What should I do if my child has brainstem encephalitis?

Brainstem encephalitis sounds scary just by sounding like a disease. Encephalitis is more common in children. It is a disease caused by the meningitis virus directly invading the child's brain parenchyma. Therefore, everyone is very worried that this disease will happen to themselves or their loved ones. The baby is the core of the family, and if he or she is sick, the whole family will naturally worry. So what should we do if a child has brainstem encephalitis?

Brainstem encephalitis in children is generally viral encephalitis, which has an acute onset and is a serious condition. The brain stem is the life center of human beings, maintaining important physiological functions such as heartbeat, breathing, digestion, body temperature, and sleep. Viral encephalitis is generally treated by reducing intracranial pressure and providing symptomatic support. Children with sudden brainstem lesions often die due to lack of timely rescue.

The severity of brainstem encephalitis varies greatly. Symptoms of mild encephalitis are the same as any viral infection: headache, fever, weakness, and loss of appetite. More serious symptoms of brainstem encephalitis cause irritability, restlessness and drowsiness. The most serious symptoms are weakness in the arm or leg muscles, double vision, speech and hearing difficulties. In some cases, drowsiness can turn into coma.

Mild brainstem encephalitis is common and may not even be noticed. But in about one in a thousand cases of measles, a mild brainstem encephalitis develops.

Brainstem encephalitis can be fatal in infants and the elderly, but people of other ages may recover completely from it, sometimes after a long and severe illness. Although brainstem encephalitis may cause permanent damage to the brain, the percentage of serious consequences is low.

Generally, children with encephalitis should be hospitalized for treatment. After hospitalization, closely observe changes in consciousness, and pay attention to changes in body temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure. Pay attention to pupil size at all times. Once changes occur, symptomatic treatment should be given. Pay attention to nutrition and calorie supplementation, and comatose patients can be fed through nasogastric feeding. Keep the skin clean and dry to prevent bedsores. Keep the mouth clean.

The occurrence of viral encephalitis is caused by viral infection, so it seems particularly important to prevent viral invasion. In summer, some mosquito bites may transmit diseases, so mosquito prevention and control are also necessary. When a child suddenly develops a high fever that won't go away, timely treatment is required. It is best to see a doctor in a local regular hospital.