Home care for typhoid patients: the dos and don’ts

Typhoid, an infection caused by Salmonella typhi, spreads through contaminated food and water. If contracted, timely medical care is necessary. One must follow the necessary precautions to prevent typhoid from spreading. In this article, we break down some typhoid recovery tips.

How to take care of a typhoid patient

It is essential to follow the doctor’s instructions and complete the course of the prescribed medication. While there are no particular home remedies for typhoid fever, you can follow certain practices to ensure that the patient will recover faster.

Dos

1. Complete the full course of antibiotics

Patients must complete the full course of prescribed antibiotics, even if symptoms improve. Stopping early can lead to relapse or recurrence of typhoid. Inadequate treatment encourages increased antibiotic resistance in the community.

2. Practice strict hygiene at home

The patient and caregivers should wash their hands properly with soap and water after using the washroom and before eating a meal. If anyone else comes in contact with the patient, they should also do the same.

3. Get enough rest and stay hydrated

Typhoid fever can lead to weakness and fatigue. Make sure that the patient gets plenty of time to rest and drinks lots of fluids. Boiled or disinfected water, oral rehydration solutions, electrolyte-rich fluids and fresh fruits or fruit juices should be a part of the diet for typhoid patients.

4. Eat nutritious food

For a patient to fully recover, it is essential to make sure that they get nutritious food to eat during typhoid fever. Home-cooked food given at regular intervals can help speed up the recovery. You can give the patients smaller meals throughout the day.

5. Get vaccinated for typhoid fever

To prevent any future cases of typhoid, it is a good idea to get the rest of the family members vaccinated. The patient should also be given typhoid conjugate vaccine on recovery to prevent recurrence in the future. The typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV), recommended by the WHO, is safe for children from 6 months and is highly effective. It can be safely given till 65 years of age.

Don’ts

1. Don’t allow the patient to prepare or serve food

Since typhoid bacteria spread through contaminated food, it is advisable that patients avoid cooking or handling food for others until they are completely cured.

2. Don’t delay medical attention

If the symptoms persist or get worse despite the treatment, then seek immediate medical attention. Typhoid symptoms may worsen and can sometimes lead to life-threatening complications. To prevent these, hospitalisation might be required.

3. Don’t allow infected individuals to return to high-risk settings too soon

Children infected with typhoid fever should not be attending school or daycare till they are completely cured. Individuals who work in the food and beverage industry should avoid returning to work until cleared by the doctor or till they test negative.

Conclusion

Typhoid fever can be life-threatening if left untreated. If you are diagnosed with typhoid, follow the advice given by your doctor, since home remedies for typhoid alone do not cure typhoid disease. However, while the patient is recovering, home care does help. The dos and don’ts for typhoid serves as a guide on best practices, and should be supplemented with advice from your doctor.

To prevent typhoid, follow safe food and water practices, maintain good hygiene, wash your hands regularly and thoroughly and consider getting vaccinated. By taking these precautions, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from typhoid fever and its complications.

Resources

Disclaimer: A public awareness initiative by Bharat Biotech International Limited. This information is for general awareness only and does not constitute medical advice. The doctors, medical facilities and graphics shown are for illustrative purposes only. For any medical advice or any question or concern you may have regarding your condition, consult your doctor.