A Publication of the
RCC: ECD Programme


Parent’s guide to common illnesses

Is your child falling sick more frequently? Has s/he ever developed a severe chill or a stomach ache in the middle of the night? These are some common questions which arise in parents’ minds or which parents have to deal with frequently. It would, therefore, be beneficial if parents knew more about preventive measures to avoid common ailments.

Although in most cases there is no substitute to a good doctor’s advice or prescriptions, its always best if parents knew more about common illnesses that can affect their children. After all, all children are likely to have many different health problems during their infancy and childhood.

If your child is sick with minor ailments such as the common flu, abdominal pain, coughs etc. read on and learn how you can help them in times of their illnesses.

Your child is probably not ill if s/he:

  • will coo, make eye contact, smile or reach for an object. (For babies)
  • will pay attention to activities, smile, walk around to get things. (For toddlers)
  • will engage in quiet activities like coloring or reading. (For older children)

    Your child is seriously ill if s/he:

  • is not making eye contact, refuses to feed, cries or cannot be comforted. (For babies)
  • refuses to play, cries inconsolably, moans, appears very weak, turns away and stares repeatedly or is very hard to awaken if sleeping. (For toddlers)
  • refuses to talk, interact or keeps dropping off to sleep without periods of activity. (For older children)
    • COLDS

    A cold is an infection of the upper respiratory system. This just means it affects the nose, throat, and ears. A cold virus gets inside your child’s body and makes him/her sick. There are over 200 viruses that cause colds. Because there are so many, there isn't a vaccination, or shot, to prevent you from getting colds.

    Fortunately, your child’s body already has the best cold cure - his/her immune system and its white blood cells.

    How do your kids catch colds? Mucus is the wet, slimy stuff inside the nose. When someone sneezes or coughs, mucus drops float in the air. Breathing in these droplets can spread a cold from one person to another. The virus takes over the cells lining the nose and begins to multiply. Colds are not caused by cold air or swimming. Your child can also catch a cold if s/he touches his/her eyes or nose after handling something with cold viruses on it. So be sure to ask your children to wash their hands regularly.

    Colds are contagious a day or two before the onset of symptoms and for an average of 7 to 10 days. As the cold progresses, contagiousness gradually decreases.

    White blood cells charge to the nose's rescue and cause cold symptoms, while also killing the virus that caused the cold. Runny noses and sneezing actually help to prevent viruses from invading other parts of your body.

    Most children get about six to ten colds per year. The frequency is higher if the child is in school, has siblings in school or is around a lot of other children.

    Symptoms
    Once your child has been in contact with a cold virus, it takes 2 to 3 days for cold symptoms to begin. If your child has some of the following symptoms, s/he probably has a cold:

  • Low fever (100 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.2 to 37.8 degrees Celsius)
  • Body chills
  • Itchy or sore throat
  • Sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes
  • Coughing
  • Feeling tired and not hungry
  • Congestion (when the nose gets stuffy and causes difficulty to breathe)

    How can you help your kids?

    Although medicine doesn't make colds go away faster, some medicines can help you feel better while you wait for your cold to go away. Having said that, only give medicines to your child after the advice and prescription of a doctor.

    Here are some other feel-better tips:

  • Bring on the heat. Hot drinks soothe coughs and sore throats while also clearing mucus. So make your child eat (or drink) chicken soup!
  • Get steamed up. A steamy shower helps stuffy or irritated noses. Or place your child in front of a pot of boiling water with some decongestants like vaporizers, oils etc. dissolved in it. The steam will loosen mucus.
  • Practice healthy habits. Your child’s immune system will be ready to fight colds if s/he eats a balanced diet, gets plenty of sleep, and keeps his/her body fit through regular exercise/play.
  • Blow the horn. Make your child blow his/her nose to get rid of mucus.
  • Rest. Encourage your child to take naps or go to bed a little earlier for a few nights.
  • De-stress. Kids who are stressed out feel worse when they have colds. Help them relax, read to them or watch a movie with them. In other words, help your child chill out.
    • COUGHS

    Coughs are a reflex that forces air from the lungs with a sudden noise. It is a symptom for a wide group of diseases.

    How do your kids catch a cough?

    Coughs are the symptoms of a variety of diseases. They can be caused by several reasons. Some common ones are:

  • Cold viruses often cause a postnasal drip and that causes a cough. This is the most common cause for a cough.

  • Pneumonia, which is an infection in the lungs, may be caused by viruses or bacteria. Children with pneumonia can barely appear sick with low-grade fever and a mild cough or be very ill with high fevers and labored breathing.

  • Asthma may cause coughing and wheezing. This may be triggered by viruses, exercise or an allergic trigger like dust, smoke, mold or pets. Foreign body aspiration should be suspected if there is a history of a coughing or choking episode with eating.

    How can you help your kids?

    a) Medications. Coughs may be a helpful mechanism for the body to protect the lungs, which is why they do not always need to be suppressed. If the cough interferes with your child’s sleep or school or work, a cough suppressant may be helpful. They should not be used for children under one year of age without discussing with a pediatrician. Cough drops are not recommended in young children because of a choking risk. If the cough worsens please take your child to a doctor.

    b) Humidifiers. These are helpful, especially if a dry cough is present. If your child is having a coughing spasm that is difficult to stop, a session in a steamy bathroom with the shower running may be helpful. Humidifiers must be kept clean and if possible, distilled water is recommended.

    c) Diet. Make sure your child is staying well-hydrated and is not consuming a food item that that s/he may be allergic or sensitive to.

    FLU

    The flu is caused by the influenza virus. Anyone who's at risk of getting really sick (especially babies under 2 years of age) need to get a flu shot or vaccine.

    How do your kids catch flu?

    The influenza virus gets around in little drops that spray out of an infected person's mouth and nose when he or she sneezes or coughs. Your child can catch the flu from someone who has the flu if they breathe in some of those tiny flu-infected drops. Your child can also catch the flu if those drops get on his/her hands and s/he touches his/her mouth or nose.

    Symptoms
    The virus causes an infection that result in fever, chills, cough, body aches, headaches, earaches, sinus problems.

    How can you help your kids?

    When your kids are down with the flu, make sure that they:

  • Drink lots of liquids, like water, chicken broth, and other fluids.
  • Get plenty of sleep. If they can't sleep anymore, help them rest.
  • Wash their hands! You don't want them to catch the germs that cause the flu. Also, ask them not to share cups and eating utensils, like forks and spoons, with anyone.

    • CHICKPOX

    Chickenpox is caused by a virus called varicella zoster that usually starts with a fever. After the fever and being infected by the virus a rash develops within a day or two. The rash looks like a small, red bump that has a thin water blister surrounded by a small area of redness on the skin around the blister. These blisters then become open sores that finally dry and crust. The blisters initially appear on the head and neck area. The arms and legs and then palms and soles appear with lesions near the end of the course of the disease.

    How do your kids catch chickenpox?

    Chickenpox is contagious. Someone who has chickenpox is most contagious during the first 2 to 5 days that he or she is sick. That's usually about 1 to 2 days before the rash shows up. It is quite possible that your child could have caught it in the house or at school without you even knowing it. A person who has chickenpox can pass it to someone else by coughing or sneezing. When he or she coughs, sneezes, laughs, and even talks, tiny drops come out of the mouth and nose. These drops are full of the chickenpox virus. It's easy for someone else to breathe in these drops or get them on their hands. Before you know it, the chickenpox virus has infected someone new.

    Symptoms

    Chickenpox may start out seeming like a cold: Your child might have a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, and a cough. 1 to 2 days later, the rash begins, often in bunches of spots on the chest and face. From there it can spread out quickly over the entire body. The number of pox is different for everyone. Besides the rash, someone with chickenpox might also have a stomachache, a fever, and may just not feel well.

    How can you help your kids?

    Chickenpox and its itchy blisters can drive any kid crazy and can frustrate any parent. These tips can help your child feel less itchy:

  • Keep him/her cool because heat and sweat will make your child itch more. You might want to put a cool, wet washcloth on the really bad areas.

  • Trim your children’s fingernails, so if they do scratch, at least they won't tear their skin.

  • Soak your child in a lukewarm bath. Adding some oatmeal to their bath water can help relieve the itching.

  • Apply calamine lotion to the blisters; this soothes the itching.

  • Get your children vaccinated by the chickenpox shot. Thanks to this vaccine, lots of kids don't get chickenpox at all.

    INDIGESTION

    Indigestion is just another name for an upset stomach. It's also called dyspepsia. Indigestion usually happens when people eat too much, too fast, or foods that they are sensitive to. Stress and not getting enough sleep can also make indigestion worse.

    Heartburn is a burning feeling that travels from a person's chest up to the neck and throat. It's caused by stomach acid, which isn't a problem unless it gets out of your child’s stomach.

    With heartburn, stomach acid splashes up and irritates the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Also called acid indigestion, this usually leaves a sour or bitter taste in the person's mouth.

    Indigestion and heartburn are common problems for kids and grownups. But don't give medicine to your child for indigestion unless your child’s doctor says so.

    How does your kid get indigestion?

    Indigestion may be caused by a number of reasons; mostly they have to do with overeating or eating foods that make your children’s tummies upset. Your child’s stomach may be aching due to indigestion if s/he may have had fatty, greasy foods, like fries and burgers. Too much chocolate or too many citrus fruits (the acid in citrus fruits can upset the digestive tract) can also cause heartburn.

    Symptoms

    If your child has indigestion or heartburn, s/he will probably have one or more of the following symptoms:

  • Pain or burning in the upper belly - usually in the middle.
  • Nausea (feeling sick in the stomach).
  • Bloating (that too-full feeling where the stomach sticks out).
  • Burping that s/he has a hard time controlling.

    How can you help your kids?

    Some children can eat anything and they never get upset stomachs. But other kids are more sensitive to food and they might find certain ones just don't agree with them. If your child is sensitive to some food items, it's best not to let them eat a lot of them or skip them entirely. In addition to avoiding problem foods, it's a good idea to eat slower and eat several smaller meals instead of a couple of really big ones.

    If your child has also been troubled by severe indigestion its best to go to a doctor and let him/her know what your child has recently eaten. The doctor may take stomach X-rays or other tests to make sure that your child’s indigestion is not the sign of another problem.

    • DIARRHEA

    Diarrhea and constipation are both changes in the normal toilet/bowel habit. In diarrhea, faeces are more liquid and may be passed more frequently than normal.

    How does your kid get diarrhea?

    There are many causes for diarrhea or constipation. Diarrhea is mainly caused by bacterial and viral infections and food poisoning, usually due to consumption of drinking water contaminated with bacteria, undercooked meat and eggs or inadequate kitchen hygiene. Some of the causes also include dehydration (for example, following a feverish illness), psychological stresses (unfamiliar surroundings, emotional traumas), infection (for example, gastroenteritis), or malabsorption problems where food isn't taken in through the gut properly (such as food intolerance). In grown-up children, the cause in all cases is wrong feeding, especially the intake of large quantities of protein foods such as meat and fish in hot weather.

    Symptoms If your child has diarrhea, s/he will probably have one or more of the following symptoms:

  • Dehydration.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Stomach pains and cramps.
  • Nausea and fever.
  • Urine production slows down.
  • Usually diarrhea is preceded by vomiting.
  • Your child may go to the washroom several times a day, passing watery or runny faeces.

    How can you help your kids?

    As long as your toddler acts well and is taking adequate fluids and food, loose stools are not a great concern. Children should continue to eat a normal diet including formula or milk while they have mild diarrhea. Breast-feeding should continue.

    For children of all ages who have been affected by diarrhea, give an Oral Rehydrating Solution (ORS) until it settles, especially if your child is not drinking or eating, or is becoming dehydrated. Remember, liquids need to be replenished in the body during diarrhea. Although the fluids may not entirely cure your child, they will help your child overcome the lack of liquid in his/her body.

    The most important means of prevention of diarrhea is ensuring that the water your child drinks is clean and the food s/he consumes is properly stored, prepared and cooked. As with any type of diarrhea, it is crucial that children wash their hands thoroughly after going to the toilet, playing in the dirt, playing with animals and before handling food. Babies’ bottles should be cleaned and sterilized. Meat products should be cooked well and raw meat should never be given to young children. Also, make your children eat something containing salt, such as chips or soup.

    Encourage your child to rest in bed. S/he should be given orange juice and water for a few days. Milk and solid foods should be avoided at all costs. As soon as the condition improves, the child may be put on an exclusive diet of fresh fruits for two or three days. Thereafter, s/he may be allowed to have a well-balanced natural diet, according to his/her age, with emphasis on milk, fruit juices, fresh fruits and steamed vegetables. Certain home remedies have been found effective in curing diarrhea. These include carrot soup and pomegranate.

    Diarrhea is a common illness in children but if the problems persist, or your child seems unwell, see your doctor. Occasionally persistent diarrhea is a sign of more serious illness that needs to be investigated.

    An illness is not only a cause of pain and discomfort for your child; it can also be a source of extreme distress and concern for you as a parent. Illnesses add to the frustration when we are unaware what triggered it off and what can be done to cure it. It is your responsibility as a parent to refer to a professional doctor/pediatrician whenever homegrown cures fail to work. It is always very helpful to thoroughly question your doctor about your child’s illness. Mostly, parents tend to shy away from inquiring details about the causes of their child’s illness. Be keen to learn. It is your responsibility as a parent to ask and it is the professional responsibility of a doctor to answer.

    General Healthy Living Tips For Parents & Children:

  • Teach healthy eating.
  • Encourage cleanliness of body and environment.
  • Fully immunize your child.
  • Practice prevention and safety.
  • Encourage exercise and sports.
  • Encourage strong family relationships.

    References:
    www.callyourped.com
    www.kidshealth.org