Common illnesses
Autism
Autism affects the way a child communicates and relates to other people. Early signs include not fixing his or her eyes on your face, resisting being cuddled, and a delay in speaking and hyperactivity. 1-3 autistic children never learn to talk. You may have noticed that as a baby there was probably trouble with feeding and a general developmental delay. Austic children are not able to make much sense of the world around them and cannot communicate normally. They do not know how to judge how others are feeling through body language and have difficulty with social interaction. You will notice that a child with autism is unable to play with other children. Autistic children lack imagination – they cannot role play, as in pretending that a doll in a baby. They get on best with routine and repeated rituals.Catarrh
This is uncomfortable as it is an excess of mucus in the nose and throat. It may result from a common cold, measles, hayfever, or sinusitis. It could also result from an allergy. Your child will have a running nose, cough, may vomit and ongoing nasal congestion. They may be irritable. Babies may not feed well.Consult your doctor if catarrah persists – especially if it is an allergy. You should sort out what is causing the problem because your child can get very run down and tired. They will miss out in various ways both at school and socially if it in is on going.
Cerebral Palsy
This is a condition that is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain either in late pregnancy or during birth.Severe Cerebral Palsy may be noticed at birth but lesser degrees can be hard to detect until your child becomes older. Some children will have minor difficulties while others will be affected more severely. Nearly half will have difficulty in speech and in learning .
Movement is the main problem and can range from:
- Spastically – the muscles are very tight and contract unusually when a child tries to move
- Athetosis – muscles move involuntarily and uncontrollably
- Ataxia – balance in poor and walking is unsteady
- Tremor – shaking occurs when a child tries to move their limbs A Cerebral Palsy specialist will need to be consulted.
Chickenpox
This is a contagious disease most common between the ages of 2 and 4. It lasts about two weeks and causes red blister-like scabs over the body. They will appear on the tummy first and spread to the arms and legs. Your child will feel unwell and may have a temperature. The spots will be ichy - try NOT to let your child scratch them as this can cause scaring.You can place calamine lotion onto the spots. In babies leave their nappy off as long as possible. Cut your child’s fingernails short to avoid scratching – maybe put on gloves if they will accept them. Give your child some paracetamol ( remember to check the right dosage), and ensure they drink as much as possible. DO NOT send your child to school and keep them AWAY from anyone who is pregnant.
Constipation
Constipation begins once your bay is onto solid foods. To avoid constipation your child should be eating a healthy diet which includes fresh fruit and vegetables and a good daily intake of water. If your child in constipated it can be very painful. They will have hard pebble-like stools, pain in the lower stomach and there may be blood in the nanny or underpants due to straining.NEVER GIVE YOUR CHILD LAXATIVES unless advised by your doctor. These can be very harmful in the long term. Ensure your child eats food containing fibre (wholemeal bread, fruit, and bran cereals). If your child is continually constipated see your doctor. There is a condition which prevent the proper contraction of the bowel wall due to a lack of nerve cells.
Conjunctivitis
This is the inflammation of the membrane which covers the eyeball. Your child may have a viral /bacterial infection or be allergic to something they have come into contact with.Your child’s eyes will feel red and sore, they will be itchy. Bright lights may be uncomfortable and after sleeping the eye may be sticky and difficult to open. You should find out what is triggering the reaction – if it is an allergy the source needs to be found. Consult your doctor.
