How to be Sure Your Child’s Fever is not Dengue

Dengue fever is an infectious tropical disease that is caused by a  flavivirus that is carried by the female Aedes Aegypti mosquito. The clinical symptoms of dengue fever vary according to the age of the person. For instance, they are more severe in older children in comparison to the younger ones. Depending upon the severity of symptoms there are three associated conditions of the disease, namely, dengue shock syndrome (DSS), dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF). You need to be aware of dengue fever's symptoms to distinguish it from the normal fever.

Dengue Fever Symptoms in Children

Children often experience the symptoms similar to common cold accompanied by vomiting and diarrhoea. Dengue fever starts with the sudden onset of fever that can last for a week. The other dengue symptoms in children include:

• Severe headache, muscle pain, joint pain, nausea as well as vomiting.
• Infants and young children can have rashes along with fever.
• Older children reportedly experience severe back pain as well.
• Minor bleeding is seen in some cases. For example, bleeding from gums.
• Rashes may appear when the fever subsides.

If the fever or the above mentioned symptoms persist for a week to fourteen days then the infected person needs to go for the diagnostic test for dengue.

Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF)

The severe manifestation of dengue fever is termed as dengue haemorrhagic fever. The most severe cases of DHF have been reported in children. The condition is characterised by high fever that can go up to 41°C or 105.8°F and can lead to convulsions as well. The other indicative symptoms in children that indicate that dengue fever has become DHF are:

• Spontaneous abnormal bleeding
• Blood clotting
• Gastrointestinal haemorrhage
• Liver damage

Dengue haemorrhagic fever is endemic in South Eastern Africa, Asia and Latin America. In the absence of proper treatment, this state of dengue fever can prove to be fatal in children.

Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS)

Dengue shock syndrome is relatively rare but a fatal complication of regular dengue fever. Simply stating, it is the shock that is caused by dengue fever. The symptoms include:

• Very high fever that can last up to a week.
• Haemorrhagic bleeding. A condition similar to DHF.
• Plasma leakage
• Decrease in platelet count.
• Rapid and weak pulse.
• Low blood pressure
• Restlessness
• Signs of shock such as cold and clammy skin.

Two-thirds of the cases of Dengue shock syndrome are reported in children. The mortality rate in DSS is as high as 50 percent. With appropriate treatment such as fluid replacement therapy and bleeding control, the fatality decreases.

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