What are the early symptoms of encephalitis in children?

For parents, the most worrying thing is that their children are sick, especially those with diseases in the brain such as encephalitis. Nowadays, the incidence rate of encephalitis has been on the rise, but many parents still do not understand the specific symptoms of the disease. Next, the editor will summarize all the collected information. Let’s take a look together.

The main symptoms that most encephalitis patients experience are: fever, headache, vomiting, irritability and malaise. Children of different ages show different symptoms, and the younger the age, the more atypical the symptoms. During the neonatal period, children have poor reaction abilities, which are often manifested only by: refusing to eat, screaming, not moving, or being irritable. They may have a fever, but more often the body temperature does not rise, and vomiting rarely occurs. In severe cases, the child's face will turn pale or blue, the head will tilt back, the limbs will be flexed, and convulsions will occur, which is medically known as "opisthotonos." The baby cannot speak and the main symptoms are fever, vomiting, and irritability.

Skin hypersensitivity and irritability are the characteristics of this period. After being stimulated by sound or touch, children are easily startled and some children have convulsions. Children over 2 years old present with similar symptoms to adults, with typical signs of increased intracranial pressure, often with persistent high fever, and poor response to antipyretic drugs. The child complains of headache and when it is severe, he holds his head with both hands or hits his head with his hands. Most children vomit frequently. This type of vomiting is different from vomiting caused by gastrointestinal diseases. It often occurs suddenly without any signs of nausea. As the disease worsens, the child's spirit changes from initial irritability to lethargy, and in severe cases, convulsions and coma may occur.

In general, the symptoms of encephalitis in children are extremely serious and the manifestations are very obvious. This requires parents to pay close attention and observe carefully. Once discovered, treatment must be provided in a timely manner without any delay. In addition, you should also take good care of your body during the illness, and it is best to wipe your body frequently with a warm towel.