The one thing that scares parents more than anything else is their child falling ill. With the ‘flu wave’ hitting our city, one can never be too precautious, don’t you think? Did you know that around 400 million people, every year, fall sick because of mosquito-borne diseases? In today’s day and age, where pollution is on the rise and over-population is exceeding every limit, the need to protect yourself and your children arise more than ever. Malaria, yellow fever, chikungunya are a few diseases that are caused by mosquitoes but the one that is most dangerous and most common amongst these is dengue.

What causes dengue?

According to leading medical experts, dengue fever is an infection caused when a person is bitten by the Aedes mosquito. It causes flu-like symptoms in a person affected by the illness. Dengue is considered endemic in around 100 countries, including our own. It usually is on the rise during monsoon season. Any kind of stagnant water or unsanitary living conditions causes these mosquitoes to breed, leading to a mass breakout of this endemic disease.

What are the symptoms I should look out for?

Children are more susceptible to mosquito-borne diseases when compared to adults. This is because they spend more time outdoors, playing in conditions which aren’t always hygienic. Here are a few symptoms to look out for in your child:

• High fever coming in waves
• Red spots and rashes on the body
• Muscle and joint pains
• Bad headaches
• Straining of the eyes
• Nose or gum bleeds
• Breathlessness and fatigue
• Sweaty hands and feet

Usually, a child will start showing these symptoms between 4 and 7 days from the bite.

How can I keep my child safe?

They say that prevention is better than cure, and rightly so especially in this case as this harmful disease has no specific medicine or treatment for it. You can only cure its relating symptoms. Make sure your child follows these steps to ensure that he stays safe.

• Wear full-sleeved clothes that cover the majority of the body
• Use the anti-mosquito spray at home
• Avoid playing near water puddles or stagnant water
• Apply natural mosquito repellent creams
• Have your house fumigated by pest control
• Install nets at every entrance and opening like doors and windows.
• Keep your backyard junk-free by removing all unwanted materials that can collect water
• Plant mosquito-repelling plants like lemongrass and tulsi
• Have immuno-boosting supplements after consulting a professional

In case your child gets affected by dengue despite all this, then adequate rest along with a nutritious diet will help him heal faster. Dengue has a low mortality rate and hence will go away in a few days. However, if severe, hospitalization and transfusion are recommended.