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Common Childhood Illnesses Explained

This document discusses several common childhood illnesses including colds, gastroenteritis, ear infections, pink eye, sore throats, chickenpox, ringworm, head lice, and impetigo. It also covers more serious contagious diseases such as meningitis, hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS. Colds are the most common childhood illness, with children averaging 6-10 per year. Gastroenteritis, commonly called stomach flu, causes vomiting and diarrhea which can lead to dehydration. Ear infections occur when fluid trapped in the middle ear due to respiratory illnesses becomes infected by viruses or bacteria.

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Siddharth Diptiman Bhaumik
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46 views6 pages

Common Childhood Illnesses Explained

This document discusses several common childhood illnesses including colds, gastroenteritis, ear infections, pink eye, sore throats, chickenpox, ringworm, head lice, and impetigo. It also covers more serious contagious diseases such as meningitis, hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS. Colds are the most common childhood illness, with children averaging 6-10 per year. Gastroenteritis, commonly called stomach flu, causes vomiting and diarrhea which can lead to dehydration. Ear infections occur when fluid trapped in the middle ear due to respiratory illnesses becomes infected by viruses or bacteria.

Uploaded by

Siddharth Diptiman Bhaumik
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

1.

Colds S More than 200 diff erent viruses are


known
To cause the symptoms of the common cold.
Some
Occasionally produce serious illnesses. Others
Produce mild infections in adults but can
precipitate
Severe lower respiratory infections in young
Children. Children have about 6S10 colds per
year,
While adults average about 2S4 colds per year.3
2. Gastroenteritis S Commonly called
“stomach
Fl u,” though not akin to the fl u for which we
can
Be vaccinated, gastroenteritis is characterized
By vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to?
Dehydration, particularly in young children.
Gastroenteritis can be caused by viral, bacterial,
or
Parasitic infections; however, viral
gastroenteritis
Is highly contagious and is responsible for the
Majority of outbreaks in developed countries.4
3. Ear Infections (obits media) S Respiratory
Illnesses, such as colds and allergies, cause
congestion, which may squeeze shut a child’s
eustachian tube S the tiny drainage pipe for
the middle ear. Fluid trapped in the middle ear
can become a breeding ground for viruses or
bacteria (that’s why some ear infections go
away
on their own [viral] and some require antibiotics
[bacterial]).1 Although the ear infection itself is
not
contagious, a respiratory illness that causes the
ear
infection can be. Ear infections can be very
painful,
and the child should be kept comfortable during
this period. If your child has not had fever for
two
days, is beyond the point of serious pain, and is
not suff ering from hearing loss, it is fi ne to
send
the child back to school.15
4. Pink eye (conjunctivitis) S Pink eye can be a
viral
or bacterial infection that results in infl
ammation
of the clear membrane that covers the white part
of
the eye and lines the inner surface of the
eyelids.1
5. Sore throat S Most sore throats are caused
by
viruses, but about 15 percent of children’s sore
throats are caused by streptococci S the bacteria
that causes strep throat. Fevers above 101 F
are
common in strep throat, and swallowing can be
so
painful that the child may have diffi culty
eating.1
Other Common Illnesses among Children
• Chicken pox S Itchy, fl uid-fi lled blisters
caused by
a virus.5
• Ringworm S Skin infection caused by a
fungus
(not by a worm).6
• Head lice S Tiny insects that infest the hair of
the
scalp and sometimes eyebrows and eyelashes,
resulting in intense itching and sometimes red
bumps that become crusty and ooze.7
• Impetigo S Skin disorder caused by bacterial
infection and characterized by crusty skin
lesions.
Typically, the infection begins as a cluster of
tiny
blisters, followed by oozing and the formation
of a
thick, honey or brown-colored crust that is fi
rmly
stuck to the skin.2, 8
Contagious Diseases of a
More Serious Nature
• Meningitis S Viral or bacterial infection that
causes
infl ammation of the membranes covering the
brain
and spinal cord. Symptoms may include fever
and
chills, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck,
sensitivity
to light, and mental status changes.9
• Hepatitis S Infl ammation of the liver, which
can
be caused by an infection from parasites,
bacteria,
or viruses (such as hepatitis A, B, or C).
Symptoms
may include dark urine and pale or clay-colored
stools, loss of appetite, fatigue, abdominal pain
or
distention, general itching, jaundice, nausea and
vomiting, low-grade fever, weight loss, and
breast
development in males.10
• HIV/AIDS S Viral infection caused by human
immunodefi ciency virus (HIV) that gradually
destroys the immune system, resulting in
infections that are hard for the body to fi ght.
Any symptoms of illness may occur since

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