Your Child's Health
Help Keep Sick Days to a Minimum

It's no wonder children seem to be sick all the time. Their little hands touch everything and easily pick up and spread germs. Because children's immune systems are still developing, they can't fight off infections as well as adults.

To help keep your child healthy, get to know these top four infectious childhood illnesses.

1. The Common Cold

A cold's symptoms typically include feeling tired, sneezing, coughing, a runny nose or congestion, low-grade fever, mild muscle aches, scratchy or sore throat, watery eyes, and headache.

To treat a child's cold, talk with your pediatrician before using an over-the-counter medication. Often there is little benefit from antihistamines, decongestants, or cough suppressants. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen may help alleviate a fever, but do not give aspirin to children younger than 18 years old; it may trigger Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease. Your child may feel better by:

• Resting. Keep your child home, especially if he or she has a fever.
• Drinking plenty of fluids, such as water, fruit juice, and clear soup.
• Gargling with salt water a few times a day to relieve a sore throat.
• Avoiding second-hand smoke, which can make cold symptoms worse.
• Using saline (salt water) nose drops to help loosen mucus and moisten the tender skin in the nose.

2. Viral Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and intestines that results in vomiting or diarrhea, and can lead to dehydration, especially in young children.

To replace lost fluids, minerals, and salts, you can use oral rehydration solutions, such as Pedialyte^®. When your child begins to eat again, start with mild foods, such as broth, toast, applesauce, bananas, and rice. Avoid dairy products.

3. Pink Eye – Conjunctivitis

Red, itchy eyes, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, and eye discharge that crusts during sleep are the major symptoms of pink eye (an inflammation of the clear membrane that covers the white part of the eye and lines the inner surface of the eyelids). When conjunctivitis is caused by viruses or bacteria, it is highly contagious. Usually, prescription antibiotic eyedrops or ointment can clear up a bacterial infection. Warm or cool compresses may ease your child's discomfort as well.

4. Strep Throat

Strep throat is a bacterial infection, and its symptoms often include:

• Painful swallowing – a child may have difficulty eating.
• Fever above 101 degrees.
• Tonsils that are red, swollen, and dotted with whitish or yellowish patches of pus.
• Headache.

To diagnose strep throat, your doctor will perform a throat culture. If the test is positive, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic. Be sure that your child takes all of the medicine, even if he or she is feeling better. Otherwise, the infection may worsen or spread to other parts of the body, causing more serious problems such as ear and sinus infections.

Staying Healthy
The best way to prevent a viral or bacterial infection is to wash hands frequently with soap and warm water. Be sure your child washes his or her hands after going to the bathroom. Also, teach your child to sneeze and cough into a paper tissue and to throw it away immediately, and to limit touching his or her mouth, nose, and eyes.

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