Cases
of colds and flu normally start with a cough
and runny nose, aches and pains and a raised
temperature. Both the common cold and flu
are caused by viruses. Antibiotics
will not help treat either condition as
they have no effect on viruses. Only if
your child has a secondary bacterial infection
of Bronchitis will your GP consider prescribing
antibiotics.
Make sure the child gets
plenty of rest and ensure they take in adequate
amounts of liquid. Use recommended doses
of Paracetamol to control aches and pains.
Coughs are common with
viral infections. They can either be dry
(no mucus) or productive (mucus is formed).
A dry cough may sometimes sound like a bark,
where it is referred to as Croup, or wheezy
and mimics asthma. A productive cough will
lead to a rattly chest sound, as if mucus
is being bought up. Younger infants will
tend to swallow the mucus they produce,
which may lead to vomiting with a bout of
coughing. This is perfectly normal. Coughs
in children can be very persistent and may
last several weeks. In babies this may be
due to a continuing presence of the infective
organism, and in older children because
of sensitisation of the mucus lining of
the windpipe. With time the cough will pass
and the child recover.
Please note - for
the vast majority of coughs, antibiotics
are of absolutely zero value to your child
as most coughs are caused by viruses. Antibiotics
do not have any effect on viruses, only
on bacteria - a different type of infectious
organism altogether. Demanding antibiotics
from your GP will not help your child, but
will help to create antibiotic resistant
strains of infectious bacteria, and drain
resources from a limited drug budget.
Antibiotics will help if your child
develops Bronchitis (an inflammation of the bronchi
in the lungs) which is caused by a bacterial infection.
A clue to whether your child has developed bronchitis
and needs a course of antibiotics is the type of phlegm
produced. With viral infections mucus is generally
white or clear. A bacterial bronchitis infection creates
large amounts of green or yellow phlegm, and it is
recommended in this instance to consult your GP for
an assessment and antibiotic prescription if bronchitis
is diagnosed. For all other coughs, all that can be
done is to alleviate the symptoms. Steaming and vapourising
are effective in soothing sore throats caused by coughs.
Most cases are usually
due to a viral infection. The most important
thing to remember is to avoid dehydration
by providing adequate amounts of the correct
type of fluid. Try to use fruit juice or
flat lemonade or a rehydration formula such
as Rehydrate or Dioralyte and, contrary
to what many people believe, avoid pure
or boiled water. Sweetened drinks are preferable
because they are absorbed at around twice
the rate of water. These drinks also contain
essential salts and ions such as Potassium
that are lacking in water. A sign that your
child is ok and not overly dehydrated is
the ability and need to pass urine.
Diarrhoea in very young
children and babies needs careful attention.
Most babies have loose bowel action during
their first six months due to a predominantly
liquid diet. Sudden bouts of unusually watery
diarrhoea should be treated by taking the
baby off solids and feeding them a solution
of water with a teaspoon of sugar and half
a teaspoon of salt. If symptoms persist
for more than 24 hours, or are accompanied
by vomiting or weakness, consult your doctor.
Most stomach upsets will
pass in around 24 hours following this advice
and your child will suffer no harm. If you
are concerned about your child's diarrhoea
you are of course welcome to seek a consultation
at the Practice to rule out more serious
causes.
If your child's diarrhoea or vomit
should contain blood we recommend you seek medical
attention from the Health Centre or Doctors on Call
service.
Earache can be a very uncomfortable
experience with high pain levels and may
require stronger painkillers than Paracetamol. 90% of cases of earache do not require
an antibiotic prescription and
will begin to resolve within a day or two.
The most common cause is a virus that causes
raised pressure in the ear and a feeling
that the child is 'bunged up'.
The pain can be made worse
by lying down as this raises the ear pressure
further and can make sleeping difficult.
It is recommended that the child should
have their head propped up with pillows
or cushions when in bed. If earache starts
or worsens in the night, seek medical advice
in the daytime, as earache is not an emergency
situation.
The eardrum will occasionally rupture
and expel pus and possibly a little blood, providing
rapid pain relief as this allows a drop in the pressure
within the ear. This is nothing to panic about and
is the body's way of helping to alleviate itself of
the problem. The eardrum will repair itself inside
of 4 weeks, and the chances of resulting ear trouble
are remote, but do consult your GP during normal hours
if this rupture should occur.
Fevers are most often caused by viruses.
The body's natural defence is to produce a fever to
fight the infectious virus. The onset of a fever can
be sudden, rapid and very high. However, the good
news is that children who get high fevers have a greater
tendency to show rapid improvement. Fevers will often
come and go and be worse in the evening. Children
will complain of feeling cold and of shivering as
the body temperature is rising. As the fever lessens
the child will appear red, sweat and complain of feeling
hot. Paracetamol are also recommended to reduce the
fever and make the child more comfortable, but they
also assist in reducing the risk of febrile fits in
the under six age group. These fits are extremely
uncommon, and the fever a child develops is actually
a benefit in ridding the body of the virus.
A febrile fit is a convulsion that
can be very frightening for the child and
parent alike, but is not in itself dangerous.
Danger lies, as with all fits, in inhalation
of vomit or swallowing the tongue. If your
child should fit, lie them over your knees
with the head facing down. When they have
overcome the fitting process, reduce the
child's body temperature by removing clothing
and giving them Paracetamol. Phone your
GP or Doctor-on-Call service for further
advice, assistance and reassurance.
Head
Lice are very common in schoolchildren.
Contrary to popular belief they prefer clean
hair and are not a sign of poor personal
hygiene. Their short life cycle and rapid
breeding has allowed recent generations
to develop strong resistance to chemical
We recommend trying a chemical
lotion from your pharmacist in the first
instance, combined with regular daily combing
with a nit-comb or stiff bristle brush after
washing the hair to damage nits which should
prevent them laying eggs and multiplying.
Many
viruses will cause a persistent headache,
but parents should be vigilant for
the signs and symptoms of Meningitis
as failure to diagnose and treat early
can have serious consequences. The
signs that a child's headache may
be due to meningitis that you should
look out for are:
Cold skin with a
grey appearance. High levels of tiredness/drowsiness.
The child cannot curl up and touch
their chin to their knees. The most
important warning sign to be aware
of is the presence of a rash that
resembles a love-bite with blood under
the child's skin. This rash does not
blanch when pressed with a clear object
such as a glass.
As with coughs and colds,
the majority of sore throats are caused
by a virus, and therefore antibiotics
will not help.
To alleviate the pain give your
children Paracetamol or Cocodamol at the recommended
doses and time intervals. Children over the age of
twelve will find gargling with soluble Aspirin helpful,
but children under 12 must not be given Aspirin.
Thread worms are common
in pre-school children (and occasionally
trouble older children and adults). They
are spread via hand to mouth contact. They
appear as tiny cotton thread-like worms
in a child's motions and can cause itching
in a child's bottom. Whilst unpleasant, thread
worm are not dangerous.
Ask at the Practice and we
will write a prescription to clear the problem (infected
adults can buy this medicine over the counter in pharmacies,
but for safety reasons we ask you to consult with
us when treating a child with these medicines).
We have grouped
together the viral infections Chicken Pox, Measles,
Rubella (German Measles) Mumps and Pertussis (Whooping
Cough) together in a table, highlighting what
signs to look for and what action to take if your
child should develop any of these common childhood
illnesses.
Virus
Incubation
Period
Infectious Period
Telltale signs
Action to take
Chicken Pox
ca.
14 days
From
the day before rash begins - until spots are dry.
Child
complains of feeling unwell & develops a rash and possibly a temperature.
Red spots are visible becoming fluid filled blisters after ca. a day.
They start on the chest & back first then spread.. Lymph glands behind
ears become 'lumpy'. Blisters become scabs which eventually drop off.
Unless the spots/blisters are badly infected scarring is rare.
Visit
to the Practice unnecessary unless you are unsure that it is chicken
pox or the child severely distressed. Paracetamol are recommended as are
a plenty of fluids. Loose, baggy clothing helps avoid itchiness, which
can be further relieved with calamine lotion and lukewarm baths.
Measles
7-12
days
From
a few days before rash - until 5 days after rash goes.
Child
develops fever. After ca. 3 days a rash is visible with red, raised, blotchy
spots that do not itch. The child feels very unwell and develops a high
temperature and cough.
Measles normally last around 7 days. It is a rare illness now because
of widespread uptake of MMR vaccination.
Contact
the Practice. Plenty of bed rest is recommended. Fluid intake must
be kept up, and warm drinks help relieve discomfort from the cough. Give
recommended Paracetamol doses to reduce discomfort and lower temperature.
Vaseline can prevent lips becoming sore. Ensure any 'crustiness' that
forms around eyes is cleared with warm water
Mumps
14-21
days
Few
days before feel ill - until swelling reduced (ca.10 days total).
Child
may complain of earache, especially when chewing. Swelling becomes apparent
under the jaw near the ears. Swelling often more prominent on one side,
which may be followed by the other side also swelling.
Your
child may not feel especially unwell, but will complain of swollen glands.
Paracetamol will help to alleviate pain. Ensure the child has plenty of
fluids, but not fruit juice as they increase saliva production which in
turn increases pain levels from swollen glands. A consultation with your
GP is not necessary unless your child's mumps is accompanied by stomach
cramp and vomiting.
Rubella
14-21
days
From
a few days before feeling ill - until ca. a week after rash appears.
Rubella
is hard to diagnose as it often starts out as a mild cold. A rash will
appear within 2 days on the face and will spread. The rash is of flat
spots that are pale pink in appearance. Rubella may also cause swelling
in glands on the back of the neck.
As
ever ensure the child is given plenty of fluids to drink. It is vital
that you keep an infected child away from pregnant women as the virus
is dangerous to unborn babies. A visit to the doctor is unnecessary
Pertussis
(Whooping Cough)
7-14
days
From
first signs of feeling unwell - until 6 weeks after cough begins.
Begins
as a cough which gradually worsens leading to coughing bouts after ca.
14 days. The coughing fits can make breathing hard and leave the child
exhausted. Always accompanied by a 'whooping'. The cough may not disappear
for several weeks. It is easy to prevent your child contracting this disease
with a simple childhood immunisation.
If
your child develops a cough that worsens over time and if coughing fits
get longer with increased regularity consult your doctor. It is
important to ascertain whether or nor your child has whooping cough.
Health Advice - Children's Illnesses
