COMMON CHILDHOOD INFECTIONS

Jen Mitchell1-19-2011

Health, Safety, and Nutrition

A relevant Health Issue Concerning Young Children

What Do I Need To Know?

causes signs and

symptoms contagiousness prevention

Duration Prevention and

Treatment (when applicable)

and when to call a doctor.

Teachers need to be familiar with the various aspects of common infections among children

List of SOME of theMost Common Infections

Ear Infection (Middle Ear/Chronic) Chickenpox Cold Sores Common Cold/Flu Diarrhea Fever

This is a list of some common childhood infections. To find a list of all common infections please visit http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/index.html

Why Do I Need To Know?1) Teachers need to be able to meet

children’s needs in order to best educate them. *When a child is sick, he/she cannot be expected to perform at their normal academic level.2) Teachers need to be looking out for each child’s best interest, the well and the sick. *Allowing sick children to remain in the classroom endangers the other children as well as the teacher.

Middle Ear Infection/Chronic Ear Infection:

Causes: Can be caused by exposure to cigarette

smoke, bottle-feeding, and day-care attendance, is more common in boys than girls, can seem hereditary, and is more likely during cold and flu season.

Signs/Symptoms:Ear pain, tugging/pulling at the ear,

irritability, crying more than usual, eating less, sleeping less, fluid draining from the ear

Temporary hearing difficulties: (resulting in) lack of response to sounds, turning up volume, speaking louder, apparent inattentiveness

Fever, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, ear popping, and symptoms similar to that of a runny nose or cough

Duration: Varies ( at least 2-3 days, even without

treatment, but up to several months)

Prevention (In classroom):Good hand-washing, up-to-date

immunization recordsCall a doctor when:The discomfort/pain persists

ChickenpoxCauses:the varicella-zoster virus (VZV)

Signs/Symptoms: itchy skin rash (beginning on the abdomen

and spreading to almost everywhere on the body)

First appear as pimples or bug bites until turning into reddish blisters

Possibility of fever, stomach pain, soar throat, headache, sick feeling before rash appears

Contagiousness:VERY CONTAGIOUS from about 2 days before rash

appears until all blisters have crusted over

Duration:A total of about 12-14 days

Prevention: The chickenpox vaccine and booster shot

Call a Doctor When:Blisters seem to be infected, doctor may proscribe

antibiotic

Cold SoresCauses:Kissing or sharing utensils with infected person

Signs/Symptoms:Blisters on lip and inside mouth, gums possibly red/swollenCan lead to fever, body aches, trouble eating, sick feeling,

irritability, swollen neck

Duration:About 1 week

Prevention/Treatment:Don’t share utensils, wash hands often, keep children from

touching eyes (can be very serious)

When to call a doctor:The child has a weak immune system, sores don’t heal in 7-10

days on their own, sores are near eyes, sores are frequent

Cold/FluCauses:Rhinoviruses in air, dry air lowers resistancePerson to person contact or viral particles in air

Signs/Symptoms:Runny, stuffy nose, sneezing, irritated throat, cough, headache,

mild fever, less appetite, body aches, sleepiness/fatigue, and watery to thick, green snot

Contagiousness: Most in first 2-4 days, up to 3 weeks!

Causes:Rhinoviruses in air, dry air lowers resistancePerson to person contact or viral particles in air

Signs/Symptoms:Runny, stuffy nose, sneezing, irritated throat, cough, headache,

mild fever, less appetite, body aches, sleepiness/fatigue, and watery to thick, green snot

Contagiousness: Most in first 2-4 days, up to 3 weeks!

Prevention/Treatment:Wash hands, don’t touch hands or mouth, cover noses and mouths

when sneezing/coughing (use shirt sleeve, not hand), don’t pick up used tissues or anything that has been used by a person with a cold

Fluids, rest, comfort, possibly an antibiotic if it’s the flu

It could be the flu when:Onset is sudden, fever is high, exhaustion is severe, head-ache

persists, appetite severely decreases, muscles ache, the child has chills

Diarrhea Causes:Contaminated water supplies, person-to-person contact (dirty hands),

food-poisoning, some pets, direct contact with fecal matter

Signs /Symptoms: Watery, runny bowel movements, also fever, loss of appetite, nausea,

vomiting, weight loss, dehydration

Prevention:Wash hands often, especially before and after restroom use and

eating timesKeep bathrooms clean, wash fruits and veggies, keep kitchen and

utensils clean, refrigerate meats (and leftovers) in timely manner, wash pet supplies outside, keep pet feeding areas separate from kitchen/dining area

Call a Doctor When: diarrhea persists, fever, dehydration ( refusal to drink, dry mouth, no

tears when crying, lack of urine, lethargy, sunken eyes), vomiting continues, diarrhea contains blood/mucus, severe abdominal pain

FeverCauses:Infection, overdressing (especially infants), Immunizations

(babies/young children)

Call a Doctor When: You are in doubt and need advice, baby is younger than 3

months is 100.4, older child is 102.2, child refuses liquid, can’t drink adequately, diarrhea or vomiting persist, dehydration, specific complaint, fever 24 hours (younger than 2), 72 hours (older than 2), recurrent fevers, chronic medical problem, rash, painful urination

Treatment: Ibuprofen, not aspirin!Sponge-bath, lightweight clothing, water & electrolytes (not

sports drinks), cool temp. of room, don’t force feed, rest, home from school

Seek Emergency Care for Fever When: inconsolable crying, extreme irritability,

lethargy/difficulty waking, rash or purple spots on skin,

Blue lips, tongue, or nails Infant soft spot is sunken or bulgingStiff neck, headache, limpness/refusal to

move, difficulty breathing, drooling, seizure, stomach pain

In the classroom, teachers should quietly address these issues. Children should not be ostracized but rather removed from classrooms as quietly as possible. This prevents unnecessary embarrassment to the child and talk among children.

In a class of young children, prevention should be mentioned (cleanliness and germ prevention).

In a class of older children, prevention should be discussed, possibly one-on-one with children.

Again, the full list of common childhood diseases and information about them can be found at http://

kidshealth.org/parent/infections/index.htmlThese include but are not limited to:

Head lice, Mononucleosis, Pinkeye, and Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)-All important for parents and teachers to know about.