Pregnancy is a happy period for moms because of their introduction to the world of a new life. Unfortunately, medical conditions and illnesses can make the pregnancy somewhat bumpy–the Zika virus directly affects the fetus. When a child comes into existence with Zika virus, a neurological condition called microphelany is present that loosely translates to the shrinking brain of the baby.
What is the Virus of Zika?
Yellow Fever Mosquito or Aedes Mosquito is known to be a Zika Virus carrier that often has dengue, malaria or other diseases. The virus transmits into the fetus by its blood when it bites a pregnant woman. Zika Virus does not harm children after childbirth but causes microcephaly for the fetuses in the womb. Microcephaly shrinks the brain, causing neurological defects, which prevents the fetus from normal breathing and functioning. The CDC recommends that women do not travel to tropical regions or countries with Zika virus disease outbreaks. Maternaments do not receive the Zika virus.
How Can It Spread?
There are three principal ways the infection spreads – through intercourse, by being nibbled by the Aedes mosquito straightforwardly, and by means of blood transfusions or organ transplants.
Men are known to be bearers of the infection, and it is prudent not to have unprotected sex until after an intensive screening. For those tainted with the infection, condoms ought to be utilized for somewhere around 6 months since the infection is known to spread through semen by means of oral, butt-centric, and vaginal intercourse.
Obviously, these aren’t the main ways. Here are a couple of different ways the infection spreads:
1. Congenital or intrauterine
Zika virus transmission occurs when, during pregnancy but before delivery, a woman is infected with Zika virus and the virus passes to the fetus.
2. Perinatal
Zika virus can be perinatally transmitted when a woman has a Zika virus infection within about 2 weeks of delivery, and the virus passes to and from the baby during the delivery. Infants may develop symptoms such as maculopapular rash, conjunctivitis, arthralgia and fever when the child becomes infected with Zika perinatally. We don’t know how frequently perinatal Zika is transmitted.
3. Postnatal
Children may postnatally acquire Zika virus through other transmission routes, such as mosquito bites. Long-term outcomes information is limited for infants and children with postnatal Zika virus disease. Most children with Zika virus are asymptomatic or have mild illness, similar to the findings of Zika virus infection in adults. For these infants and children, routine pediatric care is recommended until more evidence is available to inform recommendations.
Treatment is supportive; to prevent dehydration, this includes rest and fluids. It is not advisable to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) until dengue is excluded as a cause of disease and should be avoided in children < 6 months. Due to the risk of Reye syndrome, aspirin is not recommended for use with postnatal viral diseases. Long-term outcomes information is limited for infants and children with postnatal Zika virus disease.
4. Breastfeeding
In breast milk, the Zika Virus was found. Possible Zika infection in breastfeeding babies has been identified. But zika infection has not been confirmed by breast milk transmission. Furthermore, we still do not know how the zika virus has a long-term effect on young babies infected after birth
Because existing evidence shows that the advantages of breastfeeding outweigh the risk of breast milk spreading Zika viruses, CDC continues to encourage breastfeeding mothers, even when they are infected, lived or traveled to a risky area. As new information becomes available, CDC continues studying the Zika virus and how it can spread, updating the recommendations.
6. Guillain-Barré Syndrome
In general, with increasing age, the risk for GBS from any cause appears to grow. After the Zika virus infection, GBS was reported, although the causal link was not identified. The number of GBS following Zika virus infections among children is uncertain, with six patients between 2 and57 years of age (4 GBS patients, and 2 acute encephalomyelitis encephalomyels) having neurological syndromes following laboratory-confirmed infection with Zika virus. Zika infection deaths appear rare at all ages. Deaths are rarely seen.
Zika Virus Symptoms in Children
Basic Zika side effects in babies and kids are:
Rashes
Fever
Torment in the joints
Rosy eyes (with zero discharge)
Hurting muscles
Migraines
Conjunctivitis
How Does Zika Affect Children?
Here is a rundown of zika infection consequences for infants and youngsters
- It causes microcephaly in unborn children or kids inside the belly
- Microcephaly twists the mind and skull in infants which prompts formative issues like weakened vision and sound-related issues
- For youngsters who contract the infection after birth, they don’t demonstrate any formative issues or birth abandons. Be that as it may, they do get a gentle fever, rashes, and different indications laid out in the past segment.
How To Treat Zika Infection in A Child?
You don’t have to worry if your child is older (not inside the womb) and infected. Zika symptoms in children are not too serious and go away within a few weeks Here are some ways to treat the infection naturally.
- Ensure your kid gets a lot of bed rest and stays inside.
- Apply paramethrin or any EPA-endorsed creepy crawly repellent to your youngster’s garments before he heads outside.
- Ensure your kid remains hydrated.
- Stay away from prescriptions like NSAID’s and aspirins to your kid.
- Use acetaminophen to diminish fever and torment.
Zika doesn’t have any antibodies or medicines accessible as of now, so normal pediatric consideration is the prescribed course for children brought into the world with the Zika infection because of its durable results. The most ideal approach to maintain a strategic distance from your fetus from contracting Zika is to keep yourself ensured and pay regard to the avoidance tips laid out above in this article.
Zika infection is a mosquito-borne Flavivirus in charge of symptomatic and asymptomatic contaminations in people. Zika was first recognized in Africa as a reason for sporadic febrile ailment. Starting in 2015, Zika infection contamination was recognized in Brazil and connected with a few symptomatic diseases. Outstandingly, intrinsic diseases were seen with stamped neurologic variations from the norm. Determination depends on recognition of Zika infection by constant polymerase chain response or by the nearness of against Zika antibodies. Treatment of this viral ailment stays steady; nonetheless, proactive screening and intercessions are shown in the treatment of newborn children with symptomatic inborn contamination.
