Common Children Illnesses

It's quickly approaching, that time of year when sickness starts to roll in. Arming yourself with knowledge about the common children illnesses can better prepare you and help distinguish what type of illnesses needed immediate attention by your child's pediatrician and which illnesses you can safely treat at home.

Influenza: commonly known as the flu. The symptoms and severity of the flu can drastically reduced by obtaining the flu vaccine. The vaccine greatly reduces the chickenpox infections by 90 to 95%. The flu is caused by the influenza virus and is not to be mistaken with the common cold. The flu has symptoms that can vary from high fevers, chills, headache, muscle or body aches, fatigue, weakness and loss of appetite.

Chickenpox: caused by varicella zoster virus is a highly infectious illness. Chickenpox is spread through direct contact with the secretions of the fluid blisters and through sneezing and coughing. The varicella vaccine is available to inoculate people against the chickenpox disease.

Roseola Virus: is an infection virus that is commonly found in children under the age of three. It's also referred to as exanthema subitum, roseola, and sixth disease. It commonly starts as a unexplained fever, a mild upper respiratory infection in which will be followed by a rash that carries the appearance of a pink-red flat rash or raised rash. This rash usually appears on the trunk then spreads to other areas of the body.

Croup: croup is defined by the sound of a cough which closely resembles that of a seal's bark. Croup is caused by the parainfluenza virus, which is also the culprit of the common cold. Croup can last up to a week and is rarely serious enough to require hospitalization.

Stomach Flu: also known as viral gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the intestines and stomach. Common symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea and may cause fever or headache.

Impetigo: is caused by a bacterial infection of the skin. Impetigo is very contagious and can be spread to adults also. Impetigo can be noted by its appearance of small clustered bumps or sores on the skin that will seep fluid. The sores or bumps will form a honey colored crust on top of them. Impetigo is spread by the seeping fluid.

Common Cold: is caused by various types of viruses. The common cold is not treated with antibiotics and can carry symptoms of a mild fever, sore throat, cough, fatigue and runny or congestive sinuses.

Strep Throat: also known as streptococcal pharyngitis. Strep throat is caused by a bacterial infection and carries the symptoms of difficulty swallowing and painful sore throat along with fever and possible headache. Some may experience vomiting and stomach aches.

Mono: also known as infectious monocucleosis. Mono is caused by the Epstein barr virus and commonly referred to as the kissing disease due to the close contact with saliva which the disease is transferred to one to another. Mono causes fatigue, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes and fever.

Source:

FAWCO: Common Childhood Illnesses

WebMD: 9 Common Childhood Illnesses