Recently, TV host Kat de Castro and I relive the stories and emotions when our kids fell ill with dengue. With dengue cases going up as much as 63% during the rainy season, this is a must-watch video for everyone.
Dengue fever is a viral
illness spread by the dengue mosquito (Aedes Aegypti). This mosquito is found
in many tropical countries around the world.
There
are 4 types of the dengue virus that cause dengue fever – Dengue Type 1, 2, 3
and 4. People become immune to a particular type of dengue virus once they’ve
had it, but can still get sick from the other types of dengue if exposed.
Catching
different types of dengue, even years apart, increase the risk of developing
severe dengue. Severe dengue causes bleeding and shock, and can be life
threatening. There have been reported deaths from severe dengue.
It was a traumatic
experience and as a nurse, I thought I already knew everything about dengue but
when my son was diagnosed, I panicked and it feels like I forgot what I
learned. I found myself asking, “Where did I go wrong?” and, “Why did I
underestimate dengue affecting my family?” but I felt powerless over dengue
because I can’t protect my kids round the clock especially when they are out,
though I should have taken precautionary measures to avoid getting affected.
My son Niko was diagnosed
with dengue twice last year. The first one was sometime July. We suspected that
he was bitten by a mosquito carrying dengue virus in the cinema-- it really got
us thinking about how he got sick, because if it was in our house then we
should do something about it. We informed the barangay and also asked the
school, though no one had yet reported cases of dengue. We had watched a movie
on Saturday, then Tuesday morning before he went to school he had a sudden high
fever and headache, which instantly got me worried because of the ongoing
dengue epidemic. He had symptoms of dengue so I took him right away to the
doctor for a check-up and the doctor instructed me to wait for three days after
the fever began so we can go to the lab and to get a CBC and Dengue Duo test.
I brought my son back to
the hospital for CBC and Dengue Duo test on the third day of the fever. He was
confined in the hospital when the result showed positive and his platelet count
was low.
It was difficult seeing my
son sick with dengue, which has no treatment other than plenty of fluids and
prayers. They had to monitor the platelet counts, fluid intake and the urine
output and avoid colored drink and foods (red and black) as they are observing
the color of the stool and certain colored foods may change the outcome. His
platelet count dropped, so we tried all remedies from plant of tawa-tawa to
camote tops. The doctor advised us not to give this to him but against the
doctor’s order, we still tried. He didn’t like the taste but I was pushing him
to take it.
The rashes on his skin
became more visible on the 6th and 7th day. They are itchy like ants biting him
so imagine how hard it was. We applied Calamine Lotion which helps a little bit
with the uncomfortable itching.
He still had the mild
symptoms since he did not have any of the warning signs like loss of appetite,
abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding and didn't need a blood
transfusion so thank God!
Just when I thought that
it wouldn’t happen again, he was diagnosed with dengue fever again last
November and almost the same story transpired—he came home with a high fever,
headache and flushed skin, so he went for a CBC and Dengue duo test. The second
time, however, we were instructed to just do a home treatment and to provide
plenty of water and to take him the hospital immediately if he develop signs of
bleeding, severe pain in the stomach, and persistent vomiting as these are
signs of the more serious dengue hemorrhagic.
Never underestimate
dengue. Dengue can be acquired anytime and there is no vaccine or specific
treatment for dengue fever. DO not be complacent if your child has fever. When
someone starts having fever these days, it may be a case of dengue fever as the
number of cases is increasing and is causing fatalities. If you think you or
child is infected, see a doctor right away.
Take precautionary measures because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I pray that nobody will experience what we had to go through.
To learn more and to share your own dengue stories visit www.facebook.com/greencrossinsectrepellent
3 comments
Good thing your son survived it. God is really kind. I know a lot of people who died because of dengue. :/ That's why we had our home screened so as to prevent flies and mosquitoes entering our house
ReplyDeletemy cousin was diagnosed with dengue (3-4 years ago) and we knew how it feels because she even undergo with blood transfusion that time.. that is why i asked my hubs to donate blood so if time comes we need one we will be prioritized.. and i even secure my daughter and hubs with an hmo card..
ReplyDeletemy aunt spend almost 60k for my cousins hospitalization.. i would agree do not underestimate dengue
it only remind us that we should be very vigilant when it comes to our health, especially to our children, whenever my daughter is having a fever, i make it a habit to alarm my cp for exact time of her intake of medicines, that way i won't miss it, it's good thing too that we do keep her routine check up from time to time...... thankful enough na till now she never experience having a dengue!
ReplyDeleteComments? Questions? Suggestions?
Please I would love to read about it.
I will reply to you as soon as I can and visit your site too.
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Thank you very much! Maraming Salamat! Arigatou gozaimasu!