Five Common Childhood Illnesses And Their Treatments
We all want to give our children the best care possible. Most of the time, we think of them as we get our insurance policies in place. We understand how you feel and so we’ve rounded up the common childhood illnesses and the up-to-date treatment guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Please note that the treatments are based on best practices but your own pediatricians may set a different recommendation for your child especially with on-going medical conditions or in some cases, allergies. Remember, it is always best to consult with your pediatricians if you have any questions about these treatments.
1. Sore Throat
One of the common illnesses among children is a sore throat. This can also be painful and uncomfortable to some degree. Please note that a sore throat caused by a virus won’t need antibiotics. For this, no specific medicine is required and recovery should be within 7 to 10 days. In some cases, it is caused by a bacteria called streptococcal (strep throat), which is diagnosed by lab tests or rapid strep tests. If confirmed positive, your child will be prescribed antibiotics. Please make sure to give your child the full course as prescribed even if symptoms go away.
2. Ear Pain
Ear pain is very common in children and may have several causes. This can be brought about by an ear infection, swimmer’s ear, pressure from a sinus infection or cold, tooth pain radiating up the jaw towards the ear, and many more. To get a better understanding of what caused the pain, the doctor will need to physically check your child’s ear. If you have health insurance in place, it is best to check any co-payments in place. If the pain is accompanied by a high fever or may show signs of other illnesses then the doctor might prescribe antibiotics. The most commonly prescribed drug is Amoxicillin. In some cases, the infection could be caused by a virus, then the doctor will talk to you about the best treatment until the virus runs its course.
3. Urinary Tract Infection
Another common illness among kids is urinary tract infections (UTI) or bladder infections. This happens when bacteria build up in the urinary tract. This often occurs in infants up to teens. Even young adults have a few episodes of UTI. The symptoms include burning sensation or pain during urination, a feeling to urinate frequently or urgently, bedwetting or accidents by a child who knows how to use the toilet, and pain at the side, back, or abdomen. In order to diagnose this, your child will need to pass a urine sample and the doctor will address it with the necessary treatment depending on the bacteria found in the urine. It’s best to check if laboratory tests like this are covered by your insurance policy.
4. Skin Infection
Bruises and wounds among kids come and go especially those who are actively playing all the time. However, in cases of severe skin infections, it’s often diagnosed with a skin test (culture or swab) to determine the best treatment for your child’s case. Inform your doctor if your child has any history of MRSA, staph infection, or other resistant bacteria. Likewise, if your child has been exposed to other family members with resistant bacteria cases. Skin infections could be contagious to some degree.
5. Bronchitis
While chronic bronchitis is common among young adults, some children and infants can be affected by acute bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is an infection of the larger, more central airways in the lungs, thus it is more common among adults. Meanwhile, chest cold or acute bronchitis occurs when the airways of the lungs swell and produce mucus. That’s what makes your children cough to some degree. It lasts less than 3 weeks and is the most common type of bronchitis that affects children. This is caused by a virus and affects the upper respiratory. There are cases of bacterial infection but antibiotics are rarely recommended as it usually gets better on its own.
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