VIETNAM NUTRITIONAL PORTAL
Disease prevention and control work still faces many difficulties because diseases such as dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease do not have specific treatment drugs and vaccines; there are still difficulties in managing vaccination subjects; a part of the population has not cooperated with the government and the health sector in disease prevention and control work, has not been aware of proactively implementing personal hygiene measures, environmental sanitation, eliminating mosquito larvae (wrigglers), and has not taken their children to get vaccinated on schedule according to the instructions of the health sector.
Families should take their children for vaccinations on schedule, follow the instructions of health workers on care, and monitor post-vaccination reactions. Mothers should proactively inform their children about their current health status, such as if they are sick, taking medication, have a history of allergies, and especially have a strong reaction to a previous vaccination, such as high fever, prolonged crying, rash, or swelling at the injection site.
After vaccination, the child should stay at the vaccination site for 30 minutes so that medical staff can monitor and promptly handle any unusual reactions. Continue to monitor the child regularly at home for 1-2 days after vaccination for signs: mental state, breastfeeding, eating, sleeping, breathing, temperature, rash, reactions at the injection site... to be able to detect early signs of unusual health. If the child has a fever, take the child's temperature and monitor, and give the child fever-reducing medicine according to the instructions of medical staff.
When children show abnormal health symptoms such as: high fever of 39 degrees or higher, convulsions, rash, screaming, cyanosis, difficulty breathing, lethargy, fatigue, poor feeding, refusal to feed... the child must be taken immediately to the nearest medical facility for examination and treatment.
If parents are not confident about their child's health after vaccination, they should see a health worker for examination and advice.
Wash hands regularly with soap under running water many times a day (both adults and children), especially before preparing food, before eating/feeding children, before holding children, after using the toilet, after changing diapers and cleaning children.
Practice good food hygiene: eat cooked food and drink boiled water; eating utensils must be washed thoroughly before use (preferably soaked in boiling water); ensure clean water is used in daily activities; do not feed children; do not let children eat with their hands, suck their fingers, or suck on toys; do not let children share napkins, handkerchiefs, eating utensils such as cups, bowls, plates, spoons, and toys that have not been sterilized.
Regularly clean surfaces and objects that are in daily contact such as toys, school supplies, doorknobs, stair railings, table/chair surfaces, and floors with soap or common detergents.
Do not let children come into contact with sick or suspected sick people.
Use sanitary toilets, patient excreta and waste must be collected and disposed of in sanitary toilets.
When detecting signs of suspected illness in children, take the child to see a doctor or immediately notify the nearest medical facility.
Cover all water containers tightly to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs.
Weekly, kill mosquito larvae by putting fish in large water containers; wash medium and small water containers, turn over containers that do not contain water; change the water in flower vases; put salt or oil in a bowl of water on the cupboard.
Eliminate waste materials and natural water holes that do not allow mosquitoes to lay eggs such as bottles, jars, broken glass, coconut shells, broken jars, old tires, bamboo holes, leaf sheaths...
Sleep under a mosquito net and wear long clothes to prevent mosquito bites even during the day.
Actively coordinate with the health sector in chemical spraying campaigns to prevent epidemics.
When you have dengue fever... go to a medical facility immediately for examination and treatment. Do not self-treat at home.