Herpes on the lips of a child: treatment of a cold, is it contagious to others, what to do if often

Painful blisters on the lips or face of a child are signs of a herpes infection. Herpes is one of the most widespread viruses.

It is not without reason called "creeping", it quickly penetrates the body, and it is impossible to remove herpes with modern means. It can be kept in a latent form, preventing the transition to the active phase, when the child develops sores on the lips and general well-being worsens.

What is herpes and where does it come from in children?

The infection with blister lichen is known from the texts of ancient times. Despite the appearance of a large number of drugs, drugs for the destruction of infection in the body have not been created.

Of the 8 types of virus that cause various diseases in humans, the best known are:

• herpes type 1 - with localization of vesicular rashes on the lips;
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• Type 2 - on the mucous membranes of the genitals;
• 3 types - causes chickenpox (chickenpox).

After entering the body, herpes populates the nerve bundles (ganglia), where it is constantly located. A person may not know about an infection, very often in a lifetime the virus is never activated, that is, rashes do not appear.

According to statistical studies, a child at the age of 1.5-2 already had contact with the patient and became a carrier. According to experts, up to 90% of the population is infected with herpes (research by scientists from the US Institute of Pediatrics: Chayavichitsilp P, Buckwalter JV, Krakowski AC, Friedlander SF (April 2009). «Herpes simplex».)

When determining the methods of transmission of infection, the most important question is whether herpes on the lips is contagious to others. The virus is transmitted from people with rashes. It is at this time that an infected person can become a source of infection. From a blister on the lip, the virus passes to a healthy person and is introduced into his body.

The modes of transmission are the same as for most infections:

1. Contact and household. If a person has sores on their lips, it is easy to get infected by kissing, using common objects - cups, spoons, lipstick, any other things.
2. Airborne. Babies under 1 year old often become infected through the respiratory tract through constant contact with their mother, even if she excludes kissing and other touching.
3. Through the placenta during intrauterine development. Many babies are already born infected.

The virus easily penetrates through damaged skin, wounds and cracks on the lips.

Carriage is not the main cause of painful rashes. Most of the infected people have never walked with sores on their lips, while some are literally haunted by herpes. From the lips, an insidious cold migrates to the child's cheeks, mucous mouth or nose.

The main reasons for the activation of the infection, that is, the appearance of rashes:

1. Infectious respiratory diseases. Herpes is not without reason called a cold, since it often appears with ARVI, other inflammatory diseases of the nasopharynx, throat.
2. Constant fatigue, stress.
3. Hypothermia or overheating - this reason is most relevant for the smallest.
4. Hypovitaminosis is a lack of vitamins.
5. Chronic pathologies that weaken the child.

The main reason leading to the appearance of herpes on the lips of a child is weakened body defenses, loss of immunity. With good resistance, herpes will sit quietly, never showing itself. It is activated when the immune system is weakened, when the baby is exhausted by colds, fatigue, lack of vitamins.

An increase in contacts with strangers, the beginning of kindergarten visits in children at 3-4 years old leads to the fact that rashes appear in those who have never had herpes before.

Symptoms of a cold on the lips

The rash looks like bubbles filled with liquid. They clump together on the lips, causing swelling and redness.

Symptoms develop in stages:

1. At first, the child feels tingling and slight itching at the site of future rashes. The place turns slightly red, it pulls to scratch. At a young age, the general state of health worsens, the child is capricious for no apparent reason, a one-year-old baby may have a fever, and his appetite disappears.
2. Within a day, the area of ​​the skin acquires a pronounced red color, a swelling appears, in the center of which bubbles form. The blister grows, several small ones can join into one, the lip is deformed and hurts a lot. Many babies feel bad, get very tired, lose their appetite and work capacity.
3. After 2-3 days, the blisters degenerate into sores, when they break off, sores with bloody discharge appear. Children sometimes tear off the scabs, scratch the skin, which often leads to new rashes on the adjacent areas of the face.
4. If the sores are not injured, the scabs quickly exfoliate themselves. After 5-9 days from the appearance of rashes, the skin is cleared, a small area of ​​skin with altered pigmentation remains. Within a few days, the skin color is restored, and no traces of blisters remain.

In the photo, sores on the lips of a child caused by the herpes virus:

Parents should carefully monitor the kids, not let the sores rip off, in order to speed up recovery. Children at the age of 5 already understand that scratching makes it worse and hurts more.

Drug treatment of herpes on the lips in children

In most cases, herpes sores do not need special diagnostics, the symptoms are obvious. If necessary, cytological examinations of scrapings are carried out, which must be performed in the first days of the appearance of blisters. You can also detect the virus by PCR diagnostics or ELISA.

In the treatment of herpes, the main emphasis is on an integrated approach. The use of antiherpetic drugs is effective only at the beginning of infection. Frequent use of ointments or pills has little effect, and the virus reactivates. Therefore, complex treatment includes stimulating the immune system, which helps to eliminate the causes of exacerbation and the appearance of rashes.

Antiviral

As a means of reducing the severity of symptoms, are used antiherpetic ointments with the content of acyclovir - Acyclovir, Gerpevir, Zovirax.

Other antiviral ointments are also used:

• Viferon;
• Oxolin;
• Ryodoxol.

The medicine is applied 3-5 times a day. You need to anoint the affected areas and the skin around the blisters. Treatment should be continued for 4-6 days.

With the rare appearance of herpes and the absence of symptoms of intoxication, it is not necessary to look for how to smear a cold on the lips of a child. The rashes will go away on their own in 5-7 days. Antiviral drugs should not be used.

If cold on the lip appears regularly (2-4 times a year), treatment with pills can be prescribed. Taking drugs in a course of 5-7 days dramatically reduces the number of viruses in the body and facilitates the child's condition. For treatment, Zovirax, Acyclovir are used, the dosage is selected according to the weight of the baby.

Immunostimulants

Taking drugs of this group helps to strengthen the body's defenses and prevents herpes from activating. They are prescribed in courses and used for relapses and in the absence of rashes.

The best medicines for children are:

• Izoprinosin;
• Immunal;
• Imunofan (after 2 years);
• Groprinosin (after 3 years);
• Interferon;
• Amiksin;
• Anaferon;
• Arpetol.

Medicines in this group should be used as directed by a physician.

Other means

If herpes on the lips is accompanied by an increase in temperature, a deterioration in the general condition of the baby, the following can be used:

• anti-inflammatory;
• antipyretic;
• antihistamines.

The course and dosage are selected individually.

It is useless to smear blisters on the lips with antibacterial ointments, as well as to take antibiotics for herpes infection.

With the frequent appearance of rashes, physiotherapy can be prescribed using:

• laser;
• UFO;
• infrared irradiation;
• quartz.

Disinfection of the skin with the help of these devices helps to forget about herpes for a long time.

With frequent activations of the virus, it is imperative to carry out a comprehensive treatment, since as a result, the infection can spread to the internal organs and lead to a general infection of the body.

In children, due to scratching, blisters often pass from the lips to the cheeks, forehead, mucous membranes of the nose and mouth. Another infection, including a bacterial infection, can get into the wounds.

Regular repetition of rashes leads to intoxication and weakening of immunity, children often get sick with ARVI, exacerbations of chronic pathologies occur.

Video from Dr. Komarovsky about herpes and its treatment in children:

Folk remedies

You can treat a cold on the lips of a child using traditional methods. They are also used as medicines - to lubricate rashes and to stimulate the immune system.

 Outdoor

Traditionally, the following remedies can be used to reduce swelling, itching and speed up recovery:

1. Cut a clove of garlic and attach to the wound. Not suitable for babies, as it causes a burning sensation.
2. Treat skin and blister with laundry soap.
3. Apply a cut aloe leaf.
4. Prepare a solution by mixing a teaspoon of alcohol (70%) with 2 drops of tea tree essential oil and 4 drops of clove oil. Lubricate 5-6 times a day, after shaking the bottle.
5. Stir soda in hot water. Dip a spoon and apply hot to the blister.
6. Apply the cut onion to the wounds.
7. Insist a tablespoon of celandine in a glass of boiling water. Lubricate the wounds with infusion.
8. Combine equal parts honey and apple cider vinegar. Apply to blisters.

Pharmaceutical tinctures are widely used in the treatment of colds on the lips in children:

• Corvalola;
• echinocea;
• chamomile;
• birch buds;
• calendula;
• Valocordin;
• propolis;
• wormwood;
• celandine;
• eucalyptus;
• motherwort;
• Kalanchoe.

Infusions of these herbs can also be prepared on their own using alcohol or water.

To improve immunity

Traditional medicine knows many ways to increase the body's defenses.

You can buy ready-made vitamin formulations at the pharmacy and brew them for babies:

• herbal tea No. 7 for immunity (Healthy choice);
• collection to increase immunity (Medicinal plants of the Crimea);
• collection number 42 (Herbs of the Caucasus);
• to strengthen the immune system No. 8 (Vita Plant);
• collection number 11 (Formula of Health).

It can be used on its own to promote health:

• hawthorn;
• rose hip;
• viburnum;
• chokeberry;
• leaves of black currant, mint, raspberry.

The use of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs helps to raise the defenses well.

Prophylaxis

It is impossible to remove herpes from the body, but preventive measures and high immunity help prevent activation and exclude rashes in a child.

What prevention includes:

1. Compliance with the regime - the child should have a good rest, eat on time. The night's sleep should be complete. You should not allow the baby to go to bed in the middle of the night, and then, without resting, went with tears to kindergarten or school. The weakening of the body often comes from lack of sleep and fatigue.
2. Walks in the open air.
3. Sports activities, outdoor games, swimming, bicycle.
4. The diet should contain fruits, vegetables, juices, fermented milk products, milk. For a snack, you should choose an apple or orange, not fast food.

When the virus is activated, hygiene must be strictly observed for all family members. Use individual dishes, towels, household items, wash your hands thoroughly and regularly, avoid contact so as not to transmit the infection.