Can Babies Get Sick From Being Too Hot or Cold?

The wintertime my son, Tommy, was 1, he seemed to become ill constantly: random fevers, multiple colds (which led to multiple ear infections), roseola, and a tum bug to stop all stomach bugs. As soon as he had recovered from one thing, he'd catch another. It was virtually as if he had a bull'southward-center on his dorsum and all the viruses and bacteria out there were aiming for him.

In a way, they were. "A young kid'south immune organisation hasn't been exposed to many infections, and so he's far more decumbent to illnesses than older kids and adults, who have built upwardly immunity to many germs," says Joanne Cox, M.D., associate chief of the division of general pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital. Information technology doesn't aid that toddlers and preschoolers tend to touch everything, put their hands in their mouth, and play close to each other.

So basically you're fighting a losing battle. Notwithstanding, the more knowledgeable you are, the better prepared you'll be to identify what's bilious your kid and to help him feel ameliorate ASAP. Check out our guide to some of the about prevalent illnesses among immature children and how to handle them.

• Find out if your child is too sick for school with our quiz!

Mutual Cold

Expect upwardly to 5 bouts this year.

You probably know the drill: Treat a mild fever, congestion, coughing, and a sore throat with lots of fluids and residual. If your child seems uncomfortable, children's ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help reduce the fever (follow directions carefully, and consult your pediatrician if your child is under 6 months erstwhile), but steer clear of cough and cold medicines. "These don't really help, and the dosage can be disruptive and might lead to an overdose," says pediatrician Fred Hirschenfang, M.D., section chief of ambulatory intendance at Hackensack UMC, in New Bailiwick of jersey. Use saline drops or spray to moisturize your child's nasal passageways and an aspirator to remove excess mucus. A cool-mist humidifier tin can be helpful, provided that you clean it regularly to prevent mold. About kids bounce back from a cold inside 5 to seven days.

• Stock up on beginning aid essentials.

RSV

Kids under 2 are most susceptible.

Respiratory synctial virus affects the lungs. In well-nigh cases, the symptoms are relatively modest and mirror those of a cold. But for preemies and children who have a compromised immune system, a congenital heart condition, or chronic lung disease, it can go serious in a hurry, causing either bronchiolitis (an infection of the small airways in the lungs) or pneumonia. Virtually 150,000 children a year are hospitalized due to RSV, according to the Centers for Disease Command and Prevention. Call your pediatrician immediately if your child is wheezing, breathing very fast, or struggling to breathe, refuses to drink annihilation, appears to be extremely lethargic, or starts to develop a bluish tinge on her lips and in her mouth.

Roseola

Proficient news: It'south usually over by age two, and e'er by kindergarten.

Chances are your child'south roseola symptoms will be so minor that you won't even realize he'south under the weather. However, some kids come down with a high fever, congestion, coughing, and, afterward, a patchy rash that starts on the chest and spreads. Although roseola usually runs its grade within a week, contact your pediatrician if your child'due south fever spikes or lasts longer than three days. In the meantime, relieve his discomfort with children'due south ibuprofen and keep him home until the rash disappears.

Gastroenteritis

It'south a lot worse than a breadbasket ache.

This illness, better known as a stomach bug, causes vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal hurting. A variety of viruses, including norovirus—which often sweeps through kid-care centers (non to mention prowl ships)—can cause gastroenteritis. Virtually stomach viruses clear upwards within a few days to a week and require nothing more than rest and TLC. Notwithstanding, you should brand sure your child is drinking plenty fluids to forbid dehydration. "The biggest error near parents tend to make is giving likewise much liquid at once, which a sick child may not be able to hold downward," says Maria Conwell, Grand.D., a pediatrician at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Offset with but a tablespoon of an electrolyte solution (such equally Pedialyte) every 15 minutes and slowly increase the amount. If your child prefers Gatorade or juice, h2o it down by half since these drinks are high in sugar and can exacerbate diarrhea. One time she feels like eating, offer her minor amounts of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (the BRAT nutrition). If she keeps these down, slowly return her to regular meals. Yous might likewise try feeding her Greek yogurt. It's loftier in probiotics (which promote healthy flora in the gut) and contains less carbohydrate than the regular kind, says Dr. Conwell.

Paw-Foot-Mouth Affliction

The telltale sign: painful sores in the oral cavity and throat

The Coxsackievirus pops upwards mainly during the summer and fall and is highly contagious, passing from kid to child through touch, coughs, sneezes, and fecal matter. The sores are ofttimes accompanied by carmine blisters on the hands and soles of the feet that last seven to ten days. If your child too feels achy, give him children'south ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Ease his sore throat with ice pops and common cold fluids, but avert acidic juices, which can sting, says Parents advisor Jennifer Shu, M.D., a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. You should also watch for aridity, since some kids' sores are so uncomfortable that they resist drinking at all.

Boy in bed with thermometer

Credit: Stephanie Rausser

More than illnesses to lookout man out for

Fifth Illness

You might know information technology ameliorate every bit "slapped cheek syndrome."

Kids ages iii and under are the most vulnerable to fifth disease, which causes a bright-red rash on the cheeks. Your child may not have any other illness symptoms, though she could too accept a mild fever, a runny olfactory organ, and a secondary, lacy-looking rash on her trunk. Fifth affliction often spreads similar wildfire through child-care centers and preschools. One time the rash comes out, your child is no longer contagious, and it will subside on its own. A small percentage of kids who get information technology will develop articulation pain (let your doc know correct abroad if this occurs). Also contact your ob-gyn if your child gets 5th disease while you lot're significant, as the virus tin crusade complications.

Strep Pharynx

Babies and toddlers rarely get it.

Young kids are most probable to become infected past streptococcus bacteria if an older sibling has the illness. Although strep spreads mainly through coughs and sneezes, your child tin can likewise go it past touching a toy that an infected child has played with. The archetype symptom is throat pain, which can be and then severe that he may have trouble swallowing or even talking. He may develop a fever, swollen lymph nodes, and abdominal pain. Run into your physician if you suspect your kid has strep. He may be given a rapid test (which won't selection up every strep strain) and a throat civilization (which takes 48 hours but is definitive), says Jay Homme, K.D., a pediatrician at the Mayo Clinic Children's Centre, in Rochester, Minnesota. If the test is positive, antibiotics will probable aid your child feel better quickly, but keep him domicile for at least another 24 hours after his first dose to reduce the risk of passing the bacteria to someone else.

Influenza

Become the vaccine early—it takes 2 weeks to kicking in fully.

The influenza comes on hard and fast: a fever of up to 103℉, trunk aches and chills, a headache, sore throat, coughing, and sometimes besides vomiting and diarrhea. Information technology'due south a miserable wintertime illness that often lasts for more than a calendar week and tin can pb to dangerous complications, including pneumonia. Thankfully, yous can greatly reduce your child'due south risk by scheduling an annual influenza vaccine, which tin be given as a shot or, for kids over 2, as a nasal spray. The vaccine isn't foolproof (since strains of the virus vary year by year), but if she gets influenza despite being vaccinated, her symptoms should be far less astringent, points out Dr. Hirschenfang. If y'all suspect your kid has the flu, make an appointment with your pediatrician right abroad. He may recommend putting her on an antiviral medication such every bit Tamiflu, which can assistance speed her recovery.

Pinkeye

Beware: It can spread through your household rapidly.

This inflammation of the tissue lining the eyelids (also called conjunctivitis) causes redness, yellowish discharge, blurry vision, and crusty eyes. Pinkeye in younger kids is nigh often caused by a bacterial infection, which must be treated with antibody drops. (Note: It can also result from a virus, which doesn't require medication, or allergies or an irritant in the air, which tin be addressed with allergy eyedrops.) Your child shouldn't render to class until he's been treated for at least 24 hours. Have him wash his easily regularly and avoid touching his optics and sharing hand towels, blankets, or pillows then he doesn't infect anyone else in your habitation.

Pinworms

See your doctor if you observe your child scratching her bottom.

Arraign kids' poor hygiene for the prevalence of these tiny parasites. When an infected child scratches her bottom and doesn't make clean her hands, she can easily laissez passer them on to other kids (who become infected when they put their easily in their mouth). The eggs movement down the digestive system, hatch, and lay their eggs around the anus (yuck!). Your medico will give you special tape to affix at night and will analyze it for pinworms and eggs. Merely one or two doses of prescription medication are needed to become rid of them, just you'll have to wash her towels and bedding in hot water.

When to Phone call the Doctor

Nearly babyhood illnesses run their course without whatever big worries. But for some symptoms (and for certain kids) they may warrant a consultation with your pediatrician. Watch for:

Dehydration. Your child may have sunken optics (or, if he'south a baby, a sunken fontanel, or soft spot on his caput) or seem extremely lethargic, or his oral cavity might be sticky or tacky to the touch. Also beware if he'due south urinating fewer than three or iv times a day.

High fever. In newborns, whatsoever elevated temperature warrants a call. For infants 3 to vi months sometime, telephone if the fever hits 101℉; for older babies and children, the threshold is 103℉.

Breathing difficulty. Telephone correct abroad if your child is wheezing, his breathing is fast or labored, or you notice long pauses between each breath.

Not eating. It's normal for a sick child to have picayune interest in food. Just if your kid is eating or drinking less than half of what she normally would for two days or longer, bank check in with your doctor.

Preexisting conditions. If your kid has been diagnosed with asthma, diabetes, a suppressed allowed arrangement, or another chronic medical status, speak to your pediatrician every time he comes down with a virus that could compromise his health.

All content on this Web site, including medical opinion and whatsoever other health-related information, is for advisory purposes only and should non be considered to be a specific diagnosis or treatment plan for whatsoever individual situation. Use of this site and the information contained herein does non create a doctor-patient human relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your own doc in connexion with whatsoever questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.

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Source: https://www.parents.com/health/the-10-most-common-childhood-illnesses/

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