paediatric diseases Year 4 Paediatrics Notes OmpathStudy

paediatric diseases Year 4 · Paediatrics Collection: 4TH YEAR ALL NOTES / PAEDS / PAEDRIATICS / AGISA DR -- PAEDIATR C\nD SEASES \n\n OVERVIEW OF INFECTIOUS\nDISEASE IN CHILDREN Disease that occur in age group below 18 years. Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by germs\n(microbes). Not all germs (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites)\ncause disease. Normal flora: a host of bacteria normally live on the skin,\neyelids, nose, and mouth and in the gut are considered\nnormal inhabitants. \n\n• Carrier: person with the bacteria. It is not always clear why the same strains of bacteria\ncause carriage in one child, mild illness in another, and\nserious infection in others. Important factors in the child include age, immunity,\nnutrition, genetic makeup, and general health. \n\n TERMINOLOGIES Normal flora: Bacteria that live on or in a child Pathogen: A germ that can cause a disease Colonization: Presence of a germ in or on the child\nwithout disease. Intoxication: Illness due to a toxin made by a germ latent infection: A germ (most often a virus) in a resting\nstate \n\n• Incubation: Time between infection and symptoms Reactivation: The latent germ wakes up and reproduces Carrier: A child who is colonized but not sick Contagious: Able to spread the illness Carriage of the bacteria: bacteria present on a body\nsurface such as the nose or throat or in the bowels, but\nthere is no illness. \n\n WHAT CAUSES INFECTIONS? Prions: Infectious proteins. The smallest known infectious\nagents Viruses: Very small. Viruses take over your cells to\nreproduce themselves Bacteria: Two types: free-living, normal inhabitants (normal\nflora); pathogens that produce disease Fungi: Molds and yeasts. Fungi colonize (live on or in a child)\nand are pathogens Parasites: Forms range from single cells (amoeba, protozoa) to\nworms \n\n WHO ARE AT RISK? New-borns are at risk because their protective systems\nare not yet tested and are not always mature. Infants are at risk because they tend to put everything\ninto their mouths and rarely clean their hands. Older children are less at risk because their hygiene is\nbetter and they have become immune through prior\ninfection or carriage of bacteria. \n\n• Another important factor for a child is the use of medical\ndevices such as catheters and other tubes. These catheters and tubes provide a direct path for\nbacteria and fungi to get into the blood, bladder, or lungs. Medicines such as corticosteroids (used in asthma and\nmany other conditions) and cancer chemotherapy can\ninterfere with a child’s ability to fight infection. Even antibacterials can be a factor by killing the normal\nprotective flora. \n\n• Infections are a normal part of childhood. Most children will have at least 6 to 8 respiratory\n(breathing tract) infections each year. These include colds, ear infections, sinus infections,\nbronchitis, and pneumonia. Infections of the bowels also\nare common. When children gather together in child care settings and\nschool, there is the opportunity for infections to spread\nfrom one child to another. \n\n• Not all infections are contagious (able to spread from\nperson to person). Ear and bladder infections are not spread from child to\nchild, while diarrhoea and colds are easily spread. Sometimes the incubation is short (e.g., a day or so for\nthe flu), while other times it is quite long (Eg, 2 weeks\nfor chickenpox and many years for HIV) Inflammation can be harmful to the child as well.\nInflammation can harm organs, cause pain, and interfere\nwith normal body functions. \n\n• In some cases, a person is contagious during the\nincubation period, while in others the person is not\ncontagious until the illness begins. The amount of time a child remains contagious depends\non the infection and the child. Young children are often contagious for longer than older\nchildren. Infections are sometimes so mild that there are few or no\nsymptoms. Other infections cause more severe illness. \n\n Common cold/Flu Symptoms:\n• A congested or runny nose\n• Nasal discharge that may be clear at first but then usually becomes\nthicker and turns shades of yellow or green\n• A low-grade fever of about 100.4 F (38 C)\n• Sneezing\n• Coughing\n• Decreased appetite\n• Irritability\n• Difficulty sleeping\n• Trouble nursing or taking a bottle due to nasal congestion Method of spread: Direct Incubation Period: 2 – 5 days Contagious period: Until the symptoms persist. \n\n Nasal allergies Cause: dust mites, pet dander, mold, and pollen. Symptoms:\n• Runny and itchy nose\n• Congestion\n• Frequent sneezing\n• Chronic cough\n• Red, watery eyes\n• Allergic shiners -- dark rings under the eyes\n• Mouth breathing, especially while asleep\n• Exhaustion, because of poor sleep quality\n• Symptoms that last longer than a couple of weeks \n\n Acute bronchitis Swelling and irritation in your child's air passages. Acute bronchitis often starts because of another illness,\nsuch as a cold or the flu. Bronchitis is often cal