If you are not one of the victims of dengue, at least be prepared on how you would handle a patient in your family who is showing the symptoms of this dreaded mosquito disease. To those who have surpassed this stage and recovered because of their own judgment to bring their love ones to the hospital, such efforts and initiative is admired. Hence, to those who are not aware of how serious dengue is and do not know how to give the right treatment, it is best to read this whole article so you won’t panic, and focus if this strikes in your territory at the time that you are defenseless and not really secured.
10. Enough Bed Rest
This is the basic step that you have to make whether you are the one who has been suspected of dengue or other members of your family. You have to make sure that an individual is resting or sleeping in a very comfortable place without any interruption but have proper ventilation. Make sure that it is away from all noise and other disturbances. It should be a quiet place and avoid turning the television on and other music components at home.
9. Give Basic Medication for Fever and Pain
You should only give tablets or any syrup based on the patient’s conditions and age. Hence, as per health guidelines given in all hospitals, Paracetamol is recommended within 24 hours, which is not more than 4 times to be taken if the fever reached above 39°C. Hence, there are recommended table drafts of dosage according to specific age groups. Nonetheless, it is discouraged to give Aspirin or Brufen to children because it may cause bleeding or gastritis that will trigger other complications for dengue. Moreover, antibiotics are highly excluded for basic medication since it would not help the condition of patients but it would even cause sudden bleeding.
8. More Fluids
Dehydration is one of the obvious results or effects for any individual who has confirmed dengue fever. This is the reason why you have to give or serve more fluids or any liquids that he or she can take while resting. Even when the person does not want it, you have to monitor it to be assured that he or she will not be dehydrated. Otherwise, you have to rush the person to a nearby hospital to receive proper dehydration treatment, which is in dextrose form.
7. Tepid Sponging
Aside from Paracetamol that will decrease the level of fever temperature of patients, you have to continuously and alternately give warm tepid sponging to absorb the level of heat in the body. This would help to lower it down hot body temperature a bit and to avoid dehydration.
6. Monitor Blood Pressure
If you have a sphygmomanometer at home and you know how to use it, it is best to randomly check the person’s blood pressure so you would know if it is normal or has irregular results of blood pressure. This is a critical indication if you would need to continue the basic treatments that you are doing at home and could bring these records too, once you have found out that the situation of your loved one is not changing and worsening. It would help medical attendees to assess the condition of the member of your family.
5. Serve Foods Rich in Vitamin to Strengthen Immune System
You still need to serve best foods from fruits and vegetables to them. Of course, you have to check their appetite if they want it or not. Hence, you should maintain nutritious foods, especially vitamin rich food selections that would boost and strengthen the immune system of the person to get through with the pain and uncomfortable feeling which is being build up in the body.
4. Rush to the Hospital in Extreme Cases
If the basic treatments that you have been serving to your loved one are not enough, it is a basic prerogative to bring them to the hospital. This is wise for them to receive necessary examinations where doctors can give you direct advice or appropriate medications should in case the dengue case is beyond the normal days, especially if symptoms of dengue are at its worst state. Physicians and other medical specialist are the best people who are trained how to give the right remedy to your loved one.
3. Oxygen if Needed
This is another option but it rarely happens just in case the patient is very ill or still in shock state. This is a case-to-case basis and it is up to the bodily response of the person. Oxygen is needed to stabilize the blood and promote its healthy state. It is also encouraged to use this treatment if the patient is in shock where blood pressure and pulse cannot be traced or measured. It raises the hematocrit, where improvement with the condition of the individual is observed.
2. Blood Transfusion if Advised
Blood transfusion can be done to replace whole blood and dying red cells as the disease is incurring blood loss while everything happens. It replenishes everything aside from the platelets that have been declining in numbers due to the affecting virus. It can be used in two ways. One, if the warning signs are overwhelming where decreasing hematocrit is observed, and two, when the situation go worse wherein a consistent supply of fresh blood should be administered to lessen fatal risks involved.
1. Platelet Transfusion if Platelet Count Went down
One of the worst impacts and complications in experiencing dengue fever is the gradual decrease of platelets in the blood. How difficult can the situation be? When platelets are low, there are lesser blood components that assure the non-occurrence of blood clotting. Internal bleeding can happen, thus loss of blood is seen. If this situation is not treated, then thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) may threaten the life of the person where blood clots will form all over the body. So before everything grows too late, have that platelet transfusion done so that recovery and smooth blood circulation can be promoted.