Question
How is pediatric encephalitis caused? What are the main symptoms? How should it be treated?
Answer
Viral encephalitis, commonly referred to as disease encephalitis, is a group of central nervous system infectious diseases caused by various viruses, characterized by prominent symptoms of mental and consciousness disturbances. Most patients have a history of upper respiratory or gastrointestinal tract infections one to three weeks before the onset of the disease, or have been in contact with animals or insect bites. The severity of the disease varies greatly; mild cases can resolve spontaneously, while severe cases can lead to sequelae or death. Regarding the management of high fever: 1. During the stage of temperature rise, pay attention to keeping warm when shivering. 2. During the stage of persistent fever, ensure adequate fluid intake when using antipyretics. 3. During the stage of fever reduction, change damp clothing in a timely manner to prevent catching a cold. 4. Pay attention to oral and skin hygiene, consume light and easily digestible foods such as rice porridge with minced meat, noodles, and green vegetable soup. Antiviral treatment can be adopted for confirmed or suspected cases. For those caused by simple herpesvirus, acyclovir can be used; for other viral causes, virazole and a combined comprehensive therapy with Chinese and Western medicine can be used.