Diarrhea

Most kids battle diarrhea from time to time, but the good news is that it's often caused by infections that don't last long and usually are more disruptive than dangerous. Still, it's important to know what to do to relieve and even prevent diarrhea.

Causes of Diarrhea

Diarrhea — frequent runny or watery bowel movements (poop) — is usually brought on by gastrointestinal (GI) infections caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites. The specific germs that cause diarrhea can vary among geographic regions depending on their level of sanitation, economic development, and hygiene. For example, developing countries with poor sanitation or where human waste is used as fertilizer often have outbreaks of diarrhea when intestinal bacteria or parasites contaminate crops or drinking water.

In developed countries, including the United States, diarrhea outbreaks are more often linked to contaminated water supplies, person-to-person contact in places such as child-care centers, or "food poisoning" (when people get sick from improperly processed or preserved foods contaminated with bacteria). In general, infections that cause diarrhea are highly contagious. Most cases can be spread to others for as long as someone has diarrhea, and some infections can be contagious even longer.

Diarrheal infections can be spread through:

• dirty hands
• contaminated food or water
• some pets
• direct contact with fecal matter (i.e., from dirty diapers or the toilet)

Anything that the infectious germs come in contact with can become contaminated. This includes toys, changing tables, surfaces in restrooms, even the hands of someone preparing food. Kids can become infected by touching a contaminated surface, such as a toilet or toy, and then putting their fingers in their mouths.

A common cause of diarrhea is viral gastroenteritis (often called the "stomach flu," it also can cause nausea and vomiting). Many different viruses can cause viral gastroenteritis, which can pass through a household, school, or day-care center quickly because it's highly infectious. Although the symptoms usually last just a few days, affected kids (especially infants) who are unable to get adequate fluid intake can become dehydrated.

Rotavirus infection is a frequent cause of viral gastroenteritis in kids. Rotavirus usually causes explosive, watery diarrhea, although not all will show symptoms. Rotavirus has commonly caused outbreaks of diarrhea during the winter and early spring months, especially in child-care centers and children's hospitals, however, a vaccine now recommended for infants has been found to prevent approximately 75% of cases of rotavirus infection and 98% of the severe cases that require hospitalization. Another group of viruses that can cause diarrhea in children, especially during the summer months, are enteroviruses, particularly coxsackievirus.

Source: kidshealth

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Dengue Fever

Dengue fever is a tropical disease caused by a virus carried by mosquitoes. The virus can cause fever, headaches, rashes, and pain throughout the body. Most cases of dengue fever are mild and go away on their own after about a week.

Dengue fever rarely strikes in the United States (the last cases were reported in Texas in 2005), but if you plan to travel to a foreign country — especially one in the tropics — it's wise to guard against dengue fever. Wearing insect repellant, covering sleep areas with netting, and avoiding the outdoors at dusk and dawn (when mosquitoes are most active) can help lower the chances of infection.

About Dengue Fever

Dengue (DEN-gee) fever is caused by four similar viruses spread by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, which are common in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide. When an Aedes mosquito bites a person who has been infected with a dengue virus, the mosquito can become a carrier of the virus. If this mosquito bites someone else, that person can be infected with dengue fever. The virus can't spread directly from person to person.

Many kids with dengue fever don't have symptoms; others have mild symptoms that appear anywhere from 4 days to 2 weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms typically last for 2 to 7 days. Once kids have had the illness, they become immune to that particular type of the virus (although they can still be infected by any of the other three types). In rare cases, dengue fever can lead to more serious forms of the disease. These conditions, called dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome, can cause shock and death and need immediate medical treatment.

Signs & Symptoms

In the past, dengue fever was known as "breakbone fever," which might give you an idea of the symptoms it can cause — that is, if a person ends up having any symptoms at all. The fever isn't actually breaking any bones, but it can sometimes feel like it is.

Common signs and symptoms of dengue fever include:

• high fever, possibly as high as 105°F (40°C)
• pain behind the eyes and in the joints, muscles, and/or bones
• severe headache
• rash over most of the body
• mild bleeding from the nose or gums
• bruising easily

Symptoms are generally mild in younger children and those who get infected with the disease for the first time. Older kids, adults, and those who have had a previous infection may experience moderate to severe symptoms. People with dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome will have the regular symptoms of dengue fever for 2 to 7 days. After the fever subsides, other symptoms worsen and can cause more severe bleeding; gastrointestinal problems like nausea, vomiting, or severe abdominal pain; and respiratory problems like difficulty breathing. If left untreated, dehydration, heavy bleeding, and a rapid drop in blood pressure (shock) can occur. These symptoms are life threatening and require immediate medical attention.

Diagnosis

If your child has any symptoms of dengue fever, call a doctor right away. You should also contact a doctor if your child has recently been to a region that has dengue fever and develops a fever or severe headache. To make a diagnosis, the doctor will examine your child and evaluate the symptoms. The doctor will ask about your child's medical history and recent travels, and send a sample of your child's blood to be tested for the disease.

Treatment

No specific treatment is available for dengue fever. Mild cases can be treated by giving lots of fluids to prevent dehydration and getting plenty of rest. Pain relievers with acetaminophen can to treat the headaches and pain associated with dengue fever. Pain relievers with aspirin or ibuprofen should be avoided, as they can make bleeding more likely.

Most cases of dengue fever go away within a week or two and won't cause any lasting problems. If someone has severe symptoms of the disease, or if symptoms get worse in the first day or two after the fever goes away, seek immediate medical care. This could be an indication of dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome, which needs immediate medical attention.

To treat severe cases of dengue fever at a hospital, doctors will deliver intravenous (IV) fluids and electrolytes (salts) to replace the fluids lost through vomiting or diarrhea. This is usually enough to effectively treat the disease, as long as fluid replacement therapy begins early. In more advanced cases, doctors may have to perform a transfusion to replace lost blood. In all cases of dengue infection, regardless of how serious symptoms are, efforts should be made to keep the infected person from being bitten by mosquitoes. This will help prevent the illness from spreading to others.

Source: kidshealth

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Cholera

Cholera is a serious and sometimes life-threatening infection that mainly affects people in developing countries, where clean water and other sanitation measures are hard to come by. If you live in the United States, the chances of someone in your family getting cholera are slim. But if you're planning to travel to a foreign country, especially one in the tropics, it's a good idea to know about cholera, and how to prevent it. Taking precautions with your food and water is the best way to avoid the illness.

About Cholera

Cholera is an intestinal infection caused the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. This bacterium produces a potent toxin that binds to the walls of the intestines. The body responds by secreting large amounts of water, causing watery diarrhea, vomiting, and subsequent dehydration as fluids and salts exit the body.

As a result, people with cholera can become dehydrated very quickly. Untreated severe dehydration can cause serious health problems like seizures and kidney failure. A person who doesn't get the proper medical treatment might even die. The good news is, cholera is easy to treat if it's caught early. Kids who have mild to moderate cases usually get better within a week. Even people with severe cases of cholera recover fully in a week or so if they get medical care.

Cholera is mostly found in hot, tropical climates — in particular Asia, Africa, Latin America, India, and the Middle East. Although it's rare in the United States (the last outbreak was in 1911), cases can still occur. Travelers from countries where cholera is more common can bring it into the country, and some people in the U.S. have become sick from eating raw or undercooked shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico.

How It Spreads

People get cholera from eating or drinking food or water that's been contaminated with the feces (poop) of someone who has cholera. This is one reason why cholera is rare in countries with good sanitation systems. Things like flush toilets, sewer systems, and water treatment facilities keep poop out of the water and food supply. Cholera epidemics also sometimes happen after a disaster (like an earthquake or flood) if people are living in tent cities or other places without running water or proper sanitation systems. Less commonly, the bacteria that cause cholera are found in brackish rivers and coastal waters. Cholera is not contagious, so you can't catch it from direct contact with another person.

Signs & Symptoms

When someone is infected with the cholera bacterium, symptoms can appear in a few hours or as late as 5 days later. Many kids with cholera have no signs or symptoms, but some cases can be severe and life threatening.

Common symptoms of cholera and the dehydration it causes include:

• watery, pale-colored diarrhea, often in large amounts
• nausea and vomiting
• cramps, particularly in the abdomen and legs
• irritability, lack of energy, or unusual sleepiness
• glassy or sunken eyes
• dry mouth and extreme thirst
• dry, shriveled skin
• low urine output and a lack of tears
• arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and low blood pressure

If your child develops symptoms like these, especially after visiting an area where cholera is likely or common, call your doctor or get medical help right away. Severe dehydration can happen very quickly, so it's essential to start replacing lost fluids right away to avoid damage to internal organs.

Diagnosis

To confirm a diagnosis of cholera, doctors may take a stool or vomit sample or a rectal swab to examine for signs of the bacteria. Rapid, dipstick-style tests are now available, which help health care providers in remote areas identify the disease more quickly and control outbreaks more effectively. All confirmed cases of cholera must be reported to local health officials.

Treatment

Since severe dehydration and death can occur within hours, cholera needs to be treated immediately. Most kids recover with no long-term problems as long as they receive prompt treatment. The goal of treatment is to replace all the fluids and salts lost through diarrhea and vomiting. For mild dehydration, a doctor may recommend giving your child an over-the-counter rehydration solution. Kids with more severe cases of cholera may need to stay in the hospital and get intravenous (IV) fluids.

Sometimes doctors prescribe antibiotics to treat cholera. The antibiotics are not as important as rehydration, but can help shorten the length of time someone is sick. They also might make cholera-related diarrhea less severe. Sometimes doctors also prescribe zinc supplements. Anti-diarrheal medicines can actually make the symptoms of cholera worse, so if your child has cholera (or you think your child has it), do not offer them.

Source: kidshealth

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Appendicitis

Appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix) requires immediate medical attention, so it's important to learn its symptoms — and how they differ from a run-of-the-mill stomachache — so you can seek medical care right away. The first symptoms of appendicitis usually are a mild fever and pain around the bellybutton. The pain usually worsens and moves to the lower right side of the belly. Vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, and loss of appetite are other common symptoms. Call your doctor immediately if you suspect that your child has appendicitis. The earlier it's caught, the easier it will be to treat.

About Appendicitis

The appendix is a small finger-like organ that's attached to the large intestine in the lower right side of the abdomen. The inside of the appendix forms a cul-de-sac that usually opens into the large intestine. Blockage can be due to hard rock-like stool (called a fecolith), inflammation of lymph nodes in the intestines, or even parasites. Once the appendix is blocked, it becomes inflamed and bacteria can overgrow in it. If the infected appendix isn't removed, it can burst and spread bacteria. The infection from a ruptured appendix is very serious — it can form an abscess (an infection of pus) or spread throughout the abdomen (this type of infection is called peritonitis). Appendicitis mostly affects kids and teens between 11 and 20 years old, and is rare in infants. It's one of the most common reasons for emergency abdominal surgery in kids. Appendicitis is not contagious.

Symptoms

Call the doctor immediately if your child shows symptoms of appendicitis, including:

• significant abdominal pain, especially around the bellybutton or in the lower right part of the abdomen (perhaps coming and going and then becoming consistent and sharp)
• low-grade fever
• loss of appetite
• nausea and vomiting
• diarrhea (especially small amounts, with mucus)
• swollen or bloated abdomen, especially in infants

There is no way to prevent appendicitis, but with sophisticated diagnostic tests and antibiotics, most cases are identified and treated without complications. If appendicitis goes untreated, the inflamed appendix can burst 24 to 72 hours after the symptoms begin. If the appendix has burst, the pain may spread across the whole abdomen, and the child's fever may be very high, reaching 104°F (40°C). The symptoms of appendicitis can vary according to a child's age. In kids 2 years old or younger, the most common symptoms are vomiting and a bloated or swollen abdomen, accompanied by pain. If you suspect that your child has appendicitis, call your doctor immediately and don't give your child any pain medication or anything to eat or drink unless instructed to by the doctor.

Source: kidshealth

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Body Piercing

What Is a Body Piercing and What Can You Expect?

A body piercing is exactly that — a piercing or puncture made in your body by a needle. After that, a piece of jewelry is inserted into the puncture. The most popular pierced body parts seem to be the ears, the nostrils, and the belly button. If the person performing the piercing provides a safe, clean, and professional environment, this is what you should expect from getting a body part pierced:

• The area you've chosen to be pierced (except for the tongue) is cleaned with a germicidal soap (a soap that kills disease-causing bacteria and microorganisms).
• Your skin is then punctured with a very sharp, clean needle.
• The piece of jewelry, which has already been sterilized, is attached to the area.
• The person performing the piercing disposes of the needle in a special container so that there is no risk of the needle or blood touching someone else.
• The pierced area is cleaned.
• The person performing the piercing checks and adjusts the jewelry.
• The person performing the piercing gives you instructions on how to make sure your new piercing heals correctly and what to do if there is a problem.

Before You Pierce That Part

If you're thinking about getting pierced, do your research first. If you're under 18, some places won't allow you to get a piercing without a parent's consent. It's a good idea to find out what risks are involved and how best to protect yourself from infections and other complications. Certain sites on the body can cause more problems than others — infection is a common complication of mouth and nose piercings because of the millions of bacteria that live in those areas. Tongue piercings can damage teeth over time. And tongue, cheek, and lip piercings can cause gum problems.

Studies have shown that people with certain types of heart disease might have a higher risk of developing a heart infection after body piercing. If you have a medical problem such as allergies, diabetes, skin disorders, a condition that affects your immune system, or infections — or if you are pregnant — ask your doctor if there are any special concerns you should have or precautions you should take beforehand. Also, it's not a good idea to get a body piercing if you're prone to getting keloids (an overgrowth of scar tissue in the area of the wound).

If you decide to get a body piercing:

• Make sure you're up to date with your immunizations (especially hepatitis B and tetanus).
• Plan where you will get medical care if your piercing becomes infected (signs of infection include excessive redness/tenderness around the piercing site, prolonged bleeding, pus, and change in your skin color around the piercing area).

Also, if you plan to get a tongue or mouth piercing, make sure your teeth and gums are healthy.

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