A D E N O V I R U S
Adenoviruses are
a group of common viruses that infect the lining of your eyes, airways and lungs, intestines, urinary tract, and nervous system.
They're common causes of fever, coughs, sore throats, diarrhea, and pink eye.Infections happen in
children more often than in adults, but anyone can get them. Most kids will
have at least one type of adenovirus infection by the time they’re 10.The
infections usually cause only mild symptoms and get better on their own in a
few days. But they can be more serious in people with weak immune systems,
especially children.
How Adenoviruses Spread
These viruses are common in places with large groups of kids, such as day
care centers, schools, and summer camps.
They’re very contagious. They can spread when someone who's infected coughs
or sneezes. Droplets containing the virus fly into the air and land on
surfaces.
Your child can catch the virus when they touch the hand of someone
who has it or a toy or other object held by someone who has it and then touches
their mouth, nose, or eyes. It spreads quickly with children because
they’re more likely to put their hands on their face and in their mouths.
You can get infected when you change a diaper. You also can get sick from
eating food prepared by someone who didn't wash their hands properly after
going to the bathroom. It’s possible to catch the virus in water, like in small
lakes or a swimming pool that isn’t well maintained, but this doesn’t happen
often.
Symptoms
Each type of adenovirus can affect you differently:
- Bronchitis: Cough, runny
nose, fever, chills
- Colds and other respiratory infections:
Stuffy and runny nose, cough, sore throat, and swollen glands
- Croup: Barking cough, trouble
breathing, high-pitched sound when breathing in
- Ear infection: Ear pain,
irritability, fever
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis): Red
eyes, discharge from your eyes, tearing, feeling like there's something in
your eye
- Pneumonia: Fever, cough,
trouble breathing
- Stomach and intestinal infections:
Diarrhea, vomiting, headache, fever, stomach cramps
- Swelling of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis and encephalitis):
Headache, fever, stiff neck, nausea, and vomiting (this is rare)
- Urinary tract infections: Burning
and pain while urinating, frequent need to go, blood in your urine
If you think your child may have one of these viruses, check with
their pediatrician. Always call the doctor if a baby under 3 months old
has symptoms of an adenovirus infection.
Call the doctor right away if your child has any of these more serious
symptoms:
- Trouble
breathing
- Swelling
around their eyes
- Fever
that doesn't go away after a few days
- Signs of
dehydration, such as few tears or less wet diapers
Diagnosis
Your child’s doctor may want to do a physical exam and possibly one or more of these
tests to see if a virus or bacteria caused the infection:
- Blood test: A nurse will take a sample of
your child’s blood from a vein in their arm.
- Urine
test: Your child will pee in a cup the nurse gives you.
- Swab
test: A nurse will use a cotton swab to get a sample of mucus from your child’s nose.
- Stool
test: You’ll collect a sample of your child’s poop at home and
bring it to the doctor’s office.
- Chest
X-ray: Your child will lie still while a technician uses a small amount of
radiation to take pictures of the inside of their chest. This will
give your child’s doctor a closer look at their heart and lungs.
Treatment
Antibiotics won't help adenovirus infections
because these drugs only kill bacteria.
Children often get over the illness on their own within a few days. Some
infections, like pink eye or pneumonia, can last for a week or more.
Kids with
a weak immune system
may need treatment in the hospital to help them recover.
You can
do some things to help your child feel better:
- Give plenty of liquids. Kids lose fluids from
fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. They can get dehydrated. Water
or 100% fruit juice are the best choices to keep kids hydrated. You might
also try a children's solution that has electrolytes.
- Clear congestion. Help your child blow
their nose often. For an infant,
put a few drops of saline spray or drops into their nose. Then
suction out mucus
with a bulb syringe.
- Turn on a cool-mist
humidifier.
The moisture will loosen congestion and help your child breathe more
easily.
- Bring down a fever. Ask your doctor if you can
give your child acetaminophen
(Tylenol)
or ibuprofen (Motrin)
to relieve aches and fever. Don't give children products that contain aspirin,
which can lead to a rare but serious condition called Reye syndrome.
Prevention
To help keep your child from getting sick:
- Try to
keep your child away from anyone you know is sick.
- Wash
your child's hands -- and yours -- often during the day, and especially
before meals. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if you don't have soap
and water nearby.
- Clean
surfaces, like sinks and counters, to get rid of germs.
- Don't
let them swim in pools that aren't well maintained.
Keep your child home when they're sick to avoid spreading adenoviruses
to others. Tell them to cover their nose and mouth whenever
they sneeze or cough.
With Warm Regards
Ranjeet Kumar Mundhra
Advocate
M : 9331618264
