Tomato flu

Tomato flu

It's All About (The) TOMATO FLU

Do parents need to be concerned about the “tomato flu”?

Children being ill, getting joint pains and fevers, and growing a blistery rash all over their bodies are the hallmarks of the outbreak. It is very contagious and spreads quickly among children under the age of five.

Alarmingly, the blisters could quickly develop to a tomato-sized size, hence the distinctive moniker.

Health officials were alarmed since this outbreak had never been observed before. Although it resembled COVID-19 infection or Dengue fever, it remained distinct, and the virus responsible could not be found.

A strong strain of a common virus known as tomato flu.

After a few of the children who had vacationed in India returned to London suffering from the terrifying illness, the virus was eventually discovered. The virus was eventually found to be a novel strain of Cossack A16.

Simply put, the epidemic of “Hand Foot, and Mouth Disease” in a more severe form was the tomato flu. Problem resolved!

The parents in our WhatsApp chat group were so happy, but it simply raised more concerns, including whether we should make a big deal out of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease.

Explained: Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

Many people refer to HFMD as a “rite of passage” for children in daycare because of how frequently it affects young children.

The vast majority of people just have however, other parts of the body are typically unaffected outside the diaper area

.

The dots are little red when they are mild. As they grow, they have a tiny, gray center and resemble tiny blisters.

When spots appear, youngsters are typically a little grumpy and agitated; they rarely experience high fevers or become severely ill.

Although I don't recall ever having to take children to the hospital, they should refrain from eating and drinking for a few days, especially if the mouth spots get worse.

Don't worry about eating; make sure the diapers are moist.

Most significantly, the spots will disappear on their own within five to seven days without leaving any scars behind. A small amount of ibuprofen or paracetamol helps with any irritability, and it's also crucial to use many diaper creams and carefully clean places in the diaper.

If your children aren't eating a lot, don't worry. Typically, soft, chilled foods are better. Make sure there are plenty of frequent, wet diapers, and keep a tight check on their fluid intake.

Rarely, the infection can develop to affect a person's bowels, and heart muscles, or produce extensive thickening of the skin of the hands and feet, which is most likely the type of presentation found throughout southern India.

Keep a cautious lookout for any decline, especially in children who seem excessively sleepy, sluggish, or dehydrated. An emergency trip will be required if these happen.

Kids rarely relapse into it.

Fortunately, once your children have experienced it, they rarely do so again. However, it does occur, so you'll need to be alert.

Adults rarely contract the disease because we all experienced it as children! Children should be kept away from vulnerable individuals like the elderly and pregnant women until their spots have healed.

The last query I receive from parents is, “When can they go back to daycare?”

This is a frustrating situation because by the time spots start to emerge on your child, the infection has already been going on for days and every other child at daycare has either been exposed to it or has it.

However, some people won't, and because this sickness is so dangerous, it's crucial to keep children away until the little patches begin to peel off.

minor and uninteresting illness. It is characterized by little red spots on the palms and feet, as well as within the mouth, and is brought

 on by a variety of 

retroviruses (often Cossack A16).