Top Ten Common Childhood Illnesses Part 1

Part 1

Rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock

When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall

And down will come baby, cradle and all.

You sang the lullaby didn't you? That's alright. Most of us are familiar with this lullaby. Are you a proud parent? Isn't it lovely watching them (your kids) close their eyes slowly and peacefully before going to sleep? How your heart breaks every time they get sick and toss and turn in their beds. As a parent, you should be aware of these ten common childhood illnesses.

1. Whooping cough.
This illness gets its name from the characteristic sound your child makes when he or she takes a deep breath after coughing. The coughing could be severe enough to make your child vomit. If you have children with whooping cough, keep them away from others, especially infants (less than one year old). A vaccine is available and given during childhood. Booster doses are also available.

Whooping cough is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. This pesky bacterium causes lung infection. Besides the cough, your child develops fever and a runny nose. Your child's ability to infect others is gone by 5 to 7 weeks, even though the cough may still be present.
2. Chickenpox.
Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side and get chickenpox. Kidding aside, if you had chickenpox when you were young, then you have lifelong immunity my friend. This is the reason why most cases are only seen in children. As a general rule, the older your child gets (when he acquires chickenpox), the greater are the chances that the disease will have a more serious course. This illness is caused by the Varicella zoster virus (VZV). It occurs most commonly during a child's first decade of life. Blisters or red spots appear over your child's entire body. In addition, your child will experience a moderate fever. You don't need to worry if your child only has a few blisters. He or she still gets life long immunity, if that's what you're worried about.

Remember, chickenpox is highly contagious. This translates to missed school days and isolation. Keep your child away from pregnant women and from those whose immune systems have been compromised (immune compromised, i.e. those receiving chemotherapy). Your child is most contagious from the time the rash appears as red bumps, up until the time they turn into blisters and scabs.

A vaccine is now available against chickenpox. Oh, and when your child starts to scratch, I've got two words for you, calamine lotion. Also, please be informed, that you don't get chickenpox from chickens, okay? Just trying to make sure we're on the same page.
3. Croup.
This disease is not misspelled (like crop). Your child will have a cough which sounds like the barking sound a seal makes (yes, they do bark). This potentially serious illness can pester your child for up to about a week. Your child may even be hospitalized if a very bad case of inflammation in both the voice box and windpipe cause an obstruction in his or her larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe). The majority of children who get croup are 2 years old and under.

Are you already overwhelmed? Not yet please, because our list mentioned 10, and we're only a little more than a third of the way. Click here for Part 2.