KALISPELL - Health officials are urging parents of young children to keep an eye out for signs of acute hepatitis after 180 cases of the virus have been reported.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes hepatitis of an unknown cause has been found in young children in 36 states over the past seven months.
Logan Health Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Director Margaret Satchell said the virus is typically infecting children five years of age and younger. She added the virus can be deadly if left untreated and parents should take children to a healthcare provider immediately if they’re experiencing symptoms.
“The main symptom that we would be looking for I should say is yellowing of the skin, it’s called jaundice, there also could be yellowing of the white areas of the eye as another pretty common symptom and probably would be the most obvious symptom that your child could have,” said Dr. Satchell.
Dr. Satchell said while the hepatitis of unknown cause has not been found in Montana in the last seven months, cases in young children have been reported in recent years.
