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When a child starts coughing, sneezing, his temperature rises, parents begin to treat him for a cold. Most children do get SARS or acute respiratory infections. But sometimes these symptoms can appear with serious diseases, in some cases hospitalization is required.
Even if the child does not go to kindergarten, school, but sits at home with his grandmother or mother, at the first sign of illness, you need to show him to the pediatrician. An experienced doctor will ask you to take tests and, based on them, he will be able to make the correct diagnosis and start treatment on time.
It is not so much the diseases themselves that are dangerous, but their complications that may appear if the necessary medicines are not taken on time.
10 Scarlet fever
A childhood illness (children under 10 years of age are sick), which in adults most often occurs in an erased form: a small sore throat, sometimes a pale rash. Symptoms may appear 2-10 days after contact with sick children or carriers of the infection.
The disease begins acutely. The temperature rises sharply, weakness, headache, with severe intoxication, vomiting appears. It hurts to swallow, his throat is red. The tongue is first covered with a grayish-white coating, and after 4-5 days it becomes crimson. On day 1 or 2, a rash appears on the face.
In some patients, the rash may be absent or appear on the 3-4th day of illness. After 3-5 days, the child gets better, the symptoms go away, and by the beginning of the second week they completely disappear. But the skin on the palms or feet begins to peel off.
9. Angina
A group of diseases in which the palatine tonsils become inflamed, most often due to group A streptococcus or other pathogens. Streptococcus is dangerous because it affects the kidneys and heart. Therefore, it is so important to get treatment on time, drink a course of antibiotics.
The likelihood of getting sick increases if the child’s immunity is lowered, he is cold, or has recently had ARVI. Symptoms appear 0,5-3 days after infection. They can be different, depending on the type of angina.
With catarrh, the temperature is insignificant, the throat is red. The child will either recover in 1-2 days, or the disease will go into another form.
If it is follicular or lacunar tonsillitis, then the temperature can rise to 39-40 degrees, headache, weakness, muscles and joints hurt.
The child should take antibacterial drugs, gargle, drink plenty of water. The course of treatment usually does not exceed 7 days.
8. Pertussis
The disease is very dangerous, especially if diagnosed in children under 1 year old. Pediatricians advise getting vaccinated on time, which will prevent the development of the disease, especially since whooping cough is very contagious. After contact with the patient, 70-90% of children fall ill.
If an adult or teenager is infected, the illness may be symptomless other than a persistent dry cough, and whooping cough often goes undiagnosed. From adults, a small child can catch the infection if he has not been vaccinated with DTP on time.
The incubation period is 3-14 days. At the initial stage, whooping cough is difficult to distinguish from the common cold: runny nose, moderate dry cough, low temperature, feeling good. Later the cough becomes violent and persistent.
After 2-14 days, a period of spasmodic cough with a whistling sound begins. The attacks are very strong, at this time the patient’s face turns red, hemorrhages may appear. This period lasts from 3 to 4 weeks, after which recovery begins.
7. Rotavirus infection
Most often diagnosed in children, almost all babies get sick in the first 5 years of life. The infection is transmitted through toys, dirty hands, food.
Symptoms make themselves felt after 0,5-5 days, the disease begins acutely. First, the temperature rises to 38 -39 ºC, nausea and vomiting are disturbing. The stomach hurts, the stool becomes liquid, yellow-green in color, with a pungent odor, the frequency of stool is from 3 to 20 times a day.
The child becomes weak, pale, his head hurts. The disease is dangerous because due to diarrhea and vomiting, the baby loses a lot of fluid.
If these symptoms appear, you need to urgently call a doctor, and in severe cases (frequent diarrhea and vomiting) – an ambulance. The child must be given rehydron every 5 minutes and follow other doctor’s instructions.
6. false croup
This is a very dangerous condition that most often occurs in children 4-5 years old. The disease progresses rapidly, and without medical attention, the baby may suffocate. Therefore, when these symptoms appear, immediately call an ambulance. Fortunately, false croup is not diagnosed in all children, but in babies with a special structure of the larynx or with a weakened body.
Boys get sick 3 times more often than girls. Appears 2 or 3 days after infection with the flu or other viral infection. The child’s breathing becomes noisy, the voice is hoarse, and the cough is barking, and before these symptoms appear, he is worried about shortness of breath.
5. Rubella
A viral infection transmitted by airborne droplets. The first signs appear 10-25 days after infection. The disease begins like a common cold: slight runny nose and red throat, weakness. The lymph nodes are enlarged.
Then a rash appears. In most patients, pink or red spots first appear on the face and neck, and then spread throughout the body, with the exception of the soles and palms. During the rash, the temperature is either normal or slightly elevated. The rash disappears after 4 days.
The disease is not dangerous unless a pregnant woman is infected. In this case, the fetus will either die, or the child will be born with abnormalities.
4. Measles
A viral disease that manifests itself 1-2 weeks after infection. It starts like a normal flu: fever, chills, headache, weakness. Worried about dry cough, conjunctivitis.
After 3-5 days, the temperature drops, but then rises again, and there are white patches inside the cheeks. After that, a rash appears: first on the head, then spreads to the face and neck, on day 2 – on the trunk, on day 3 – on the legs. 7-10 days after the onset of the disease, the recovery period begins.
3. Chickenpox
Chickenpox usually gets sick only 1 time, after which a strong immunity appears. But sometimes it gets re-infected. The incubation period is from 1 to 3 weeks. In children, the disease is mild, in adults there may be severe fever, chills, headache, and sometimes nausea.
Sometimes babies develop rashes without additional symptoms. At first, red spots are visible on the skin, which then turn into papules filled with a clear liquid.
Often there is severe itching, but you can not comb the skin, otherwise scars will remain. New elements of the rash may appear for 3-8 days, then recovery begins.
2. Tuberculosis
A chronic disease that can develop after contact with sick people or animals, birds. If a person’s immunity is reduced, the body cannot resist bacteria.
Symptoms of the disease can be different, depending on the clinical form. But over time, all patients develop weakness, they lose weight, lose their appetite, constantly sweat.
When the lungs are affected, there is also a cough that cannot be cured. Advanced tuberculosis is difficult to manage. Therefore, children are regularly tested for Mantoux, and adults are asked to undergo fluorography in order to diagnose and cure it in a timely manner.
1. Polio
This viral infection can cause paralysis in a child, which can lead to disability or death. There are several types of polio. In most cases, the visceral form occurs. The patient may develop fever, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea, but after 3-7 days he fully recovers.
If it is a paralytic form, then the disease resembles a common cold: sore throat, runny nose, fever. Then the spine and limbs begin to hurt, for 3-6 days the patient’s legs are paralyzed. To prevent this dangerous disease, it is better to get a routine vaccination.