Herpes at the infants is a viral infection that occurs in approximately one child of 2-5 thousand children. A child can get infected from the mother even during pregnancy if the virus penetrates through the blood and the placenta or during labor during passage through the birth canal.
The first question that arises in the mother: is herpes dangerous for babies? When lesions of the herpes virus of the brain, liver, lungs in them occur severe changes that can cause even the death of the child. Symptoms appear in the child in the first four weeks of life.
At first it is a herpetic eruption on the lips, wings of the nose, on the mucous membranes of the eye, rashes on the body. Then the infection can spread, and such symptoms as convulsions, drowsiness, decreased muscle tone, signs of hepatitis, fever, etc., will appear. Therefore, Mom should always seek medical help if she noticed a baby's herpes on the lip.
Forms of the disease
Symptoms of herpes in babies depend on the form of the disease:
- Localized form - rashes on the body and mucous membranes. They can take place within two weeks, the child can be restless, moody, possibly worsening appetite and poor weight gain. If you do not treat this form, you can spread the process to the entire body.
- Generalized - the child's condition worsens. The body temperature rises, the child is sluggish and refuses to eat, possibly the development of pneumonia, hepatitis, meningoencephalitis.
- Herpetic lesions of the central nervous system - it happens that there are no rashes with this form. To the characteristics described above, sharply pronounced excitability is added, followed by drowsiness and lethargy, there may be convulsions .
Treatment of herpes in an infant
How, how and where to treat herpes in infants, the doctor always decides. If necessary, the child is hospitalized. Antiviral drugs like Acyclovir must be prescribed inside and outwardly. Symptomatic therapy is carried out - anticonvulsant, antipyretic, immunostimulating and immuno-strengthening. There are also specific immunoglobulins that are used in severe cases. Breastfeeding is not recommended.
On the question of how not to infect herpes babies, there is one answer - not to hurt your mother. If the mother has a rash on the lips, then you do not need to kiss the baby, you need to separate the dishes. But most often for the mother, the child's illness becomes a surprise, since it can be a carrier of the virus and not know about it. Therefore, every woman needs to strengthen her immunity even before pregnancy.