Infectious Diseases In Kids, Every Parent Should Know | Health Journal
Infectious diseases in kids are usual illnesses caused by microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungus, or other parasites that host infections or other communicable diseases. These illnesses may be contagious or maybe natural like any other disease. Infectious diseases in kids can also come from external sources like infected foods, contamination from another infected person, or blood to blood contamination.
Signs and symptoms vary depending on the microorganism causing the illness, but they frequently include fever, pox, and drowsiness. Mild infections in kids may simply be carried out at home using natural remedies or Ayurvedic practices . However, certain life-threatening illnesses associated with infections may necessitate hospitalization for your kid or a consultation with a doctor.
Common types of infectious diseases in kids
There are a plethora of infectious diseases in kids. Some may come from internal sources like parasites or some may come from external sources like animal bites, contaminated food, or air. For simplicity, all the infectious diseases have been categorized under 4 main types, which are as below -
Some common virus infections are -
bronchiolitis, tonsillitis, ear infections, influenza, mumps, and chickenpox, etc.
2. Bacteria-infected: Bacteria, which can come to the body via wounds, scratches, blood to blood transfusion, etc., are responsible for a broad variety of communicable and infectious diseases in kids, including respiratory and urinary tract infections , meningitis, and TB. You can also blame a particular set of bacteria as the main cause of several types of skin diseases in kids.
Some common bacterial infections in kids are -
strep throat, urinary tract infections, food poisoning, cellulitis, and usual skin and ear infections.
3. Fungus-infected: Fungi can become a reason for a wide range of infections in kids, i.e., on skin, nails, and hair, which may turn even serious if proper consultation is not done by a specialist. Moreover, fungal infections in kids, if goes unchecked for a long period, can also cause chronic infection in deeper tissues, which may even turn into cancerous symptoms. Most fungal infections in kids are easily observed and treatable to modern medications. The majority of infants/kids will have some sort of fungal infection at some point in their lives.
Common fungal infections in kids are -
hyalohyphomycosis , trichosporonosis, zygomycosis, and other worm-related infections
4. Parasites-infected: Parasitic infections in kids may commonly involve internal parasites like protozoa that are known to cause a range of infectious diseases in kids. Parasitic infections may also be caused by small organisms or larvae that crawl into the skin to live or lay their eggs. Parasites produce minor infections along with pain and other diseases, while those kids with significantly impaired immune systems are at risk of developing catastrophic infections that can progress to vital organs of their bodies.
Some common parasitic infections are -
trypanosomiasis, babesiosis, chagas infection, leishmaniasis, malaria, and toxoplasmosis.
How to prevent your kids from infectious diseases?
Because infectious diseases in kids are caused by a diverse range of microorganisms, each one has its unique set of clinical symptoms, as previously mentioned. Fever, hunger issues, uneasiness, weeping, coughing, and loose motion are all common indications and symptoms of a variety of infectious disorders.
If you want your kids to grow healthier and stronger then parents have a lot of things at their disposal. Parents should allow proper nourishment of their kids taking care of everything — from sleeping to eating habits.
Besides following a scheduled daily routine, parents should take their kids under sunlight to get an adequate amount of vitamin D during the daytime. Always give your children plenty of warm water to drink rather cold water. Body or oil massage for young toddlers and even kids below 12 years is highly advisable as it helps strengthen muscles and immunity. The bottom line is that you need to teach your kids to stay healthy as much as possible.
The best way to put an end to infectious diseases in kids can be brought about by the following four ways.
- Proper vaccinations for kids are highly recommended.
- Total isolation of kids from other people whenever they are showing mild symptoms.
- Taking extra care in hygiene and regular sanitization of hands and other clothes.
- Eat healthily and live healthily. Avoid foods from outside, restaurants, and street vendors.
Originally published at https://thehealthjournal.co on December 19, 2021.
