Rabies is a viral infection occurring in specific warm-blooded animals. This infection attacks the central nervous system, proving fatal if left untreated. When it comes to this serious infection, knowing the signs, symptoms, and treatment in children is highly important.
While rabies is most commonly found in animals such as foxes, bats, and skunks, it can also occur in cats, dogs, and horses.
Rabies spreads through the saliva of infected animals, which can be contracted through a bite, scratch, or lick. Children can easily be infected with rabies unknowingly, especially because animals lick their paws and spread the infectious saliva.
This viral infection can enter the body through cuts, scrapes, or the eyes and mouth.
Signs and Symptoms
It can take anywhere from a few days to months before a child begins showing signs of rabies. The first signs may include a headache, fever, and a decrease in appetite. There may also be itching, numbness, tingling, or pain near the site of an infected wound.
The first stage overall may resemble other common health conditions. This means paying close attention to any wounds on your child or possibly infected animals plays a big part in getting a diagnosis.
The second stage is when rabies becomes an obvious possibility. Symptoms of rabies in this stage include:
- Difficulty swallowing, including saliva
- Agitation
- Disorientation
- Paralysis/loss of muscle movement
- Coma
- Death
The common term “foaming at the foam” comes from the symptom of not being able to swallow. Saliva m