Coping with the rainy season

Thailand has seen a growing number of cases of dengue haemorrhagic fever in recent years with children aged 0-14 years old most at risk. In Thailand, the disease is most prevalent from May to August and is primarily transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. Since dengue virus in Thailand causes haemorrhaging, it is commonly known as dengue haemorrhagic fever.

Symptoms occur five to eight days after catching the virus, when the patient will suddenly develop a raging fever with a body temperature often over 38.5 Celsius. In many cases, especially in children, the patient will also have convulsions. Although the patient will not have a running nose or cough, rashes may develop and there may be bleeding from the skin. 

In the “critical period” that follows, one out of every three cases of DHF experience a blood circulatory problem, which coincides with a sudden lowering of the fever. In these cases, the patient will quickly go into a shock-like state. Without treatment within 12-24 hours, the patient may die from shock and/or bleeding. 

Patients who do not reach the shock-like state will make a speedy recovery. However, patients who go into the shock-like state can recover within 2–3 days as long as they are treated in a timely and proper manner.

Visit your doctor immediately if you suddenly become exhausted, vomit repeatedly, vomit blood, pass black stool, suffer from severe stomach ache near the cartilage or lower-right of the abdomen, sweat profusely, and experience a slow pulse rate. There is currently no anti-dengue fever vaccine available. The only treatment is to treat the symptoms and take very good care of the patient during the critical stage. 

Influenza is another common disease that coincides with the rainy season.

One of the most threatening features of influenza is that it can develop into pneumonia and cause such serious complications as myocarditis, encephalitis or the exacerbation of existing congenital diseases, especially in high-risk groups like children, the elderly, and people with underlying health conditions. 

Symptoms include body aches, extreme tiredness and dry cough. Because colds and flu share many symptoms, it can be difficult (or even impossible) to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Special tests that usually must be done within the first few days of illness can be carried out, when needed, to tell if a person has the flu.

The influenza vaccine is the most effective measure for helping to strengthen the immune system. Individuals are advised to receive an influenza vaccine before the rainy season, which is the peak infection period. As new influenza viruses keep developing, annual vaccination is recommended. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), among healthy adults, influenza vaccine can prevent 70 to 90 per cent of influenza-specific illness. 

According to the Ministry of Public Health, the groups most at risk of contracting influenza who should be vaccinated are as follows:

l Women who are over four months pregnant

l People weighing over 100 kilograms

l The mentally-ill

l People with any one of seven diseases, namely chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, diabetes, and cancer in patients being treated by chemotherapy

l People aged over 65 years old

l People in the medical profession

l Children aged between six months and two years old

Also frequent this time of year is Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease. Mostly found in children under five years old, this infection is transmitted by faecal-oral and respiratory routes. 

Symptoms include fever and rashes on the palms, soles of the feet, mouth, tongue, and gums. The patient will recover in seven to 10 days. 

Particularly at risk are young children in groups, such as children in kindergartens or nurseries.

No vaccine for the hand, foot and mouth virus yet exists. The only option currently available is to treat the symptoms. Prevention should focus on avoidance of close contact with infected children and teaching the little ones to frequently clean their hands. Eating utensils and other personal items should not be shared and infected children should be separated from groups to prevent the spread of the virus

School children are advised not to return to school for one week after rashes are found. Infected children should be taken to the doctor if they have high fever, lethargy, frequent vomiting, convulsions, rapid heartbeat, fast breathing, panting, and tiredness.

 

For more information, call Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital at (02) 711 8000