How many days does it take for oral herpes in children to heal?
Disease description:
The child has developed oral herpes in the mouth and is crying and refusing to eat. This has been going on for several days now. How many days does it usually take for oral herpes in children to heal? It's really heartbreaking to watch.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Chao
In general, oral herpes in children can heal within 7 to 14 days, depending on the severity of the herpes lesions. If the condition is mild, recovery usually occurs within about 7 days. However, if the herpes is severe and widespread, the recovery period may extend to approximately 14 days.
When the condition is mild, the viral infection is limited in scope and causes minimal damage to tissues such as the oral mucosa. The child's immune system can relatively quickly identify the virus and initiate an immune response by deploying immune cells to combat the infection. Additionally, the oral mucosa itself has a certain capacity for self-repair. With the support of the immune system, damaged tissues can be largely repaired and the herpes lesions resolved within about 7 days.
However, if the oral herpes is caused by hand-foot-and-mouth disease or other viral infections and involves numerous lesions, the healing time may be prolonged to around 14 days or even longer. In such cases, antiviral medications may be required under the guidance of a physician.
It is recommended to maintain good oral hygiene in daily care, including rinsing the mouth with warm saline solution, to help alleviate pain and promote healing.
