One of the things that most surprise couples, when they have children, is the number of times they end up entering the pharmacy, and the space they have to create at home to store everything they get there to buy.
And it is that in the early years it is very common for children to fall ill more or less frequently (it depends on the child, the food they receive and whether or not they are in contact with other children). Now, what do they get sick from? Below we explain what they are the most frequent diseases in childhood.
Respiratory infections
They are the most common because they are the ones that we most easily spread when we cough, when talking, when transferring germs from one side to another through our hands, etc. That is why it is recommended that adults wash their hands before visiting a baby or child, teach children to wash their hands, clean toys when they are sick if they are shared (and occasionally, obviously), not take them to places where there are many people, etc.
We start with him common cold or cold, which is the typical infection of the upper airways (nose and pharynx), which occurs with mucus and cough. As we have explained on other occasions, cough is a mechanism that we should not completely eliminate because it helps to extract mucus, and because cough syrups are contraindicated at least until 2 years of age.
It is very common also the laryngitis, an infection of the larynx that inflames the area where the vocal cords are causing aphonia, the so-called "dog cough" (it seems that the child is barking) and sometimes even makes breathing difficult, because air can barely pass through of them (of the ropes). If this happens, it is advisable to look cold air that the child can breathe: coat it well and take it outside, or open the door of the refrigerator or freezer for a moment to breathe there. This cold air helps deflate the ropes, breathe better, and have room to go see the pediatrician to assess the situation.
Another one that usually occurs when they are babies is the bronchiolitis, which may be the fault of respiratory syncytial virus (for whom a vaccine is being studied, and whose prevention is to avoid contagion and ensure an adequate supply of vitamin D).
We also talk about the bronchitis, which is the inflammation of the bronchial tubes and which, like bronchiolitis, makes it difficult for the baby to breathe and must be treated with inhalers, and sometimes even with corticosteroids (according to pediatric assessment). The prognosis is good, although if a child is prone to bronchitis, if he often suffers from them, it may be that the doctor prescribes some preventive medication, while studying the possibility that they are allergic bronchitis (if there is something at home which gives you allergy and ends up causing the disease).
If the situation gets complicated, then we'll talk about pneumonia, which is the infection of one or two lungs, and that requires antibiotic treatment (if it is of bacterial origin), and in some cases of hospital admission, to better control the evolution and to avoid new infections.
Otitis
It is the inflammation of a part of the ear (usually the middle ear), very common too, that In most cases it is of viral origin, secondary to a cold or flu. In children, because of how close the ear is to the nose, and because of how bad the mucus is, they are much more common than in adults.
The treatment should be prescribed by the pediatrician, and the tendency is to decrease the use of antibiotics more and morePrecisely because of the comments: most otitis are not bacterial and heal on their own in two or three days. The use of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drops may be indicated to help alleviate the symptoms. And if superinfection is suspected, then an oral antibiotic.
Conjunctivitis
It is also quite common, and especially when children already touch things, they get their hands dirty, and then scratch their eyes because they are sleepy. If we add to this that many babies do not just work well with the lubrication system of the eye (the glands that create tears and the ducts that collect them), the eye may not be wet enough and clean, increasing the probability of having secretions and infection.
If there are secretions but the eye is not red, it is likely that only the cleanliness of the legañas is indicated (because they can be secondary to the comments: immaturity of the ducts and structures of the eye). If instead the eye is red, if infection is suspected, it is usually recommended that the administration of eye drops or antibiotic ointment, because it is also very contagious.
Stomach flu
Very common in children who already join with others, because it is a very contagious disease. It is common for mass infections to occur, so that parents themselves warn that "there is an epidemic of diarrhea and vomiting in class", and that in a few days there are very few who can go to nursery school or school .
There are many viruses that cause this type of infection, although one of the most common (which also makes diarrhea last a few days) is the rotavirus. The symptoms are typical: vomiting, diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, and in some cases even mucus and blood in the stool.
There is no treatment beyond promoting adequate hydration and nutrition of the child, and for this a few years ago that astringent diets are discouraged.
"It must be a virus"
Finally, there are a number of diseases that cause skin reactions, which often have no name (they carry it, but it is difficult to know). Although it sneaks around the scarlet fever, which is of bacterial origin and produces redness of various areas of the skin, the most common is that there are viruses that produce these reactions, and that often they are not named because everything can be summed up in "it is a virus". They are pictures that usually present with a respiratory infection, some fever, and a skin rash (sudden rash) or similar. They have no treatment beyond symptomatic.
In addition, there are viruses that are known as chickenpox, very characteristic (but that we will see less and less because there is already a vaccine) or the coxsackie, responsible for the "mouth-hand-foot" disease, which is known because it causes blisters in the area of the mouth, on the hands and feet and legs (although sometimes it is a little different). Although it gives fever and is annoying, because sometimes it even causes mouth ulcers, it usually heals with a good prognosis with the passing of days.
And there is nothing that can be done to avoid them?
Yes. That is why in a few days we will explain what are the strategies that as parents we must carry out to help our children to have better health and a stronger immune system.
Photos | iStock
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