Article: While treating dengue patients at home, it's important to prevent further contact with mosquitoes because the infection can spread from person-to-person via mosquitoes. In other words, controlling mosquitoes is key to preventing others from becoming ill. Use window and door screens at home to prevent mosquitoes from entering. Use mosquito nets while sleeping. Wear clothes that minimize skin exposure to mosquitoes. Apply mosquito repellent to exposed skin. Repellants like DEET, picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus are effective. Children should not handle repellents. Adults should apply repellents to their own hands first and spread them on the child's skin. Do not use repellents on children under two months old. Prevent the breeding of mosquitoes by draining stagnant water around the house and cleaning water storage containers frequently. Dengue patients must go to the hospital every day to have their fever and blood count assessed. These daily visits must occur as long as the patient exhibits a fever of more than 37.5 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). This monitoring at the hospital can cease after there has been no fever over a 48-hour period. Permit the patient to slowly resume his previous activities, particularly during the long period of convalescence. Because dengue often causes significant tiredness and lethargy, it's important that patients get plenty of rest and progress back into their daily routines with caution. This medication will help treat the fever. Give one tablet of 325 to 500 mg. A total of four tablets can be given to the patient in one day. Do not give the patient aspirin, ibuprofen, or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These can increase the risk of bleeding in those with dengue. Patients should be encouraged to drink water, fruit juice, and oral rehydration solutions to prevent dehydration from fever or vomiting. Adequate fluid intake decreases the chance that a patient with dengue will have to be hospitalized. Men and women (ages 19 to 30 years) should aim to drink three liters and 2.7 liters of water per day, respectively. Boys and girls should have 2.7 and 2.2 liters of water daily, respectively. For infants, the intake is 0.7-0.8 liters/day. You can also prepare a juice using papaya leaves for dengue patients. Papaya leaf extract has been reported to increase platelet count in dengue patients., although there is not yet firm clinical research to support this. Maintaining a daily record will help you observe any worsening of symptoms. It's important to monitor children and babies closely since they are more likely to develop more serious cases of dengue. Keep clear notes on the following: The patient's temperature. Since temperature varies during the day, it is preferable to record it at same time daily. This will make your daily reading reliable and valid. Fluid intake. Ask the patient to drink from the same cup each time; this will make it easier for you to remember and keep track of the total volume consumed. Urine output. Ask the patient to urinate into a container. Measure and record the amount of urine each time. These containers are commonly used at hospitals to measure 24-hour urine output. You will be provided with one or can inquire about it at the hospital. Head to the hospital immediately if the patient exhibits any of the following signs: High fever Severe abdominal pain Persistent vomiting Cold and clammy extremities (could be due to dehydration or blood loss) Lethargy Confusion (as a result of poor water intake or blood loss) Inability to pass urine regularly (at least every 6 hours) Bleeding (vaginal and/or bleeding, bleeding from nose, eyes or gums, red spots or patches on skin) Difficulty in breathing (due to fluid collection in lungs)
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Maintain a clean and mosquito-free environment. Take dengue patients to the hospital daily. Ensure the patient gets sufficient bed rest. Give the patient Acetaminophen/paracetamol (Tylenol®️). Encourage the patient to drink a lot of fluids. Keep a daily record of symptoms. Take the patient to the hospital if her symptoms worsen.