Sending children to school introduces them to friends, fun, and education - but also to a much higher risk of exposure to contagious diseases.
In classrooms and gyms, on buses and in day care centers, children are continually touching, playing, and sharing items. Exploration and interaction are excellent ways to learn, but they also increase the chances of your child getting sick.
Getting sick is a part of growing up, and in some cases actually helps to boost the child's immune system. Most childhood diseases are little more than a nuisance for
the parent and child; however, it is always wise to contact your family doctor when children become ill.
As a parent, the different types of illness can sound intimidating. Another child's cough can be the vehicle for bacteria that spreads scarlet fever. A sneeze or a touch can lead to measles or chickenpox. Cats, dogs, and even a shared comb can cause ringworm. Insects like scabies and lice can spread infections through close contact. Even allergies or exposure to chemicals or debris can be an irritant and result in conditions like pink eye (conjunctivitis), which can also be caused by viruses or bacteria. Most recently, even "superbugs" like MRSA have become a school health concern.
So what can you do to protect your child from the various diseases and conditions? With a little common sense and precaution, you can quickly spot an illness early and can help keep your children healthy and reduce the risk of infection.
What is the most obvious indicator of infectious disease in children? Often it's skin.
A rash may be a simple allergic reaction, but nearly all major common children's infections manifest themselves in some form of skin condition, such as a rash.
If your child has a rash or redness accompanied with a fever or has a persistent rash that does not get better or gets worse, it may be an indicator of serious infection. In such instances, definitely speak to your doctor or a school physician or nurse.
Common early signs of infection can include upset stomach, headache, listlessness, and itching. But more serious symptoms to look out for include:
An infected child can appear perfectly healthy and spread an infection before displaying any symptoms. Eventually, symptoms will appear, and the earlier a parent can detect an infection, the safer the child will be and the sooner the illness will be resolved, and the less likely the spread of infection will be.
The way to stop infectious disease is prevention. And there are several good ways to go about it.
The best way to prevent infection is timely immunizations. Vaccinations have all but eradicated infectious diseases that once struck millions. Talk to your doctor and make sure your child receives the proper vaccinations at the proper time. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Bureau of Day Care has a helpful chart.
Poor hygiene is a major cause of the spread of infectious diseases among children. Simply keeping children clean can greatly decrease the spread of infection.
Young children have maturing immune systems. Helping them grow strong will help prevent infection. All human immune systems benefit from the following:
There are several recommended diet regimens for children. A vitamin supplement might also be valuable, but consult your family physician or child's pediatrician about what's best for your child.
Infectious diseases that strike children can strike parents and other adults too. This can be especially unfortunate in the case German measles, fifth disease, and hand-foot-and-mouth disease, illnesses that can affect pregnant women and can harm their unborn children. German measles, also called rubella, has a long development (incubation) period of 14-21 days before the infected child begins to feel ill.
And while hand-foot-and-mouth disease has a fairly rapid development phase of 3-6 days, its complications can cause brain inflammation in the unborn child and even miscarriage.
Parents and other adults can contract an infection from a child, but they can pass infections on to children. It is important that parents and other caregivers follow the same prevention methods as detailed above.
Is there good news? Definitely. One of the few good things about childhood infections is that once overcome, some infections, such as measles, can lead to lifetime immunity. And some, like roseola (also known as sixth disease), are mild with few complications and resolve quickly. Today's availability of immunizations, improved public hygiene, increased medical knowledge - and an increase in people's ability to access this medical knowledge - can help promise your child a long and healthy youth and adulthood.
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