Children with rabies attacks are usually treated with either aggressive or conservative therapies depending on the duration and severity of the disease, the vaccination status, and the wishes of the family.
1. Aggressive treatment: For children with rabies attacks, when the disease is in the early or middle stage, no comorbidities have appeared, rabies vaccination has been received, there is hope for survival and the family can accept the child’s survival with severe sequelae, an aggressive treatment program will be adopted.
It consists of combination therapy, including antiviral treatment with drugs such as ribavirin and interferon, immunotherapy to complete the full course of vaccination after rabies exposure and the use of immunoglobulin. Neuroprotection is provided by cooling hoods and intranasal cooling.
2. Conservative therapy: When a child with a rabies attack is in the advanced stages of the disease, complications arise, survival is unlikely and the family cannot accept the survival of the child with severe neurological sequelae, conservative treatment is generally adopted.
The focus is on pain relief with sedatives such as diazepam for muscle relaxation and sedation. Haloperidol relieves agitation and reduces hallucinations, delirium, and aggression. Anticholinergic drugs such as scopolamine to control salivary secretion, antipyretic drugs such as ibuprofen to control body temperature and other symptomatic treatment.
There is no effective treatment for rabies. It should be noted that children who are bitten by a dog should immediately consult a doctor to clean the wound and receive rabies vaccination, parents should not take a chance. Once a child rabies, should be immediately sent to the hospital, by a team of professional doctors for systematic and formal emergency treatment.