All parents love a happy-go-lucky child, jumping and playing around without being bothered by anything. But things can change when illnesses strike, as cranky, grouchy, and easily irritable kids can be very nightmarish. When and how to read the symptoms signaling a distress, is what every parent need to be fully aware of. Once you learn to identify the main symptoms, you can consult a doctor for further analysis.
Ear Infections
Ear infections can either be an external ear infection (otitis externa or swimmer's ear) or a middle ear infection (acute otitis media) caused by bacteria, where the former is not accompanied by fever but the latter usually is. Extremely common in young children, the infections are easily picked up because of their small Eustachian tubes, the tubes that connect the ear tract to the throat.
After a respiratory tract infection, children may pick this up because of fluid accumulation behind the ear drums. When this fluid gets infectious, it causes irritability, pain, and itching. Your pediatrician may administer antibiotic ear drops that cure the infection in a week or two. The middle ear effusion may, however, take a couple of months to clear completely, but it is painless.
Conjunctivitis
Also known as the ‘pink-eye', Conjunctivitis is a highly contagious disease children tend to pick up from schools or at play. Commonly caused by bacteria or viruses, pink eye causes redness due to inflammation of the membranes covering the eyes and the inner eyelid.
The redness followed by a greenish-yellow thick discharge is a symptom of a bacterial infection. In viral conjunctivitis, the eye discharge is watery and clear. The administration of anti-bacterial eye drops may reduce the communicability of the bacteria, but virus-induced infections stay contagious till the discharge completely stops. Maintaining hygiene by cleaning the discharge with a clean cloth and using physician-directed eye drops may help in controlling the redness and itchiness.
Rotavirus
This is a very common infection, especially in kids under two years of age. Watery diarrhea, that may or may not be accompanied by vomiting and fever, is the most common symptom of Rotavirus infection. Viral in nature, the infection contracts due to any unhygienic contact with the infected. Constant diarrhea causes dehydration that makes the child less active, cranky, and weak.
Although there is no cure for this, proper hydration through fluid-based diets helps flush the Rotavirus antigen from the body, and the recovery happens almost on its own. However, certain children with prolonged dehydration may require the administration of intravenous fluids (IV).
An increase in the child's fluid intake after vomiting and watery diarrhea can gradually help restore the water balance and the digestion, and the normal absorption process begins. You should consult the pediatrician as soon as you spot reduced urination, diarrhea-like symptoms, fever, or a dry mouth. Be patient, the infection may take a week or two before resolving completely.
Chicken Pox, Measles, Rubella
Although all three of these diseases can now be completely controlled if not avoided, vaccinations in the early years of childhood make sure that the magnitude of these illnesses are a lot lesser. Rashes are common symptoms in all three of these diseases, that are preceded by symptoms that are either similar or different. Measles may start with a runny nose, cough, and fever while Rubella starts with a low fever.
A Varivax dose administered during the first year of a child can provide prevention against chicken pox while MMR administered in two doses, one after the first year and a booster dose after the child turns four, can safeguard the kid against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella.
Mild rashes with fever may also be noted post immunization, but once the body adjusts to the vaccine, the symptoms will disappear. If your kids are immunized, you don't need to worry too much about these problems.
Whooping Cough or Pertussis
A chronic cough that leads to a whooping noise when the child breathes in during coughing fits is Pertussis. Thanks to the DTaP vaccines, there is a considerable decrease in the number of Pertussis cases. The symptoms include runny nose, fever, reduced activity, and decreased appetite.
Whooping cough is contagious, and the affected child must not be allowed to come in contact with others until he has been administered at least 5 days of antibiotics. Usually the cough may last from two weeks to as long as a month, but in certain rare cases, hospitalization may also be needed.
Meningitis
A viral or a bacterial infection of the membranes of the brain causing inflammation is meningitis. A serious illness, meningitis symptoms are fever, severe headache, and stiff neck. Meningitis must be treated with an antibiotic therapy. Also, meningitis can cause serious life-long problems in children if not treated immediately. Vaccines are available to treat certain bacterial causes, but not all.
Influenza (Flu)
Influenza is caused by influenza viruses categorized as Type A, B, and C. An infection of the respiratory tract, the symptoms of flu comprise of headaches, chills, nasal congestion, sore throat, and cold-like symptoms. Fever in flu usually ranges between 100 to 103 degrees Fahrenheit or even higher.
The most important step to prevent any more occurrences of flu from one bout is by washing hands regularly with an antiseptic soap. In the case of flu, the intake of plenty of fluids and fresh foods must be encouraged. Also, the affected children must take lots of rest. Parents must take care that no aspirin is administered to the children during influenza. The aspirin may trigger Ryne's syndrome that can prove to be fatal. You should consult your doctor right when the initial symptoms hit.
