5 common kids’ illnesses

Childhood illness may not affect your family life until your child starts child care or school. After that it sometimes seems like you wear a path to the doctor and pharmacy door. However, this is normal as your child builds a robust immune system. Resistance to infection develops only after exposure to a multitude of germs.

Young children in large groups are breeding grounds for the organisms that cause illness. Little hands rub drippy noses, and then transfer infectious agents to other children or to shared toys. Here's a lineup of the top five infectious illnesses that keep children home from school or child care.

1. Colds – or upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) affecting the throat nose and sinuses. If it seems that your kids have a perennial running nose, your impression is not wrong. Children average between six and 10 colds per year.
2. Gastro – sometimes stomach upset in a child can be constipation or indigestion, rather than as a contagious illness. Some children also get stomachaches when they're worried about things, either at home or at school.
3. Ear infections  - most often occur in children under the age of 2, but the problem can also be common between the ages of 5 and 6 - triggered by the respiratory illnesses picked up in kindergarten or first grade. Colds or allergies cause congestion, which may squeeze shut your child's Eustachian tube, the tiny drainage pipe for the middle ear. Fluid trapped in the middle ear can become a breeding ground for viruses or bacteria.
4. Conjunctivitis - is an inflammation of the clear membrane that covers the white part of the eye and lines the inner surface of the eyelids. When caused by viruses or bacteria, conjunctivitis is highly contagious.
5. Sore throats -  most sore throats are caused by viruses and are usually associated with other respiratory signs and symptoms, such as a runny nose and cough. But about 15 percent of children's sore throats are caused by streptococci — bacteria that cause strep throat.

Source: The Mayo Clinic

The information provided in this article is intended as a guide only. Always consult your doctor if you or your child is suffering any medical complaint. Any websites referred to by Australian Family contain information moderated by government and medical institutions or organisations.

This article was first published in Australian Family Magazine, May 2008. Updated July 2009.