Who among us has not gone through childhood illnesses? It is extremely easy to get infected, because they are spread by droplets, i.e. through a runny nose or sneezing. The child should stay at home for some time after recovery, because as a result of these diseases, immunity decreases and it is easier than usual for the child to catch another disease.
Let us remember that diseases such as chicken pox and mumps are usually less severe in childhood than in adulthood.
Childhood diseases
- Piggy — salivary glands are located in the hollows under the earlobes. Mumps is a childhood viral disease that affects them. The glands enlarge, and then the swelling covers the lower part of the child’s mouth to such an extent that the earlobe begins to stick out. The well-being deteriorates and the temperature rises around the 2-3rd day of the disease. In addition to the fact that the ear hurts, the throat is also affected, with the discomfort intensifying when swallowing. Edema lasts up to 10 days, during which time it is recommended to eat liquid and semi-liquid meals. Mumps is dangerous for boys, because in the event of complications, it can lead to swelling of the testicles, which in adulthood has consequences in the form of infertility. Also, due to the possibility of meningitis as a complication, the child should be vaccinated when the first year is over. Meningitis is accompanied by: stiff neck, delirium, high temperature, and sometimes severe abdominal pain or vomiting. Hospital treatment is necessary.
- Oder – is transmitted via droplets. Because children are vaccinated, they are less likely to get it than their parents’ generation. The period before the disease manifests itself from the moment of infection is called the onset period, which ranges from 9 days to 2 weeks. The highest contagiousness starts 5 days before the rash and ends 4 days after the rash appears on the child’s skin. Typical symptoms of measles are red eyes, photophobia, fever, sore throat, red mouth, runny nose and a dry and tiring cough. The baby’s face gives the impression that our child has been crying for a long time. A confluent, thick-spotted rash appears that initially appears behind the ears and then progresses to the face, neck, trunk, and extremities. The elevated temperature decreases 4-5 days after the appearance of the rash. The child begins to regain strength and well-being. Occasionally, the rash becomes haemorrhagic, generally affecting children with a weakened immune system. The most severe of the possible complications is meningitis, the others are pneumonia, laryngitis, and also myocarditis.
- Chickenpox — in the initial stage, the pustules end with yellow blisters that burst spontaneously within a few hours of their appearance. Scabs appear in their place. This process lasts 3-4 days, it is important that the child does not scratch them, because if an infection occurs, boils may appear on the skin. In addition to the itchy rash, older children have a fever and should stay in bed.
- Rubella — pink spots appear unexpectedly, 12 days, maximum 3 weeks from the day of infection. On the second day, the contours of the spots merge and fade, which makes the baby’s body have a slightly pink tint. Lymph nodes located behind the ears, on the neck and at the nape of the neck are tender and slightly enlarged, and there is a slight fever. During illness, it is recommended not to give the child heavy meals, but light meals. The child should stay at home, but there is no need for him to stay in bed. The course of rubella immunizes for life, the disease passes at most after a week. This inconspicuous disease may threaten the safety of pregnancy, as it is capable of damaging the fetus in the first trimester. Since the disease may not cause symptoms in adults, pregnant women who are unsure whether they have had rubella should undergo specialist tests. Let’s make sure that the doctor notes in the health book if our daughter has had this disease, and let’s warn about the possibility of infection of a pregnant woman when our children pass rubella.
- Płonica, that is scarlet fever — cause streptococci, which initially manifests itself as high temperature, fever, vomiting and sore throat. A rash resembling red erythema develops in the groin and back two days after the onset of symptoms. You should contact a doctor who will prescribe antibiotics, which will limit the duration of the disease and protect the child from complications, the most common of which are inflammation of the kidneys and ears. It is recommended that your child rest at home for the next 3 weeks, although they stop being contagious within 2 days of starting the antibiotic.