Childhood illnesses Research by Sumon Ghosh(ACNRC)

You can treat many common childhood illnesses at home. You can also get advice from your GP, pharmacist or health visitor. It can be difficult to tell when a baby or toddler is seriously ill, but trust your instincts. Get immediate help if you feel your child is seriously unwell.

About childhood illnesses

This information may help give you an idea about what the problem with your child might be. Don’t use it to diagnose your child with a condition. Always leave that to a health professional.

Almost all babies, toddlers and children will get the most common childhood illnesses like chickenpox, colds, sore throats and ear infections. Read more about these conditions and other childhood illnesses that include:

• Asthma
• Bronchiolitis
• Chickenpox
• Cold
• Cough
• Croup
• Diarrhoea and vomiting
• Fever in children
• Earache
• Kawasaki disease
• Measles
• Meningitis
• Mumps
• Roseola
• Rubella
• Skin rashes in babies
• Skin rashes in children
• Scarlet fever
• Sore throat
• Whooping cough

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death among children under 5, killing approximately 700,000 children a year. In many parts of the world, a child dies from pneumonia every minute – even though the disease is entirely preventable and can be easily managed with antibiotics.

Pneumonia is a disease of inequality – one concentrated within the poorest populations around the globe.

Child deaths caused by pneumonia are strongly linked to undernutrition, lack of safe water and sanitation, indoor air pollution and inadequate access to health care.

All of these factors are compounded by poverty, making pneumonia a disease of inequality – one concentrated within the poorest populations around the globe.

But simple protective, preventive and treatment solutions do exist:

• Protective measures like exclusive breastfeeding, adequate complementary feeding and vitamin A supplementation provide the foundation for keeping children healthy and free of disease.
• Preventive measures such as immunizations, reduced household air pollution, safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene help defend children from illness.
• Antibiotics are critical for treating pneumonia. In 2022, UNICEF delivered 22.1 million antibiotic treatments to children under one year of age in 41 countries.

Diarrhoea

In recent years, significant progress has been made reducing child deaths from diarrhoea. But diarrhoea remains a leading killer of young children, particularly in humanitarian settings.

In 2019, diarrhoea killed approximately 480,000 young children across the globe, accounting for 9 per cent of all deaths among children under age 5.

These children could have been saved by simple effective interventions, such as oral rehydration salt and zinc: Approximately 70 to 90 per cent of deaths caused by acute watery diarrhoea can be prevented by oral rehydration salt, while zinc is estimated to decrease diarrhea mortality by 11.5 per cent. Appropriate fluids, breastfeeding, continued feeding and selective use of antibiotics are also critical.

In 2021, UNICEF distributed over 93 million zinc tablets and more than 30 million oral rehydration salt sachets worldwide. UNICEF also leverages its resources and expertise in health; nutrition; education; behavioral communications; and water, sanitation and hygiene to support diarrhea prevention and treatment.

Malaria

Malaria is the world’s third most deadly disease for young children between the ages of one month and 5 years, following pneumonia and diarrhea. In 2021, there were 247 million malaria cases globally that led to 619,000 deaths in total. Of these deaths, 77 per cent were children under 5 years of age.

Nearly every minute, a child dies from malaria.

Eliminating malaria requires increased global investments – particularly in research and development.

Insecticide-treated mosquito nets are known to provide an effective defense against malaria, while swift diagnosis has proven essential for treatment. UNICEF works closely with partners to deliver key supplies, including mosquito nets, rapid diagnostic tests and antimalarials, to the children most at risk of infection. Our efforts ensure that care and treatment reach affected children where they are – whether at medical facilities or through appropriately trained and equipped community health workers.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that the world knows how to prevent and treat. Yet, over 600 children under the age of 15 die from it every day – nearly a quarter million each year. Most of these deaths occur among children under the age of 5.

While countries have developed methods for TB prevention, surveillance, diagnosis and treatment in adults, children are still falling through the cracks. Among the one million children estimated to fall ill with tuberculosis each year, less than half are identified and registered by national programmes.

Ninety-six per cent of the children who die from tuberculosis never accessed treatment.

Children are also left behind in funding efforts. While they represent about 10 per cent of global tuberculosis sufferers, they account for just 3 per cent of overall spending on research and development.

To meet this challenge, UNICEF works closely with Governments and partners to incorporate TB prevention and treatment in child health strategies. We support countries to improve primary health care at the community level, increase knowledge and awareness of tuberculosis, and strengthen systems that deliver TB services, such as screening, vaccination and treatment.

10 Common Childhood Illnesses and Their Treatments

​​​All children deserve high-quality medical care. As a parent, it is important to be aware of the most up-to-date treatment guidelines so you can be sure your child is getting the best care possible.

The following information from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) lists some of the most common childhood illnesses and their approved treatments. The treatments discussed here are based on scientific evidence and best practices. However, there may be reasons why your pediatrician has different recommendations for your child, especially if your child has an ongoing medical condition or allergy. Your pediatrician will discuss any variations in treatment with you. If you have any questions about appropriate care for your child, please discuss them with your pediatrician.

1. Sore Throat

• Sore throats are common in children and can be painful. However, a sore throat that is caused by a virus does not need antibiotics. In those cases, no specific medicine is required, and your child should get better in seven to ten days. In other cases, a sore throat could be caused by an infection called streptococcal (strep throat).
• Strep cannot be accurately diagnosed by simply looking at the throat. A lab test or in-office rapid strep test, which includes a quick swab of the throat, is necessary to confirm the diagnosis of strep. If positive for strep, your pediatrician will prescribe an antibiotic. It’s very important that your child take the antibiotic for the full course, as prescribed, even if the symptoms get better or go away. Steroid medicines (such as prednisone) are not an appropriate treatment for most cases of sore throat.
• Babies and toddlers rarely get it strep throat, but they are more likely to become infected by streptococcus bacteria if they are in child care or if an older sibling has the illness. Although strep spreads mainly through coughs and sneezes, your child can also get it by touching a toy that an infected child has played with.

2. Ear Pain

• Ear pain is common in children and can have many causes—including ear infection (otitis media), swimmer’s ear (infection of the skin in the ear canal), pressure from a cold or sinus infection, teeth pain radiating up the jaw to the ear, and others. . To tell the difference, your pediatrician will need to examine your child’s ear. In fact, an in-office exam is still the best way for your pediatrician to make an accurate diagnosis. If your child’s ear pain is accompanied by a high fever, involves both ears, or if your child has other signs of illness, your pediatrician may decide that an antibiotic is the best treatment.
• Amoxicillin is the preferred antibiotic for middle ear infections—except when there is an allergy to penicillin or chronic or recurrent infections.
• Many true ear infections are caused by viruses and do not require antibiotics. If your pediatrician suspects your child’s ear infection may be from a virus, he or she will talk with you about the best ways to help relieve your child’s ear pain until the virus runs its course.

3. Urinary Tract Infection

• Bladder infections, also called urinary tract infections or UTIs, occur when ­bacteria build up in the urinary tract. A UTI can be found in children from infancy through the teen years and into adulthood. Symptoms of a UTI include pain or burning during urination, the need to urinate frequently or urgently, bedwetting or accidents by a child who knows to use the toilet, abdominal pain, or side or back pain.
• Your child’s doctor will need a urine sample to test for a UTI before determining treatment. Your doctor may adjust the treatment depending on which bacteria is found in your child’s urine.

4. Skin Infection

• In most children with skin infections, a skin test (culture or swab) may be needed to determine the most-appropriate treatment. Tell your doctor if your child has a history of MRSA, staph infection, or other resistant bacteria or if he or she has been exposed to other family members or contacts with resistant bacteria.

5. Bronchitis

• Chronic bronchitis is an infection of the larger, more central airways in the lungs and is more often seen in adults. Often the word “bronchitis” is used to describe a chest virus and does not require antibiotics.

6. Bronchiolitis

• Bronchiolitis is common in infants and young children during the cold and flu season. Your doctor may hear “wheezing” when your child breathes.
• Bronchiolitis is most often caused by a virus, which does not require antibiotics. Instead, most treatment recommendations are geared toward making your child comfortable with close monitoring for any difficulty in breathing, eating, or signs of dehydration. Medicines used for patients with asthma (such as albuterol or steroids) are not recommended for most infants and young children with bronchiolitis. Children who were born prematurely or have underlying health problems may need different treatment plans.

7. Pain

• The best medicines for pain relief for children are acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Talk to your pediatrician about how much to give your child, as it should be based on your child’s weight.
• Narcotic pain medications are not appropriate for children with common injuries or complaints such as sprained ankle, ear pain, or sore throats. Codeine should never be used for children as it’s been associated with severe respiratory problems and even death in children.

8. 8.  Common Cold

• Colds are caused by viruses in the upper respiratory tract. Many young children—especially those in child care—can get 6 to 8 colds per year. Symptoms of a cold (including runny nose, congestion, and cough) may last for up to ten days.

• Green mucus in the nose does not automatically mean that antibiotics are needed; common colds never need antibiotics. However, if a sinus infection is suspected, your doctor will carefully decide whether antibiotics are the best choice based on your child’s symptoms and a physical exam.

9. Bacterial Sinusitis

• Bacterial sinusitis is caused by bacteria trapped in the sinuses. Sinusitis is suspected when cold-like symptoms such as nasal discharge, daytime cough, or both last over ten days without improvement.
• Antibiotics may be needed if this condition is accompanied by thick yellow nasal discharge and a fever for at least 3 or 4 days in a row.

10. Cough

• Coughs are usually caused by viruses and do not often require antibiotics.
• Cough medicine is not recommended for children 4 years of age and younger, or for children 4 to 6 years of age unless advised by your doctor. Studies have consistently shown that cough medicines do not work in the 4-years-and-younger age group and have the potential for serious side effects. Cough medicines with narcotics—such as codeine—should not be used in children.

Call your pediatrician if your child’s illness appears to change, becomes worse, does not go away after a few days, or if you are worried about any new symptoms that develop. If your child’s illness has worsened, or if he or she develops complications, your pediatrician may recommend a new treatment.