The fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has just passed, but anti-epidemic measures still cannot be relaxed. In our paediatrics department, we most often come into contact with infants and young children who develop fever, and fever is a primary symptom of COVID-19 infection.[1]Many parents, especially new ones, become particularly flustered and lost when their children develop a fever. In reality, as long as it's handled properly, both adults and children can get through it with ease.
First, we need to understand that fever is not a disease, but a symptom. It is generally a self-generated response by the body after infection by a pathogen, such as hand, foot, and mouth disease, bronchitis, urinary tract infection, etc., as well as upper respiratory tract infections and meningococcal infections.[2]The onset of COVID-19 infections, among other things, can cause a fever, which is also a spontaneous warning sign from the body, reminding us that we are ill and need to take medication and see a doctor.
First, cool the body down physically, then take antipyretics.
So parents don't need to panic when a toddler has a fever. If it's a low-grade fever and there are no other symptoms, they should first try to cool the child down through physical means. Older generations tend to cover a feverish child with thick blankets to make them sweat, or use a fan or air conditioning to blow directly on them, both of which are incorrect and will cause blood vessels to constrict, hindering the body's ability to dissipate heat. The correct approach is to maintain good air circulation indoors, keeping the room temperature between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius; dress the child in loose-fitting clothing, give them a lukewarm bath or wipe them down with a warm cloth; ensure they drink enough water, eat normally, and get adequate rest.[3].
Fever-reducing medicine can also be given to children with a fever. Medicines available on the market are broadly divided into those containing paracetamol for low fevers and those containing ibuprofen for high fevers (anti-inflammatory drugs). It should be noted that the latter may cause some side effects, especially for patients with asthma or kidney disease, and it is not recommended for children.3.
The symptoms after catching an infectious disease are mostly similar, such as fever. After physically cooling down children and giving them fever-reducing medicine, you must constantly monitor them for other symptoms. For example, COVID-19 patients may also have a dry cough, sore throat, headache, and loss of taste and smell.1Meningococcal meningitis sufferers will experience photophobia, vomiting, a rash, and a bulging fontanelle (in infants).4Wait, by this time the condition has mostly entered a severe stage.
The Men-B vaccine has an almost 100% protection rate.
If a child has a fever accompanied by other symptoms, such as unusual behaviour like a loss of appetite, medical attention should be sought immediately so that a doctor can make a professional diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment as soon as possible. In particular, meningococcal infection can progress rapidly and may prove fatal within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms, with a mortality rate of 10%.[4], [5]Even after recovering with appropriate antibiotic treatment, there is a chance of serious long-term complications.[6]including brain damage causing deafness, vision loss, and intellectual disability; and blood vessel damage to the limbs causing amputation.
According to Centre for Health Protection data, Hong Kong recorded 14 cases of meningococcal infection in 2019.[7]of which type B (Men-B) accounts for the majority, and there has been an upward trend in recent years. To prevent meningococcal infection, as with COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, it is important to maintain personal and environmental hygiene.[8], wash your hands frequently and wear a face mask; for the sake of the children, after cleaning your home and toys with a 1:99 bleach solution, be sure to rinse them thoroughly with clean water;At the same time, the meningococcal ACWY vaccine has long been available at private clinics in Hong Kong, and the Men-B vaccine has also become available in recent years; data shows that the vaccine’s protection rate ranges from 97.1% to 100.1%.[9], [10]This can effectively prevent Men-B infections. Parents can seek professional advice from paediatricians and choose to get their young children vaccinated at private clinics.
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Source:
[1] CHP. Frequently Asked Questions on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Available at https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/102624.html. (Accessed on 17 Jun 2022)
[2] Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Meningococcal Disease. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/symptoms.html. (Accessed on 17 Jun 2022)
[3] Nasser M, et al. Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care. Germany. 2009; 57:1-12
[4] WHO. Meningococcal meningitis fact sheet. Available at https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/meningococcal-meningitis. (Accessed 2 Apr 2019)
[5] Peterson ME et al. J Glob Health 2019;9:010409.
[6] Viner RM, et al. Lancet Neurol. 2012; 11:774-783
[7] CHP. Number of notifiable infectious diseases by month in 2019. Available at https://www.chp.gov.hk/tc/statistics/data/10/26/43/6830.html. (Accessed on 22 Mar 2022)
[8] Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Meningococcal. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/index.html. (Accessed on 25 Jun 2019)
[9] The Immunisation Advisory Centre. Bexsero. https://www.immune.org.nz/vaccines/available-vaccines/bexsero. (Accessed on 22 Mar 2022)
[10] FDA. 12 October 2017 Approval Letter – BEXSERO. Available at https://www.fda.gov/media/90982/download (Accessed 20 Jun 2022)
