Children at a younger age are bound to catch some disease as their immune system is not as strong as an adult. Nowadays we can hear a lot of illnesses and diseases that are affecting small and younger children. The number of such diseases has increased a lot over the past few decades. It can be a small viral or bacterial infection or something bigger and not so easy to cure.
What can be defined as a major reason for such an increase is the change in our lifestyle and the increasing pollutants around us. Everything from food to air and water is polluted with many types of viruses and bacteria. No matter how much we focus on its purification, we do intake such harmful particles. It majorly affects the younger children and makes their immunity weaker and making them prone to catch an illness very easily.
Another reason is the lack of nourishment for children. This might be one of the major factors around the globe. It can have two different faces. Lack of nourishment in poor areas is due to a lack of food. However, in the urban area lack of nourishment simply means more consumption of junk food and other harmful products that deprives the body of necessary nutrients and make the body more lethargic and slower. In both cases, the body of children is prone to catch disease more often.
Let’s have a look at some very common diseases and illnesses found in young children and their symptoms.
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Table of Contents
Sore Throat
One of the most common problems seen with younger kids is Sore throat. This can happen when a child eats something cold or even with the change of weather. It also happens due to a viral infection which is very common nowadays. This can easily be cured by the doctor through medicines and might take 7-10 days to cure.
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ChickenPox
Chickenpox is a virus-based disease mostly found to affect younger kids. Symptoms include high fever, itching, headache, and stomach ache Apart from this there are multiple fluid-filled blisters appear on the body which caused pain and irritation. There is no permanent cure for this however, it can be treated by the doctor using antiviral medicines.
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Common Cold
This is a very common disease among the young ones. Symptoms include a blocked nose, chest congestion, Sore throat, High fever, and runny nose. It can last from a week to a few days and a physical examination of the child is very necessary in this case to make sure the congestion in the respiratory system does not increase. It can be cured by simple antibiotics and antiviral medicines.
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Measles
Measles is a contagious disease and its symptoms include, fever, cough, bloodshot eyes and rashes that can last from 4-7 days. There is no permanent cure for this right now but certain steps can be taken to make sure that it can be controlled. Some of these are taking lots of rest, drinking a lot of fluids, using a humidifier and giving rest to the eyes.
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Allergies
Allergy is mostly sensitivity to a certain environment or things that cause an uneasy condition for the person. Allergies can be caused due to a food product, dust, pets, and many other reasons. Allergies in children are mostly due to dust and certain food products. Symptoms are swelling, red areas, cough, etc. You can simply visit a doctor and take the prescribes anti-allergy tablets for the same. Severe allergies can undergo medical examinations.
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Mumps
Mumps is a kind of viral infection that affects the salivary glands located near the ear. It can lead to swelling in glands and major discomfort. Fever, headache, loss of appetite, difficulty in chewing are some major symptoms. Resting, taking pain relievers and drinking lots of fluids is recommended during this as there is no permanent cure for this and it resolves on its own.
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Diarrhoea& Vomiting
Both of these can happen due to stomach infections, allergies to something eaten, a common viral infection or food poising. The best option, in this case, is to provide lots of fluids so that the body does not lose water and causes dehydration and take doctor prescribed medicines for vomiting. It is more severe and serious in small babies than in older children. It is recommended to get an immediate doctor’s attention before the child gets dehydrated. Some of the symptoms for dehydration could include dry mouth and lips, dark yellow urine or less urine.
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Pinkeye
Pinkeye is a common bacterial infection in smaller children and can easily be cured with anti-bacterial drops for eyes. In such cases make sure your child cleans his hands regularly and do not share his towel or pillow with anyone else. Make sure they are properly washed with a disinfectant. Symptoms for this include red eyes, blurry vision, and crusty eyes.
These are some of the few diseases and illnesses that are very common to young children. Since many of these are not curable, some treatments can reduce the effectiveness of the bacteria and viruses. Although, there is some disease that can be avoided through a series of injection that is mandatory for every child after birth and is given at a certain age.
What we can do is make sure that our children are habitual to clean habits such as washing hands regularly before eating. Wearing clean clothes, having regular baths and maintaining personal hygiene. These habits can save a child from lots of different infections and help them to build a stronger immune system.
Make sure that your child gets a regular medical check-up so that any infection or disease can be diagnosed at a very early stage and could be treated in the best possible manner. Also, never give your child any medicine before consulting his or her doctor. I hope you will become more aware of the disease that can affect your child and the ways to prevent them.
