MALARIA

Common Malaria (Plasmodium Vivax)
SYMPTOMS: A typical case presents with shivering and high fever, followed by sweating and fall in temperature. The fever comes on alternate days, and the child looks well in between. A history of a child living in an area where malaria is common or the child having returned from such an area aids the diagnosis. A blood test confirms the diagnosis. The patient may become anaemic and weak.

In another case, the fever may occur every day. Shivering or rigours may not be present. If no obvious cause of fever is to be found and your doctor finds your child has an enlarged spleen, he may like to rule out malaria.

DIAGNOSIS: It is important that the blood sample for malaria be taken before treatment is started. This test is not only important for the confirmation of the diagnosis, but also helps to ascertain the type of malaria, the precise treatment to be given immediately and to be followed later.


Falciparum Malaria
SYMPTOMS: Besides shivering and fever, a child with this type of malaria can become quite sick. He may start losing alertness, get convulsions and may become unconscious.

TREATMENT: Treat this condition as an emergency. Many lives are saved by appropriate treatment. Tell your doctor if your child has G-6-PD deficiency (see Anaemia); children with this deficiency may react badly to some of the anti-malarial drugs.

PREVENTION: Cooperate with the public health authorities in the prevention of the spread of this disease. The malaria mosquito can thrive on clean water, so make sure the water storage sources in your building or house are well cared for. In areas where malaria is common, care should be taken to prevent mosquito bites. Have automatic door closers and window netting installed if this is possible. In the near future, we may have mosquito nets that are impregnated with a medicine to repel mosquitoes.

Your doctor may put you on some drug(s) to be taken regularly once a week if you live in a malaria-infested area or you are going to visit such an area. However, some older children and adults may develop partial or complete immunity against the disease after living in a locality with malaria for a number of years, and do not need this continuous prophylactic (preventive) treatment. If, however, you live in an area where malaria is unknown, start giving your child the prophylactic medicines 2 weeks before you start your journey to a malaria area. The drug is to be given throughout the stay in that area and to be continued for 2 months after returning home.

Do not take these drugs without proper advice; indiscriminate use may result in the development of resistance to certain anti-malarial drugs. 

11 February, 2013