Let us consider in more detail what are the first signs of rubella in a child and what are the main principles of treating the disease.
How does rubella appear in children?
Before turning to the symptoms of the disease, let us clarify some points. First of all, parents should remember that rubella is an infectious disease that is transmitted by airborne droplets. That is, the risk of infection at times increases if the kid visits educational institutions, circles, sports sections, or simply often in places with a large number of people. After contact with the carrier of the virus, it may take several weeks before rubella begins to appear in children, moreover, even before the appearance of the first signs, they may already be contagious. So do not be surprised: rubella can be infected anywhere and anytime. From these considerations, you need to thoroughly weigh the pros and cons of those mothers who refuse to vaccinate.
As a rule, rubella in children begins with the appearance of headaches and general malaise, an increase and soreness of the occipital and posterior lymph nodes. 1-2 days before the rashes the children become sluggish, refuse active games, lose their appetite. Despite the fact that small patients tolerate this disease more easily, the temperature may rise.
Clarify an unclear clinical picture, a characteristic of rubella rash, which first appears on the face and neck, then spreads to the body and limbs. Most are susceptible to rashes: the stomach, buttocks, lower back, upper back, outer parts of the limbs. The rash with rubella, both in children and adults, does not protrude above the surface of the skin, has a pink color, a diameter of no more than 5 mm, disappears in 2-3 days.
Some children experience a dry cough and increased lachrymation.
If the above symptoms, the doctor still finds it difficult to make a final diagnosis, then the blood test from the vein is additionally assigned. It is carried out on the 1-3 day of the disease and a week later in order to track the dynamics of growth in the amount of antiviral antibodies. By the way, this study is very effective when there is a high probability of confusing rubella with roseola .
Roseola in children is very difficult to recognize, most often it is disguised as rubella (hence the second name is false rubella), allergies, ARI and others.
How to treat rubella in children?
Special therapy for the treatment of this disease is not provided. However, it is still necessary to take certain measures:
- bed or simple home treatment, depending on the general condition of the child;
- symptomatic means (most often in the period of intense rashes use antihistamines);
- copious drink.
A separate question is how to treat rubella in children with the development of serious complications. In such cases, antibacterial preparations are individually selected and, most often, the child is hospitalized. However, as such complications after rubella, especially in infants are extremely rare.
The only way to protect yourself from this disease is vaccination. Immediately after the vaccination, the children vaccinated against rubella may have mild symptoms of the disease:
- a slight increase in lymph nodes;
- temperature increase;
- swelling at the injection site.
In general, the same side effects are rare, and the formed immunity persists for many years.