Showing posts with label Childhood Diseases. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Childhood Diseases. Show all posts

Monday, June 23, 2014

Common Childhood Diseases

Common Childhood Diseases
Children are usually vaccinated from birth against various common childhood diseases. Most can be contagious while others are not. Contagious diseases are transmitted one to another, in environments such as day-care centers, classrooms, and common play areas.



Many common childhood diseases, once contracted could result in lifelong immunity in the infected child. Vaccinations provide immunity to some diseases.



Parenting is no easy task and it is when these precious bundles of joy get sick that parents get worried and want to do their best and work wonders to make the pain and discomfort go away. This is not always possible, and contracting any of the common childhood disease can be possible at any time and age.



Here is a list of common childhood disease.



Chickenpox - once contracted the body is immune to a further attack at a later stage or age. Symptoms include, red, itchy, spots or blisters that is scattered throughout body. The child may have a slight fever. Treatment could be in the form of calamine lotion to reduce itching. Antiviral medicine if the outbreak if severe and some mild medication for the fever may be administered. Incubation period would usually be between 10 - 20 days. Chickenpox can be considered contagious from a few days before and after the disease. The child should not attend school. Plenty of fluids should be included in the normal diet. In some cases antibiotics would be prescribed.



Whooping cough - symptoms include fits of coughing, wheezy breathing and vomiting. Symptoms may become worse and flare up at night. There is no particular treatment; children should be given small amounts of food to prevent vomiting and plenty of fresh air. Incubation period would usually be 7 days after exposure. The disease is contagious during the first week. The child should be kept away from school.



Viral infection - Symptoms include rash, fever, muscle aches and headache. It is also know as "slapped cheek" syndrome. Treatment should be sought if the symptoms are severe and the child in uncomfortable. Incubation period is up to 14 days and is mostly seen in children between the ages of 4 and 12.



Strep Throat - the child will have a sore and red throat with symptoms including vomiting, headache, fever and abdominal pain. The child may have difficulty swallowing and the glands on the side of the neck may swell. This is a bacterial infection that is diagnosed by swabbing the back of the throat. Treatment is through Antibiotics, which reduces the child's fever and provide quick comfort.



Common Cold - this is a viral infection. Symptoms include sneezing, runny nose and fever, vomiting, diarrhea and body aches. A common cold does not last very long the only treatment is something warm preferably chicken soup and a mild antibiotic for the fever.



Scarlet fever - symptoms include slight fever, sore throat and a rash in the armpits or groin and the skin peels. Treatment is in the form of antibiotics. The incubation period is 5 - 8 days.



Hand, foot and mouth disease - symptoms include small spots and blisters in the mouth and on the feet and hands. The child may have a slight fever for a couple of days.



There is no such treatment other than plenty of fluids. The disease is contagious.






Chronic Childhood Diseases

Chronic Childhood Diseases
Acute diseases are common in children of any age group, some of the acute diseases are ear or upper respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal sickness with diarrhea and vomiting or problems related to injury. Some children may suffer from chronic illness which is developed because of environment conditions or genetic conditions or by the combination of both the reasons. This chronic disease stays for several years or even throughout the life time. These diseases can develop because of prenatal exposure of drinking, tobacco smoking and other toxic substances affects the baby's physical condition. Pregnant women must take care of environment and nutrition conditions to assure safety of children.



Some of the major chronic diseases are described below:



1. Asthma - the asthmatic children patients increases every day and this disease is common in many children around the world. Time to time treatment of asthma helps the patient from asthmatic deaths, emergency treatment and hospitalization.



2. Cystic fibrosis - it is an inherited chronic disease which is not having any cure. Early diagnosis of this disease can lead to improved treatment of cystic fibrosis.



3. Diabetes - because of this disease there is an increase in risk of blood and heart vessel disorder, diabetes associated complications and stroke problems at early stages.



4. Obesity and overweight - this is not a disease but now days more and more children are getting overweight and they carry their obesity till adulthood. This overweight thing can bring problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, stroke problem, high cholesterol, some cancer, sleeping disorders and arthritis.



5. Malnutrition - malnutrition is the caused by low diet or inadequate food supply. This can cause several diseases like anemia, improper immune system, susceptibility to sickness and brain growth problems.



These diseases are chronic and they are not curable but they can be controlled by sufficient care of the patient. Patient in these cases should avoid intake of foods which are harmful to their body. Smoking, drinking and other addictive drugs should be avoided in these conditions. Mental illness is also a kind of chronic disease and they are not curable but early treatment can reduce the effects of this disease. Prematurity is also a chronic childhood disease and this in this case nothing is possible to cure, these patients suffering with prematurity should be given extra care and warmth to make them feel comfortable and relaxed. This chronic childhood disease is incurable but at least it can be treated to reduce the effects on the child.