Child development issues
Little minds create big worlds
With Christmas approaching, many parents are on the hunt for presents. To stimulate their children's brain development, educational toys have become a popular choice. In fact, to ensure children's brains develop fully, in addition to everyday training and protecting brain health, preventing infections of the brain, such as Japanese encephalitis, is also important.
Protecting children's brains lays a good foundation for growth.
‘Japanese encephalitis’ is a disease commonly found in Asia. It is transmitted by mosquitoes, which bite animals carrying the Japanese encephalitis virus (such as pigs) and then transmit the virus to humans through their bites.The most common vector mosquito in Hong Kong is the ‘three-banded Culex mosquito’; however, the Japanese encephalitis virus has also recently been detected in other Culex species commonly found in households, including the ‘Culex pipiens’.The mortality rate from Japanese encephalitis is as high as 30%; furthermore, due to brain damage, statistics show that approximately 30 per cent of survivors suffer from severe long-term complications, including neurological and psychological disorders, intellectual impairments and physical disabilities.
It is worth noting that between 2011 and 2015, there were local Japanese encephalitis cases in Hong Kong for five consecutive years. At the same time, the World Health Organization's recently published position paper on Japanese encephalitis in 2015 pointed out that children are a high-risk group for Japanese encephalitis, with a nine times higher risk of infection compared to adults, and that young children also experience more severe illness after infection. Most importantly, there is currently no antiviral treatment for Japanese encephalitis, making preventive measures even more crucial.
A two-pronged approach, painting a bright future for children
To prevent children from contracting Japanese encephalitis, many parents undertake a series of mosquito-repelling measures for their babies. Outdoors, in addition to wearing light-coloured long-sleeved shirts and trousers, they also opt to use mosquito repellent products. Parents are advised to pay attention to the effectiveness of different mosquito repellent products, and how sweat and rainwater can affect their efficacy.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also stated in its latest position paper that efforts to vaccinate children against Japanese encephalitis (JEV) should not be reduced in favour of supplementary measures such as the provision of mosquito nets and mosquito control programmes. In Hong Kong, Japanese encephalitis vaccines are currently available for children aged nine months and above.
Creating a big world with a little mind.
In summary, it is every parent's wish to prepare their children adequately, hoping they will grow up with good health and in a good environment. Therefore, training and protecting brain health are equally important. If parents have any concerns about their child's health and development, they can consult healthcare professionals and work together to create a big world for their children.
Source: BabyMo
