When an infected animal bites another animal, the rabies virus is transmitted through the infected animal s saliva. Scratches by claws of rabid animals are also dangerous because these animals lick their claws. The incubation in humans from the time of exposure to the onset of illness can range anywhere from five days to more than a year, although the average incubation period is about two months. The following are the most common symptoms of rabies. However, each child may experience symptoms differently.
Some children become agitated and disoriented, while others become paralyzed.
Immediate death, or coma resulting in death from other complications, may result. The symptoms of rabies may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your child's physician for a diagnosis. Test results are usually known within a few hours. Knowing these results may save a child from undergoing treatment if the animal is not rabid.