“I’m sure I’m getting Dengue” I told Anna Shetty dramatically when I swatted the mosquito that bit me in the garden around five years ago. It was way before sunset when the Malarial mosquitos normally descend but the Aedes mosquito that carries the dengue virus attacks in broad daylight!
“Don’t talk rubbish, ” my newly minted doctor daughter pooh-poohed my unscientific spot diagnosis.
“You need to present symptoms of dengue before you can confirm it, ” she went on.
Early symptoms
I soon developed a blinding headache, pain in the joints and a lowgrade fever. I also saw a blotchy rash emerging on my body.
I sent off my blood sample to the laboratory for testing and sure enough it tested positive for dengue.
Essentially Dengue is a viral, flu-like illness which if left untreated can lead to haemorrhaging and death. I actually know of two young mothers who died in just three days of getting dengue , despite being hospitalised for treatment in the city’s best hospitals.
Worse still, dengue can occur in infants and children as well so it isn’t something that should be treated lightly.
Treatment
Unlike Malaria, there is no medical treatment for dengue. All that is required is a close monitoring of the platelet levels, hydration and complete rest.
From my personal experience, I can tell you that it was hard to keep my eyes open at all and for four days I was in a deep comatose slumber , waking up occasionally for a sip of water, food or a paracetamol.
Every time I woke up, Hubby Dear would thrust the thermometer in my mouth and ensure that the fever was under check . I also had nothing to eat but my favourite moong dal khichadi that was cooked to a comforting mush. Sadly, I got no comfort from it and would have gladly gone without were it not for the fact that I needed a protein rich, mild diet just to combat the parasites in my body.
Prevention is better than cure
Historically, Mumbai has been a malaria infested area, its marshy Islands providing the perfect habitat for the mosquito . So now with the indiscriminate building activity in my city, malaria , dengue and other mosquito borne diseases are steadily on the rise.
Unlike the anopheles mosquito that breeds in stagnant water, the Aedes mosquito that carries the virus breeds in clean water.
And as always, prevention is better than cure. So since then , we’ve ensured that our home is dengue free with a #Goodknight Activ + electronic device plugged in every room .
Decently priced (₹78) and available at all chemists and kirana stores , it lasts for a month. Once over, you can easily replace with a refill. The liquid repellent is non -toxic and it’s mild fragrance makes it a pleasant deodorant too !
And just to make sure that I don’t get bitten while I’m out and about , I roll down some fabric roll-on on my clothes to keep the mosquitos away. This is a non-irritant, non-staining repellent that I always keep in my handbag.
As for Wow Dinga, Little Po and Ms Papaya, #Goodknight patches allow them to play in our garden for up to 8 hours at a time!
Additional tips for preventing dengue
Potted plants , accumulating junk and even fresh flowers home can encourage the breeding of mosquitos because there are more than one kind of dengue to choose from .
Do follow the link to read more about it here.
Say #Goodbye to dengue with #Goodknight and give your family the protection they need from this dreaded tropical disease
Twenty- five Seven 