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Watch for these 10 signs of hepatitis in children

Parents should also vaccinate their children against hepatitis viruses A and B.

By Denise M. Baran-Unland
Vaccinations for the viral diseases Hepatitis A, Measles, Mumps, and Rubella sit on a counter as medical assistant Teresa Velazquez fills syringes with the liquids for Hayley Wilson of Wonder Lake, 1, at Northwestern Medicine - McHenry Campus on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018 in McHenry.

Vaccinations for the viral diseases Hepatitis A, Measles, Mumps, and Rubella sit on a counter at Northwestern Medicine - McHenry Campus on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018 in McHenry. The Centers for Disease Control is working health departments in Illinois and across the U.S. to find a cause for a rare hepatitis recently found in young children.

Adenovirus type 41 infection might be related to the rare hepatitis recently identified in some children, including possibly three in Illinois.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, adenovirus type 41 typically causes stomach illness or cold and flu symptoms, not hepatitis, in healthy children.

The CDC said it’s working with state and local public health departments and public health officials internationally to determine a cause. The cause of this rare hepatitis is currently unknown, the CDC said.

Edward Hospital said parents should vaccinate their children against hepatitis viruses A and B. Parents should also call their pediatrician if their kids have any of these symptoms of hepatitis, the hospital said.

  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Dark urine
  • Light-colored stools
  • Joint pain
  • Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of eyes)

To prevent illness, Edward Hospital said people of all ages should:

  • Wash hands regularly and thoroughly
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
  • Avoid close contact with sick people

For more information, visit EEHealth.org/services/children.