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CHILDHOOD DISEASES

Measles, also known as rubella, is a very contagious respiratory infection that causes cold symptoms, fever and a characteristic rash. It is caused by the measles virus, which usually spreads from person to person through coughs and sneezes, and through contact with used tissues, shared drinking glasses, dirty hands that touched a runny nose, or other contaminated surfaces. Once the vi­rus enters the body, the infection spreads throughout the respiratory tract to the skin and to other body organs. A person with measles is contagious (can infect others) from one to two days before any symptoms begin (or three to five days before the rash), to four days after the rash appears. Some doctors prescribe high doses of vitamin A to patients hospitalized with measles and its complica­tions, especially children from 6 months to 2 years.

Scarlet fever was once a very serious childhood disease, but now is easily treatable. The incubation period is short, generally 1—2 days. Illness typically be­gins with a fever and sore throat. It may be accompanied by chills, vomiting, ab­dominal pain and malaise. The streptococcal bacteria produce a toxin that causes a rash that appears in one or two days after the onset of illness. The rash usually first appears on the neck and chest and then spreads over the body. It is described as "sandpapery" in quality. The texture of the rash is more important than the appearance in confirming the diagnosis. The rash can last for over a week. As the rash fades, peeling may occur around the finger tips, toes, and groin area. Bacte­ria are spread by direct contact with infected person or by droplets exhaled by an infected person. Avoid contact with infected person.

Chickenpox is an infection that causes an itchy, blistering rash and is very contagious. A person with chickenpox can spread the disease to someone else from one day before the rash appears until all chickenpox blisters have crusted over. Once someone has had a chickenpox infection, he or she almost always develops a lifelong immunity, meaning that person usually does not get chickenpox a second time. The exception is a child who is infected at a very young age. Chickenpox, in most cases, goes away by itself. Oatmeal baths and calamine lotion can help to reduce the itchiness. Trim fingernails to decrease the risk of infection from scratch­ing. Children infected with chickenpox will develop a severe lung infection, an infection of the brain or a problem with the liver. Dangerous skin infections also can occur. Some people are at high risk of serious complications from chickenpox, including people who have problems with their immune system, certain pregnant women and premature infants.

Whooping cough. Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial disease that af­fects the respiratory system. It produces spasms of coughing that may end in a high-pitched, deep inspiration (the "whoop"). The infection is spread through the air by droplets from the breath of an infected person. Vaccine helps to protect child­ren against this disease. Vaccination starts in infancy. The bacteria invade the nose and throat, the breathing tube (trachea) and the lungs. The infection usually lasts 6 weeks. It starts with symptoms similar to the common cold, and progresses to spasms of coughing after 10 to 12 days. The child may momentarily lose con­sciousness at the end of a coughing spell. During this stage, there is heavy mucus production. Coughing spells may lead to vomiting. Recovery begins about four weeks after symptoms begin and may take several weeks.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-31