The World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern on July 24. More than 43,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported from 92 countries since May. India also has reported ten cases so far. Aged persons or Kids who have compromised immune systems are likely to be prone to the infection. According to WHO, the case fatality ratio of monkeypox has historically ranged from 0 to 11 per cent in the general population and has been higher among young children. In recent times, the case fatality ratio has been around three to six per cent.
The higher-level complication and severity of monkeypox in children have been red-flagged not just by WHO but by several other organisations as well. A study by the Lancet Child And Adolescent Health Journal based on comparing epidemiological data of the previous monkeypox outbreak in Africa suggested that the secondary attack rate could be higher by 12 to 3 per cent, particularly affecting children younger than 15 years.
“Compared with healthy adults, complications are more frequent in children and people who are immunocompromised, with an increased risk of bacterial superinfection, sepsis, keratitis, respiratory complications due to pharyngeal abscess and pneumonia, or encephalitis,” the study claimed.
What can parents do to prevent their children from being infected with monkeypox?
Dr Daniel Ganjian a paediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in the US shared the precautionary to Medical News Today and said, “First of all, it’s not a large likelihood for [children] to get [monkeypox] at daycare or school. Because of increased hygiene practices that they’re doing there, it should decrease the chance of all infections, including the transmission of monkeypox,” said Dr Ganjian.
The initial symptoms of monkeypox are similar to flu but keep an eye on your child for other signs as well like, fever, intense headache, swelling of lymph nodes, back pain, and rashes.
In case of these symptoms, proper diagnoses should be done immediately to contain the virus in its early stage.
