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Children get sick. It’s practically part of their job description. But there are some diseases that parents need to be aware of. This post is about some illnesses that children are vulnerable to, as well as their symptoms and what to do if you notice them.

Sick Baby Girl – kourtlynlott.jpg

Asthma

Asthma is a relatively common long-term condition that is easily controlled with medication. Over a million children in the UK have asthma. The disease affects the airways, making them hyper sensitive to irritants like dust, smoke, pollen or even just cold air.

The causes of asthma are not completely understood, although it is thought to run in families.

Asthma is dangerous if not treated and managed correctly, every year children die because of it.

Symptoms

When a child with asthma comes into contact with a trigger (which can include exercise or having a cold or the flu) their airways become narrower. This can leave them gasping or wheezing for breathe. Children may also experience tightness in their chest or feel unable to breath.

Asthma is difficult to diagnose because other illnesses can cause similar symptoms. Some children with asthma suffer from other conditions such as hay fever and eczema.

What to do

If you’re worried that your child may have asthma, arrange an appointment with your GP. They will ask about your child’s medical history, allergies, symptoms etc. There are also some tests which doctors can carry out to indicate whether a child is suffering from asthma.

If asthma has been diagnosed, ensure that you child uses their brown inhaler regularly (this will help prevent attacks and reduce the severity of your child’s asthma) and their blue inhaler as needed (which relieves the symptoms when your child feels them).

It’s important that children understand the need to use both inhalers to properly manage their illness. Relying too heavily on blue inhalers can lead to tragic consequences as during a severe asthma attack, the airways can clamp down completely, killing in just a few minutes.

Asthmatics should always know where their inhalers are and have immediate access to them when required.

You should inform your child’s school about their asthma so that teachers can take extra precautions.

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Whooping cough

Babies and toddlers in the UK are routinely vaccinated against whooping cough however a recent outbreak has claimed the lives of many babies.

Whooping cough is cause by a bacterial infection and is highly contagious.

Adults do contract the disease, but the symptoms are much milder than those displayed by young children and it’s often dismissed as a common cold.

In serious cases whooping cough can stop children breathing, which potentially results in brain damage or death. The infection can also cause pneumonia or severe weight loss.

Symptoms

Whooping cough causes a fever and an excess of nasal mucus, but the most recognisable symptom is long periods of coughing fits. These can be distressing to both the child and those caring for them. The coughing is uncontrollable and often violent.

Coughing fits are often followed by wheezy breathing and occasionally vomiting brought on by extended coughing.

The symptoms of whooping cough are often worse at night.

What to do

Make sure that your baby gets their vaccination against whooping cough (usually given at 2, 3 or 4 months, followed by a pre-school booster injection). To combat the current outbreak, women between 28 and 38 weeks pregnant are being offered the vaccine to immunise their baby in the womb.

If your baby or toddler is showing signs of whooping cough, contact your GP. Antibiotics usually successfully cure the infection.

Any child diagnosed with whooping cough should not be allowed contact with other children until a course of antibiotics has been completed.

Meningitis

Meningitis can kill in just a few hours, or potentially leave your child blind, deaf, paralysed, brain damaged. It is many parents’ worst nightmare.

Meningitis itself is a symptom of a number of bacterial, viral or even fungal infections. It is a swelling of the lining of the brain and spinal cord which can very quickly become serious.

Viral meningitis is more common, but is usually less severe than bacterial meningitis, which is always a perilous condition.

The speed at which meningitis can develop is what makes it so deadly. A child can seem perfectly well one moment and in just a few hours become extremely ill with the disease.

Also, the symptoms of meningitis can easily be missed, or misdiagnosed as other illnesses, even by experienced doctors.

Symptoms

Someone suffering with meningitis may not show any of the symptoms mentioned in this article. It’s also important to remember that these symptoms can appear in any order.

The most infamous symptom of meningitis is a rash that looks like small red pinpricks which grow into purple/red blotches. The rash doesn’t fade under pressure – you can test this by rolling a glass over the area.

In babies and very young children meningitis can cause a tense or bulging fontanel (soft spot on top of baby’s heads), vomiting, a fever, or a high-pitched/moaning cry.

Babies could also refuse to eat, develop blotchy or pale skin, rapid breathing, and have either a floppy or stiff body.

Older children and adults may get severe headaches, a stiff or painful neck and develop an aversion to bright lights as well as fever and vomiting. Those with meningitis can feel drowsy or fall unconscious.

Other early warning signs of meningitis in children include cold hands and feet, strange skin colour (pale, bluish or mottled), and leg pains. These symptoms often show themselves hours before the more recognisable symptoms, like a rash and an aversion to bright light.

What to do

As a parent you know your child better than anyone else. If you suspect there is cause for concern and your baby is showing any of the symptoms listed above, do not hesitate to seek medical help. Take your child straight to a hospital and tell them what you’re worried about. Meningitis is a potentially lethal condition and requires immediate medical attention.

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Author Bio: James Armstrong is an experienced journalist, currently writing about health for Dr Thom the online doctor service.

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