Parents Should Be Aware Of And Recognize The Early Symptoms Of Acute Hepatitis

Illustration (Photo: Antara)

PURWOKERTO - Pediatrician dr. Agus Fitrianto reminded parents to be aware of and recognize the early symptoms of acute hepatitis, the cause of which is currently unknown.

"The public must be aware of and recognize the early symptoms of acute hepatitis in children," he said in Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, as reported by Antara, Thursday, May 12.

The secretary of IDAI Korwil, former Banyumas Residency, added that in general, symptoms begin with digestive disorders, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and sometimes accompanied by fever.

These symptoms, he said, could be followed by symptoms of acute liver inflammation, such as yellow, dark urine color, pale stools like putty, joint pain, weakness and decreased consciousness.

"If you get these initial symptoms, you don't need to panic, immediately take the child to the nearest health center or hospital to get first aid. Don't wait for more severe follow-up symptoms to appear," he said.

He added that the public can take preventive measures, such as diligently washing their hands with soap and ensuring that food is cooked and clean.

In addition, do not change eating utensils with other people, dispose of feces or disposable diapers in place and avoid contact with sick people. Doctor Agus also reminded people to keep their homes and environment clean, reduce mobility and avoid crowds, wear masks and maintain social distance. with other people when traveling.

"In this regard, the government needs to closely monitor the development of cases at the regional, national and global levels related to acute hepatitis of unknown etiology through trusted official sources," he said.

In addition, he said, local governments also need to activate case mitigation in accordance with the operational definition set by WHO.

"At present the government and health professional organizations are already quite proactive in conducting outreach and education to the public, but socialization through official social media channels that are easily accessible to the public needs to be increased," he said.

All health centers and hospitals, he said, also need to activate health promotion for the community.