What is Chikungunya and how to Prevent it?

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As mothers, we tend to put our family’s health and priority over and above everything else. Yes, you heard it right ‘being selfless’ can be related to being a mommy.  Despite doing all this and taking the best care of our family, sometimes they do fall sick.
Seeing our little ones sick and falling prey to the many viruses and bugs which comes along with season change is the worst experience. The winter months are far behind, and the spring season is officially here. Since there is an increase in temperatures, this also means the sudden appearance of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes bring along with them a host of life-threatening diseases such as malaria, dengue, and chikungunya.

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Today in the blog we will talk about chikungunya. While malaria and dengue are still the commonly occurring diseases, chikungunya is a disease of the similar family but less fatal if compared to dengue.

ABOUT CHIKUNGUNYA

One of the most common myths of chikungunya is that it is caused due to a mosquito bite. Of course, it starts from there, but an important point to note here is that its caused by the bite of an infected mosquito. The mosquito is affected by the Chikungunya virus. That means the mosquito is basically the carrier of the virus from one place to another.
The virus can be in the air at any specific time, but it becomes predominant when there is a sudden increase in the population of mosquitoes as summers approach. It is mostly in the tropical hot weather and during the monsoon when mosquitoes are at their dangerous best.

The incubation period of this virus is about 3-10 days. The first symptom or sign of chikungunya generally appears after two days of coming in contact with the virus. The most common signs are fever and joint pain.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

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1.The first and foremost sign of chikungunya is fever. So, the most common questions doctors get asked is how to differentiate between normal fever and a fever from the chikungunya virus. It is to be noted here that if fever is accompanied by acute joint pain, then it’s most likely to be a case of chikungunya.

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2.About 40 % of people who suffer from chikungunya also develop rash like symptoms. These are basically red patchy spots which typically appear on the face and the limbs.

HOW TO PREVENT CHIKUNGUNYA

Chikungunya spreads when anyone’s blood gets infected with the virus and so, the whole point boils down to how does the virus enter the blood? The number one answer for that is an infected Aedes mosquito. These mosquitoes can bite at any time of the day. So, presenting some tips by which you can keep these nasty mosquitoes away from your kids and family.

1. Since it is spring and mosquitoes are at their worst best, it’s always better to dress up your kids in full-sleeved clothes during their play time. For more protection, you can use outdoor repellent such as the Goodknight Fabric Roll-On. Just four dots on clothes can provide a much-needed protection for 8 hours. For toddlers, the Goodknight Patches can help in keeping those mosquitoes away. These products are made with the goodness of 100 % natural ingredients such as citronella and eucalyptus oils and are also pediatrician certified.

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2. Apart from this, keep citronella and lemon grass plants at your house. The main repelling characteristic of these plants is their fragrance.

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3. Using mosquito net for your baby’s cot is also another very feasible idea to keep mosquitoes away. Just make sure there are no open or loose ends from which the mosquitoes might sneak in. I would also recommend using an electric repeller such as the Goodknight Activ+ that provides in-home protection by allowing you to choose between the normal and activ modes, depending on the mosquito-infestation around you.

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We are sure by following these simple tips you can keep chikungunya at bay. Like it is always said ‘Prevention is better than cure’.

 

 

About Udita Saklani

Udita is a full time working mom based out of Delhi. She is an IT professional and loves travelling and blogging. Udita is also the founder of http://withlovezuzu.com/ blog.
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