Index
- The most frequent paediatric pathologies
- Pathologies affecting infants
- Gastric reflux
- Bronchiolitis
- Infant colic
- The most common childhood diseases
- Fever in children
- Ear infections
- Chickenpox
- Mumps
- Pathologies affecting infants
The most frequent paediatric pathologies
From birth, many pathologies can affect the child. These may include respiratory infection, redness or redness of the skin, or ear infections. Sometimes, when the illness that affects your little one does not manifest itself externally, it is quite difficult to diagnose it. Especially since your baby can't yet express himself or herself and share his or her feelings. In this article, we'll talk about helping parents take stock of the most common infant and childhood illnesses.
Pathologies affecting infants
A distinction must be made between diseases affecting infants and childhood diseases in order to better define the theme of paediatric pathologies. Indeed, some health disorders affect infants more than others. Find out more about some of them below.
Gastric reflux
Also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastric reflux is the involuntary reflux of acidic gastric fluid. Normally, the secretion in the mouth (saliva) makes this medium alkaline. The stomach is the site of the secretion of acidic gastric fluid. When stomach contents move up into the esophagus, the infant is prone to GERD. This mechanism is common in all babies and is manifested by regurgitation, especially when burping. Even if GERD is common, it can cause esophagitis.
Regurgitation can occur before your baby is 3 months old. Also, the amount of liquid regurgitated is variable. When GERD is accompanied by inflammation of the esophagus, baby's regurgitation may be combined with traces of blood. The baby may even refuse to eat and gradually lose weight.
Bronchiolitis
It is an acute viral infection affecting the bronchioles of infants. Often mild, this condition can be dangerous in at-risk infants (such as premature babies). Bronchiolitis manifests itself as obstructive respiratory distress in infants. This symptom is accompanied by increased breathing frequency, wheezing and coughing fits. Bronchiolitis can be very impressive and is usually mild. In any case, if the baby has a significant alteration in his condition, hospitalization may be necessary.
Infant colic
This disease in infants is characterized by crying and restless fits that occur after feeding or bottle-feeding. These attacks appear and disappear suddenly. These attacks do not correspond to any particular pathology. Therefore, it is quite difficult to determine the origin of an infant's colic. However, spasms in the intestine are thought to be the primary cause of this disorder.
The most common childhood diseases
Paediatric pathologies also include all diseases that affect young children. Find out in the following the most frequent of them and their respective symptoms.
Fever in children
Fever manifests itself by a rise in the child's temperature above 38° C. Far from being an illness, fever is a mechanism that the body uses to protect itself from infection. Fever in children is usually accompanied by a loss of appetite or pain. It is important not to overcover a child with a fever. It is also important to ventilate the room in which the child is in and heat it to 20°C. Paracetamol is an effective medication for fever. Aspirin is strongly discouraged before the age of 15.
Ear infections
Otitis is a pain in the ear. It may or may not be intense. It is very common in children. Otitis occurs mostly after an infection affecting the respiratory tract. It heals very quickly. If you suspect your child has this disease, it is best to take him or her to see a pediatrician.
Chickenpox
Chickenpox is very common during childhood. This skin infection is caused by the Chickenpox-Zoster virus. It is characterized by a rash in the form of blisters filled with clear fluid. When the blister flattens and dries out, the child will feel itchy scabs. This rash may last for about 10 days. Depending on the severity of the disease, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment. For example, if your child has chickenpox, you should take him or her to see a doctor. It should be noted that chickenpox can have serious consequences in adults, especially in those who suffer from problems related to the proper functioning of the immune system.
Mumps
One of the most common pediatric pathologies is mumps. It is a viral disease that can have serious complications. It manifests itself by inflammation of the salivary glands, swelling in front of one ear and then the other ear is also affected. The child may have fever and headaches. To avoid complications, the child should be taken to the paediatrician as soon as he or she presents one of the symptoms of mumps.
Parenting an infant or young child requires a great deal of vigilance. Especially since the child cannot easily express how he or she feels. Being attentive to the slightest changes in his or her state of health is necessary in order to better treat any paediatric pathologies that may arise.
