Early intervention is very important for curing diseases like malaria in children. Are you aware of the signs and symptoms of malaria in them? Read on to learn more about the common signs and symptoms of malaria in children.It really is horrible when kids are afflicted by the life threatening diseases. Kids have lower immunities than an average adult. They are not always able to fight the dangerous viruses. Medicines and vaccinations have been discovered. Yet sometimes due to ignorance and lack of knowledge they are not administered on time. One such life threatening disease is malaria.
Malaria is an infection caused due to the bites of Anopheles
mosquitoes. In hot tropical countries, this disease is quite common. Malaria can be a life threatening disease in adults. Imagine the effect on children.
The mosquitoes carry parasites and when they bite, the parasites are transferred into the kid’s bloodstream. Malaria can be cured only if treated in time. It is essential that parents recognize the early signs of malaria in their kids and take them to the doctor immediately. Delay in these cases can be fatal.
The symptoms show around ten to twenty days after being infected. If your child is ten years or older, then she will have symptoms like any other adult. This one is for kids below 5.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Malaria in Children
The Common signs and symptoms of malaria in children are as follows.
Fever
Fever can occur due to a number of reasons but the fever in case of malaria is somewhat distinct. If your child has been bitten by a mosquito and few days later you observe fever in your child, look for specific things. Fever caused by malaria is marked by shivering. Your child will feel cold and shiver uncontrollably. They will want blankets to cover themselves; the feeling of cold is so intense.
Drowsiness and Irritability
If you see your kid being drowsy and irritable it is a good idea to take them to the doctor. You never know what disease is causing it. However, if your child has
fever and drowsiness and irritability, it might be malaria. Many other possibilities are also possible, so it is best to take them to the pediatrician and get them tested.
Vomiting
A child afflicted by malaria is likely to vomit a lot. The disease when it spreads affects almost every part of a child’s body. Children are unable to thwart the progress of the virus. Kids are most likely going to lose all their appetite. When afflicted by malaria your kid will refuse to eat anything and complain of feeling nauseous. In spite of not eating anything, children keep vomiting.
Vomiting if it occurs along with fever is a prime sign of malaria. Immediately take your child to the doctor to get tested. Delay can be harmful to the child. Not able to eat and vomiting can seriously affect the health of your child. Your child will be in pain because of constant vomiting of bile, as their stomachs are empty.
Body Aches
This comes coupled with the fever. Along with feeling of cold and shivering, your child might complain of body aches. Malaria affects the muscular and nervous system of children. This causes the bodies of children to ache. If your child twitches and their face contorts, know that they are experiencing body pain. This is a prominent sign of malaria.
Hypothermia
Some kids can even have hypothermia instead of fever and chills. Different kids show different symptoms and hypothermia is a variation on fever. Hypothermia is a condition where the child’s body temperature falls far below normal. It falls below the optimum 35 degrees centigrade. If your child’s skin feels too cold to the touch, it is likely a case of hypothermia.
Mosquitoes thrive in stagnant water. So, make sure that you keep your surroundings clean and do not allow water to stagnate around your house. Malaria is one of the
common illnesses which affect kids in
monsoons. So, lot of care must be taken during this season. Parents must make their kids sleep in mosquito nets and use safe repellants prescribed by a pediatrician to prevent children from getting the disease.
What are the common causes of malaria in children? Which are the common signs and symptoms of malaria in children? How to prevent malaria in children? Discuss here.
