7 Warning Signs Of Dengue Fever In Child

Dengue fever is a common sickness in India. Every year, many child get this fever during monsoon and after monsoon. The problem is that dengue starts like a normal viral fever. You feel tired. You get body pain. You get high temperature. Because of this, many people ignore the first signs. This is a big mistake. Dengue can become serious very fast. In child, the body reacts strongly. So you need to know the warning signs. You need to act before it becomes dangerous. This article will tell you seven clear warning signs of dengue fever in an adult. Read each point carefully. If you see these signs in yourself or your family member, do not wait. Go to a doctor.

Why Knowing Warning Signs Is Important For Child?

A child’s body is small. But an adult’s body has more blood and more water. When dengue virus attacks an adult, the blood platelets start falling. This is a serious thing. Your blood needs platelets to stop bleeding. If platelets go very low, you can bleed inside your body. Many child think they are strong. They think fever will go away on its own. But dengue does not go away like normal cold. It has a specific pattern. The fever goes up, comes down, and then goes up again. During this time, your body gives you clear signals. If you understand these signals, you can save a life. Even your own life. So let us look at the seven warning signs one by one.

Warning Sign Number 1 – Sudden High Fever That Does Not Feel Normal

The first sign of dengue fever in an childis a very sudden high fever. One moment you are fine. The next moment your body becomes very hot. This is not a slow fever. It touches 104 or 105 degree Fahrenheit within hours. You touch your forehead and it feels like a burning stove. The fever does not go away with normal paracetamol for a full day. It goes down for two hours and then comes back. This is different from a normal viral fever. In normal fever, the body gives you time. You feel cold first. Then fever builds slowly. But in dengue, the high fever comes like a sudden attack. Your eyes become red. Your face becomes red. You feel like your bones are inside a fire. If an childin your house gets this kind of sudden high fever, do not call it simple flu. Start watching for 7 warning signs of dengue fever in child.

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Warning Sign Number 2 – Severe Pain Behind The Eyes

This is a very unique sign of dengue. childpeople who had dengue remember this pain for their whole life. You feel a deep pain right behind your two eyes. When you move your eyes left or right, the pain becomes sharp. When you look at a tube light or mobile screen, your eyes feel heavy and painful. Some people say it feels like someone is pressing a hot needle inside the eye. This pain is not from headache. Headache is on top of head or back of head. But this pain is exactly behind the eyeballs. Why does this happen? Because dengue virus causes swelling in the tissues behind your eyes. This sign usually comes on the second day of fever. If an childsays “my eyes are hurting when I move them”, think of dengue first. Do not give painkillers like ibuprofen or aspirin. They make bleeding worse. Only paracetamol is safe, but ask a doctor first.

Warning Sign Number 3 – Severe Body And Muscle Pain

child often say “I have body pain” for small things. But dengue body pain is different. You feel like a truck has run over your body. Your lower back hurts badly. Your thigh muscles hurt. Your shoulders hurt. Even your finger joints hurt. You cannot find a comfortable position to sit or lie down. When you try to stand up, your muscles scream. This is why dengue is also called breakbone fever. Because it feels like your bones are breaking from inside. Normal body pain from work or walking goes away with rest. But dengue body pain stays for days. It does not reduce even after taking medicine. This pain happens because dengue virus damages small blood vessels inside your muscles. The muscles do not get enough oxygen. That causes deep pain. If an childtells you “my whole body is hurting like never before”, do not ignore. This is a clear warning sign.

Warning Sign Number 4 – Red Spots Or Tiny Red Dots On Skin

This sign is very useful for family members to see. You do not need any medical test for this. Just look at the adult’s skin. On the second or third day of fever, you may see small red colored dots. They look like someone has used a very fine pen to put red dots on the skin. These dots are not itchy. They do not rise up like a bump. They are flat and tiny. Doctors call this petechiae. In simple words, these are small bleeding points under the skin. Why do they come? Because your platelets have started falling. Your blood is not clotting well. Even a small pressure on the skin causes a small bleed inside. These red dots first appear on the legs and arms. Then they can come on the chest and back. Another thing to see is that if you tie a blood pressure cuff on the arm, many more red dots appear under the cuff. This is a very strong warning sign. Do not wait. Take the childto a clinic for a platelet test.

Warning Sign Number 5 – Bleeding From Nose Or Gums

This is a serious warning sign. It means the platelet count has fallen to a dangerous level. In an adult, the normal platelet count is between 1.5 lakh to 4 lakh. In dengue, when platelet falls below 40 thousand, bleeding starts. You may see bleeding from the nose without any injury. The childmay wake up with blood on the pillow. When they brush their teeth, the gums bleed a lot. Even small cuts on the skin keep bleeding for a long time. Women may see heavy bleeding during their monthly cycle. This happens because your blood has lost the ability to form a clot. Without platelets, any small injury turns into a big bleed. If you see bleeding from nose or gums in an childwho also has fever, this is an emergency. Go to a hospital immediately. Do not give any medicine at home. Do not try home remedies. The childmay need platelet transfusion.

Warning Sign Number 6 – Severe Stomach Pain And Constant Vomiting

Many people think stomach pain is from gas or food poisoning. But in dengue, stomach pain is a sign of a dangerous condition called plasma leakage. Let me explain in simple words. Dengue virus makes your small blood vessels become loose. The water part of your blood starts leaking out of the vessels into your stomach area. This collected water puts pressure on your stomach and liver. The childwill complain of pain in the upper middle part of the stomach. Right below the chest bone. The pain is constant. It does not come and go like gas pain. Also, the childstarts vomiting again and again. Even drinking a small sip of water leads to vomiting. This vomiting is greenish or yellow in color. This is not normal vomiting. If the childcannot drink water because of vomiting, they will become dry from inside. This dryness makes dengue more dangerous. If you see severe stomach pain with repeated vomiting in an childwho has fever for two to three days, do not wait for the morning. Go to a hospital emergency right now.

Warning Sign Number 7 – Extreme Weakness And Feeling Very Cold

The last warning sign is when the body starts giving up. The childbecomes very very weak. They cannot stand without support. They cannot lift a glass of water. Their hands feel cold to touch. Their feet are cold even under a blanket. They look pale. Their lips lose color. Their heartbeat becomes fast. They feel like they will fall if they try to walk to the bathroom. This happens because the blood pressure drops. The body is saving blood for important organs like brain and heart. So hands and feet become cold. The childmay also become confused. They may not understand simple questions. They may sleep too much and be hard to wake up. This is the most dangerous stage of dengue. It is called dengue shock syndrome. Many child reach hospital at this stage. Some reach late. If you see extreme weakness, cold hands and feet, and confusion, do not think. Call for help. Take the childto a hospital with an ambulance. Every minute matters.

What To Do If You See Any Of These Seven Signs?

First, do not panic. Panic does not help. Second, do not give any medicine without asking a doctor. Avoid ibuprofen, aspirin, and combiflam completely. They increase bleeding risk. Only paracetamol is safe, but ask doctor for correct dose. Third, give the childonly boiled and cooled water. Give coconut water. Give rice water. Give thin dal water. Small sips every fifteen minutes. Do not give dark colored drinks. Do not give tea or coffee. Fourth, take the childto a nearby clinic for a blood test. The CBC test will show platelet count and hematocrit level. That tells the doctor how serious the dengue is. Fifth, keep a fever chart. Write down the temperature every four hours. Write down how many times the childhas passed urine. Less urine is a bad sign. Sixth, do not let the childget up and walk too much. Rest is the only treatment for dengue.

When Is The Right Time To Go To Hospital?

Many people ask this question. The answer is simple. Go to hospital if any of these things happen. One – bleeding from nose or gums. Two – severe stomach pain with repeated vomiting. Three – no urine for more than eight hours. Four – feeling very cold and weak. Five – breathing fast. Six – falling down or fainting. You do not need to see all signs. Even one serious sign is enough. Do not wait for platelets to fall to zero. Do not wait for morning. Do not wait for a family elder to decide. Trust the 7 warning signs of dengue fever in child.

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Final Words From A Human Perspective

Look, fever is common in India. We all get fever. But dengue is not common fever. It attacks your blood. It attacks your platelets. The only way to save an childfrom severe dengue is early detection. You do not need expensive tests to see the seven warning signs. You just need to look carefully. Watch the eyes. Watch the skin. Watch the stomach pain. Watch for bleeding. Watch for extreme weakness. If you are an childreading this, share this information with your family members. Because when you are sick with high fever, you cannot think clearly. Your family must know these signs. One last thing – do not depend on home remedies like papaya leaf juice as the only treatment. It may help some people, but it is not a cure. The real cure is hospital care, IV fluids, and platelet support if needed. So be smart. Watch the signs. Act fast. Save a life.

FAQs

What is the most dangerous sign of dengue fever in an adult?

Answer: The most dangerous sign is bleeding from nose or gums. It means platelets have fallen too low. Go to hospital immediately.

How to check if an childhas dengue red spots at home?

Answer: Look at the arms and legs in sunlight. If you see tiny flat red dots that do not itch, press the skin with a finger. The dots do not fade or turn white. That is a dengue sign.

What to do if an childhas severe stomach pain with fever?

Answer: Do not give gas medicine. Do not wait. Take the childto a hospital right now. This is plasma leakage, not normal stomach pain.