Disease Facts

Disease Facts

Influenza is an acute infectious

Pneumonia is a specific acute disease which

Whooping Cough is a common acute infectious

disease

involves an entire lung or a part of lung,

disease of childhood, highly contagious.

sometimes both lungs are involved. It may occur

at any time of the year, but it is frequent ib the

months from December until May.

cause

filterable virus

various viruses, staphylococci;

Bordutellia Pertussis

predisposing factors: weather, draughts, loss of

sleep

way of transmission

contact with an infected

contact with the infected person

contact with the infected person

person

incubation period

1-3 days

7 days, may be shorter – 2-4, or longer – up to 21

susceptible age

adults, children

adults, children, infants

most people have it in the early life

symptoms

chill, high temperature; bad

chill, fever, general weakness, sweating and

catarrhal stage (1-2 days): common cold, listless,

headache; pain in eyes, back,

persistent dry cough which can not be relieved

irritable, dry hacking cough

joins and muscles; dry cough;

by common measures

paroxysmal st.( 4-6 weeks): cough comes in explosive

sore throat; sneezing; cold in

children: chest pains, stomachache

bursts, a series of 5 to 10 short, rapid coughs are

head

infants: shortness of breath

given on one expiration, followed by a sudden

in severe cases: expectoration of bloody sputum

inspiration, associated with a characteristic sound

or whoop, cyanotic face during the attack, the

eyes bulge, the tongue protrudes

convalescent st.: cessation of whooping and

vomiting, severity of paroxisms decrease

complications

otitis media, bronchitis,

empyema after the 7th day of the disease; otitis

pneumonia; stop of breathing during the attack in

pneumonia…

media, mastoiditis, pericarditis, endocarditis,

young children; ottitis media, atelectasis

meningitis

nursing

put in bed and stay there until

fresh air; nutritious food that the child likes; the

rest in bed as long as the fever is present; room must

the temperature is normal (3

child should be given such vitamins as vit A, C

be well aired; is important to maintain proper

days); hygiene; diet; room

nutrition, the diet must be adequate, rich in

must be constantly aired;

vitamins, especially vitamin С; the patient should

plenty of fluid

be separated from other people

Treatment/

medicine

antigrippin;

penicillin; before the era of antibiotics

cough suppressing remedies; antibiotics

anti-viral drugs

sulfanilamides were used

(arbidol,remantadin)

procedure

bad rest; mustard plasters; cups; diathermy of

s

lungs

Prophylaxis

fighting infectious diseases because they are

Children should be immunized at the age of 5-6

often complicated by pneumonia

months with a pertussis - diphtheria vaccine.

Disease Facts

Chicken-pox is a very contagious disease

Scarlet fever is an acute contagious disease

Measles is one of the most communicable and widespread disease of

of children. It is one of the mildest of

characterized by high temperature, rapid pulse, a

childhood. it is a very grave disease which is dangerous for children

acute infectious diseases of childhood.

punctuate eruption followed by desquamation,

especially the young ones.

inflammation of the throat.

cause

Hemolitic Streptococcus

way of transmission

by various objects – clothing, toys, books, food-

the disease is spread by infected droplets from the nose and throat

stuff

sneezed or coughed into the air

by means of droplet infection

susceptible age

children under the age of 10; children of

children between 18 month and 10 years old

the first 4 years are the most susceptible

incubation period

14-21 days, more frequent 17

4-7 days, sometimes only few hours

9-10 days

symptoms

the first symptoms are a slight fever,

sore throat, sharp rise of temperature 39-40 C,

the first symptoms: fever, cough, sneezing

pain in the back and legs; at the same

nausea, vomiting, headache, chills, lymphatic

After the disappearance of rash the desquamation begins and the

time ( 24 hours) a characteristic

nodes are enlarged, child is restless and sleeps

patient begins to feel much worse: the cough and cold in head become

eruption appears

badly, furred tongue, sometimes a whitish coating

aggravatage, the eyes become purulent

covers the tonsils; then rash; then the period of

desquamation which lasts for 10-14 days

‘rash

eruption usually appears on the scalp (

within a few hours but more often at the end of

rash appears on the 4th day at first on the mucous membrane of the

the hairy part of the head)

the first day or at the beginning of the second day

mouth, it is known as Filatov-Koplik’s spots; these are tiny white spots

it consists of red macules quickly

a diffuse red rush appears on the neck, chest and

on a bright red background. The red maculopapular rash appears on

processing to papules and vesicles, soon

back spreading to the arms and legs; the area

the skin behind ears, then on the face, body and limbs.

they become crusted, brownish crusts

around the mouth remains free from rush; rush

dry up and fall off in 2-3 weeks. The

lasts for 1-3 days and then fades away

number of vesicles is variable ( 10, in

severe cases 600-700)

complications

complications are rare, encephalitis may

nephritis, adenitis, otitis media, pericarditis,

occur in uncommonly severe cases

endocarditis

nursing

the child should be kept in bed during

isolation; stay in bed; disinfection of the patient’s

room must be aired and cleaned with a wet duster; the patient's

the eruptive stage and as long as there

things is important

bed must be placed so that the day light should not fall on

is any fever

his face, but the room must never be darkened because the

treatment

medicine

the lesions should be treated with a

antibiotics

sun rays kill bacteria; keep mouth clean ( rinse the mouth after

disinfentive solution

meals, little children must drink boiled water); child must be

procedures

isolation

bathed as usual ( the temperature of the water36—37 °C); soft

diet in small amounts 5—6 times a day; hands must often be

washed and he must not be allowed to rub his eyes; it is good

to wash his eyes out with tea (green tea is better) or an

appropriate disinfecting solution several times a day.

It is necessary to isolate the sick child from healthy children.

When it is impossible for the child to have proper nursing at

home, he should be taken to the hospital.