What to do with oral herpes in children

The incidence of oral herpes in children is relatively high. For the family members of the affected children, they feel distressed and anxious. So what should they do if children have oral herpes? Next, this article will introduce you to what to do if children have oral herpes. Friends who want to know more about the relevant knowledge can take a look! Please see the detailed introduction below.

Oral herpes is an infectious disease caused by enterovirus, which is more common in children aged 1-3 years old. It can cause herpes on the hands, feet, mouth and other parts of the body. In some patients, it can cause complications such as myocarditis, pulmonary edema, and aseptic meningoencephalitis. If treatment is not taken promptly, it is easy to relapse after self-healing, and it is also easy to spread and be infected in places with poor hygiene conditions.

What to do if your child has oral herpes?

There are three main types of oral herpes in children:

1. Oral thrush, also known as snow mouth

It is a fungal stomatitis caused by Candida albicans infection. This disease is related to birth canal infection or nipple infection in newborns. In addition, dysbiosis is also an important cause (such as long-term abuse of antibiotics). The main symptom is the appearance of white curd-like substances on the child's oral mucosa, which may occur in one or more places at the same time. Generally there are no systemic symptoms. In severe cases, symptoms such as loss of appetite, refusal to feed, crying and restlessness, low fever, and difficulty breathing may occur.

Home care tips:

1. Generally, use 2% sodium bicarbonate solution to clean the mouth, 2 to 3 times a day.

2. When the area is large, you can apply 100,000 units of nystatin plus 1-2 ml of water to the affected area 3 times a day. It usually heals in 3 to 4 days.

3. When children are sick, antibiotics should be used regularly to reduce the occurrence of this disease.

4. Severely ill children whose white film spreads to the larynx, trachea, esophagus and even blood must be sent to the hospital for treatment in time.

2. Oral herpes stomatitis in children

It is an acute infection caused by herpes simplex virus type 1, and infants and young children aged 6 months to 2 years are most susceptible. At the onset of the disease, the patient may have a fever of 38℃-40℃. After 1-2 days, small blisters will appear on the oral mucosa, either alone or in clusters. After the small blisters rupture, very shallow ulcers are formed, with yellow-white membrane-like exudate on the surface and a red halo around it. If left untreated, the disease will heal on its own after 1-2 weeks, but it is easy to relapse. Recurrent attacks are usually related to a deficiency of the trace element zinc.

Home care tips:

1. In the acute phase, treatment is mostly symptomatic, such as reducing fever and calming the nerves. Topical treatment may include Herpes Cleanser (grinded into powder and applied) or the traditional Chinese medicine Xilei Powder.

2. Keep the mouth clean, drink water frequently, and eat liquid or semi-liquid food to reduce irritation.

3. Supplementation of trace element zinc can help prevent recurrence.

3. Bacterial oral herpes stomatitis in children

The disease often occurs in cases of acute infection, long-term diarrhea, reduced resistance, or unclean oral cavity. It can occur anywhere in the oral mucosa, most commonly on the tongue, inside the lips, and cheek mucosa. Initially, the mucosa becomes congested and edematous, followed by erosions or ulcers of varying sizes, covered with a thick grayish-white pseudomembrane that is easy to wipe off. Bleeding can be seen on the wound after wiping. Systemic reactions are related to the severity of infection.

Home care tips:

1. If the infection is severe, the symptoms are obvious, and the stomatitis covers a large area, you should see a doctor as soon as possible and receive intravenous or intramuscular antibiotics.

2. You can apply chloramphenicol glycerin, the traditional Chinese medicine Yangyin Shengji powder, and 2% lidocaine locally for pain relief.

The above is an introduction on what to do if you have oral herpes in children. I believe that after reading the above introduction, you already know what to do if your child has oral herpes. From the above introduction, we can know that there are three main types of oral herpes in children. Different types require different treatments. Therefore, the family members of the sick children must pay attention to distinguish them!