Patient's question:
The child is 1 year and 2 months old, male. On June 18, he started with a cold and fever, with a high temperature of over 39°C. After taking medicine for several days, he showed improvement. During this period, his fever reached over 39°C again. On the morning of June 22, he started fevering again, with a measured temperature of 38.3°C. It was thought that the previous cold had not fully recovered, so ibuprofen was given to reduce fever. Two hours later, he became lethargic and had seizures. He was taken to the hospital for sedation and treated with ceftriaxone sodium (Rocephin), Resiquimod, Bromhexine, and other medications. After intravenous fluids, the child's mental state improved, and he returned to normal eating and sleeping. An electroencephalogram was normal. On the morning of June 23, he went to the hospital for a blood test. His mental state was good during the blood test, but it was generally okay during the infusion. After the infusion, he returned home at noon and became lethargic. An hour later, he was taken to the hospital and admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit, where he has been ever since. He has had a fever since admission, with occasional temperatures below 38°C, and has been in a drowsy state. He responds to stimuli but has had seizures four times in total. After 7 days in the ICU, he was transferred to the pediatric ward of Qilu Hospital in Jinan. Now, the child is awake but unconscious, agitated, and the doctors here say the MRI results are very serious.Doctor's answer:
There is no specific treatment for viral encephalitis; the main approach is symptomatic treatment, supportive treatment, and prevention of complications. For severe headaches, painkillers can be used, and mannitol may be appropriately administered for cerebral edema. Antiviral treatment can significantly shorten the course of the illness and alleviate symptoms. Acyclovir is commonly used for simplex virus and EB virus, while ganciclovir can be taken for cytomegalovirus encephalitis. The above are the methods for treating viral encephalitis. The condition you described is very serious, but with scientific treatment, there is a possibility of gradual recovery. For those experiencing convulsions or severe coma, Beijing Tong Ren Tang's An Gong Ni Huang Wan can be taken alongside these treatments to improve neurological function, which also helps in gradual recovery.