It is a mouth infection caused by Herpes Simplex Virus type 1. The incubation period is about 2-14 days. After the first infection, the virus remains latent for life, hiding in nearby nerve ganglia. When the child's resistance is lowered due to certain stresses, such as a cold, fever, sun exposure, specific foods, or lack of sleep, the virus may reactivate, but the symptoms are much milder than the first infection.
It occurs most commonly in children aged 1 to 4 years old. 85-90% of infected individuals do not have symptoms, while 5-10% of young children who are first infected with this virus will experience symptoms such as high fever, multiple blisters on the oral mucosa that burst, mouth pain preventing them from eating, drooling, bad breath, swollen and bleeding gums, and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. The fever may last for 5 to 7 days, and the blisters may take about 10-14 days to fully heal.
Transmission occurs through direct contact with the skin lesions, oral secretions, or saliva of a person infected with the herpes virus. Generally, the infection is no longer contagious once the blisters have completely healed and any skin lesions have crusted over.
Chill phase: Emphasizing on keeping warm.
Fever phase:
Reduce clothing and bedding
Stay hydrated
Use a warm water swab bath (water temperature between 36-38 °C)