5 Types Of Hepatitis In Children & Their Prevention

Are you concerned about your kid’s health and wish to keep him safe from developing Hepatitis? Are you wondering how you can prevent the risk of Hepatitis affecting your child? If yes, then reading this post will help you learn proper preventive measures to keep Hepatitis at bay and let your kid enjoy a good health.

Hepatitis is an infection which affects the liver. Children tend to have a weaker immune system as compared to the adults. So, kids are more vulnerable to infection and diseases at a higher rate than adults. We all get panic when it comes to kid’s contracting an infection. However, following certain measures will help keep your little one safe from Hepatitis and stay fit and fine.

There are five types of Hepatitis virus, namely Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D, and Hepatitis E. Scroll down to learn how they can affect kids.

1 Hepatitis A:

The most common Hepatitis occurring in kids is Hepatitis A due to hepatitis A virus (HAV). It is infectious, and a kid can get infected with it easily if he happens to consume contaminated food or water or if he touches an object which is infected with this virus. Usually, HAV is mild, lasts for about 6 months, and does not progress to a chronic condition

Preventive Measures:

You can prevent your kid from getting infected with Hepatitis A virus by getting your kids above the age of one year vaccinated. There are three doses, two booster doses on 6^th and 12^th month following one dose.

2 Hepatitis B:

Hepatitis B can lead to a chronic condition in kids. It affects the kids when they are exposed to infected blood, via mother to baby transmission, and by sharing personalized things with the infected individuals.

Preventive Measures:

Hepatitis B vaccine is 90% to 95% effective in preventing this infection. It offers your kid protection for up to 20 years.

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3 Hepatitis C:

Hepatitis C is more common in adults than in kids. However, newborn babies may contract this infection if their mothers are infected with it. Also, as this infection in blood-borne, kids can contract Hepatitis C infection due to the following list.

If kids are injected with a needle which was previously used on an infected individual, they may get Hepatitis C.
Transfusion of an infected blood too can make children prone to this infection.
If medical equipment is reused without sterilizing them, they can infect the kids.

Preventive Measures:

You can prevent Hepatitis C in kids by ensuring that your child is treated with a sterilized medical equipment and needles.
Avoid transfusion of infected blood too can help kids stay safe.

4 Hepatitis D:

Hepatitis D virus does not attack alone. It attacks when the child is already infected with Hepatitis B. So, there is a double attack of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis D. Hepatitis D virus turns stronger in the presence of Hepatitis B. However, in comparison to other Hepatitis infections, Hepatitis D is rare in kids.

Preventive Measures:

The only known precaution to prevent kids from contracting Hepatitis D is vaccinating your kid against Hepatitis B.

5 Hepatitis E:

Hepatitis E virus spreads through contaminated food and water. Hepatitis E is self-limiting and rarely progresses to a chronic condition.

Preventive Measure:

Make sure you provide your child uncontaminated food and water. Give your kid boiled and cooled water.

Prevention From Hepatitis In General:

Here are some tips that can help prevent your child from getting infected with Hepatitis in general.

Vaccinate your child at the right time.
Avoid giving your child unhygienic street food.
Make sure you provide your kid clean boiled/ filtered water daily for drinking.
Avoid providing your kid vegetables in the raw state without boiling or peeling them.

As it is rightly said ‘Prevention is better than cure.’, following these preventive measures will help you keep your child free from Hepatitis. So, make sure to follow all these preventive measures when raising your dear little one to help him/her enjoy a good health.

-Written by Dr. Krutika, Associate doctor to Dr. Rajesh Shah

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