vaccinated but still get chickenpox will only have mild symptoms," Dr. Vinh advised.

Chickenpox will appear 10-14 days after exposure to the source of the disease, often starting with symptoms such as blisters on the skin, fever, headache, muscle pain, loss of appetite, and crying. This disease can be treated at home, but doctors advise parents not to buy medicine to treat their children on their own but to immediately contact the nearest medical facility for advice on effective treatment, limiting the risk of complications. The notion that when having chickenpox, you must avoid wind and water is wrong. Patients with chickenpox still need to bathe and practice personal hygiene every day, combined with applying medicine to avoid skin infections...

DAWN