More than 1,200 children hospitalized in Hanoi for hand, foot and mouth disease, many children have encephalitis

A 1-year-old boy from Vinh Phuc was admitted to the National Children's Hospital (Hanoi). His mother said that his illness progressed very quickly. When the child started to vomit a lot after 2 days of fever, the family rushed him to the hospital. The doctor diagnosed the child with hand, foot and mouth disease caused by the EV71 virus, with complications of encephalitis.

Admitted to the Tropical Disease Center of the National Children's Hospital with a high fever that did not go down, many red rashes on the hands, feet and mouth, and frequent startles, baby AN (2 years old, Bac Giang) was diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease, with complications of encephalitis.

This is the second time the baby has been sick this year. Last time, the baby had a fever and mouth ulcers, and was cured after a few days of treatment at home. This time when the baby got sick again, the baby's mother said the family did not think the baby would be so seriously ill. The baby is now conscious and ready to be discharged from the hospital.

Dr. Nguyen Van Lam, Director of the Center for Tropical Diseases, National Children's Hospital, said that the two common groups of agents causing hand, foot and mouth disease are Coxsackie virus A16 (CA16) and Enterovirus 71 (EV71).

CA16 infections usually have mild symptoms and can be cared for and treated at home. EV71 infections will cause more severe illness with many dangerous complications such as encephalitis, meningitis, myocarditis, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, respiratory failure, circulatory failure, and can be fatal if not treated promptly.

Since the beginning of the year, the National Children's Hospital has received more than 1,200 children with hand, foot and mouth disease for examination, nearly 500 of whom had to be hospitalized for treatment; 30% of cases were infected with the EV71 virus strain.

Doctor Lam examines children with hand, foot and mouth disease

Master Do Thi Thuy Nga, Deputy Head of the Department of General Internal Medicine, Tropical Disease Center, National Children's Hospital, said that two common complications of hand, foot and mouth disease are neurological and respiratory and circulatory failure.

"This year, the department has received more children with neurological complications, the most typical of which is encephalitis," said Dr. Nga. The child was admitted to the hospital alert, without much cognitive disturbance, but showed signs of being startled, especially at the beginning and end of sleep; leg tremors, staggering, etc.

How to detect hand, foot and mouth disease early

- The disease usually begins with symptoms of fever, poor appetite, malaise and sore throat.

- One to two days after the fever begins, painful blisters appear in the mouth. They start as red blisters and often develop into ulcers. These ulcers are most commonly found on the tongue, gums, and inside the cheeks.

- A non-itchy rash appears over 1-2 days as flat or raised red lesions, some with blisters. The rash is often concentrated on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet; it may also appear on the buttocks and/or genitals.

- Children may also have no typical symptoms or may only have a rash or mouth ulcers.

When a child has skin lesions with or without fever, he or she can be cared for at home. However, if the following signs appear, the child should be taken to the hospital immediately:

- Persistent high fever that does not respond to antipyretics.

- Tired, not playing, not eating, sleeping a lot, lethargic.

- Startled a lot.

- Sweating, cold all over the body or in the hands and feet.

- Rapid breathing, abnormal breathing: apnea, shallow breathing, chest retraction, wheezing...

- Shaking limbs, shaking body, unsteady sitting, staggering.

According to Vietnamnet