Primary herpes are the first skin eruption or mouth sores you see as a sign of the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). Herpes simplex virus – primary herpes – is more excruciating than the commonly recognized secondary or recurrent herpes infection, which are refer to as fever blisters or cold sores.
The two common conditions of primary herpes – Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) and Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV-2) – are responsible for the different infections of primary herpes. HSV-1 is responsible for the cause of lesion that appear around the mouth and the lips of kids. HSV-2 causes genital herpes. Both conditions are highly contagious and are transmitted by direct contact with the lesion of another infected individual – it could be a parent, playmates or even a care taker.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Primary herpes is commonly seen in children and some of the symptoms you can look out for are:
- Painful blisters
- Fever
- Irritability
- Poor appetite
- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
- Erosions of the gums and the skin around the region of the mouth.
Once your kids begin to complain about burning, itching and prickling sensations which are indications of the Herpes Simplex Virus in kids, you would have to take immediate action and take them to their Pediatric Dentist or Pediatrician.
Management of Primary Herpes
As with most viruses, the Herpes virus infection has no cure. Although the symptoms can be alleviated, the virus stays latent throughout the patient’s life time with seasonal acute exacerbation and outbreaks. These subsequent outbreaks are caused by stress related conditions like extreme temperature (cold or heat), emotional stress, any condition that leads to a reduction in the body’s immunity like illnesses from other causes, chemotherapy or steroid use etc.
During outbreaks, it is important to manage the presenting symptoms that could impair standard of living. Pain relief medication can be used for pain. It is important that your child stays hydrated as children are prone to avoiding anything in their mouth. Dehydration is the most severe and potentially fatal consequences of Primary herpes. If your child is not drinking water or showing signs of dehydration, consult with your physician as soon as possible.
Thanks to recent advancements in technology, laser therapy has become one of the most effective ways in the management of Herpes virus infections in children.
Laser Therapy for Primary Herpes in Children
Laser therapy can be used to treat a variety of medical issues. it is also very effective in palliative treatment primary herpes in children.
In a research work published by the international journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry, it is put forward that no effective approach has been conducted in treating HSV. However, results from several studies have shown how extremely effective Low level laser therapy (LLLT) is for treating HSV. This is as a result of its accelerating healing process and pain-relieving experience.
LLLT is a preferred and comfortable technique for treating children with HSV. LLLT is proven to have the potential for clinical improvement of painful sores. This is due to the acceleration of the healing process by bio-stimulation of tissues thereby enabling the body to heal itself and production of pain relief. So, a child with HSV can be comfortably treated using LLLT without the aid of anesthesia.
If applied very early at the first onset of symptoms, LLLT could mitigate a possible progression of primary herpes to cold sore.
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