Measles, also called rubeola, is a highly contagious respiratory infection that’s caused by a virus. It causes a total-body skin rash and flu-like symptoms, including a fever, cough, and runny nose. Though rare in the United States, 20 million cases occur worldwide every year.

Since measles is caused by a virus, there is no specific medical treatment and the virus has to run its course. But a child who is sick should be sure to receive plenty of fluids and rest, and be kept from spreading the infection to others.

Today it is not as common as it once was because we now have a measles vaccine, however, the cases of measles has risen over the last couple of years. The reason is that parents are not getting the measles vaccine for their pre-school children.

While measles is probably best known for the full-body rash it causes, the first symptoms of the infection are usually a hacking cough, runny nose, high fever, and red eyes. A characteristic marker of measles are Koplik’s spots, small red spots with blue-white centers that appear inside the mouth. The measles rash typically has a red or reddish brown blotchy appearance, and first usually shows up on the forehead, then spreads downward over the face, neck, and body, then down to the arms and feet.

Measles is a very contagious disease. This means that it spreads very easily from one person to another. People with measles are usually contagious from about 4 days before their rash starts to 4 days afterwards. People with immune system problems often stay contagious much longer.

The measles virus lives in the mucus in the nose and throat of infected people. When they sneeze or cough, droplets spray into the air. The droplets land on surfaces nearby, where they can spread the virus for up to two hours.

Measles infections are unpleasant and the complications are dangerous. Some people with a measles infection will also get an ear infection, diarrhea, or even pneumonia. Rarely, some children who have measles also get a swelling of the brain called encephalitis. Severe cases of encephalitis can lead to brain damage or death, however, this is very rare.

The best way to protect your child against measles is by getting them vaccinated, however, this does not mean they will not get measles but the chances are slimmer and if they do it will be a mild case.

The measles vaccine is normally given at 12 to 15 months of age and again at age 4 to 6 years of age prior to entering public school. However, there are some children that should not receive the vaccine and they include children with active tuberculosis, lymphoma, leukemia, or any child that has a suppressed immune system.

There is no specific medical treatment for measles. To help manage symptoms, which usually last for about 2 weeks, give your child plenty of fluids and encourage extra rest. If fever is making your child uncomfortable, you may want to give a non-aspirin fever medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Remember, you should never give aspirin to a child who has a viral illness since the use of aspirin in such cases has been associated with the development of Reye syndrome.

Kids with measles should be closely monitored. In some cases, measles can lead to other complications, such as otitis media, croup, diarrhea, pneumonia, and encephalitis (a serious brain infection), which may require antibiotics or hospitalization.

In developing countries, vitamin A has been found to decrease complications and death associated with measles infections. In the U.S., vitamin A supplementation should be considered for children between 6 months and 2 years who are hospitalized with measles and its complications. Also, all kids older than 6 months with risk factors, such as vitamin A deficiency, weakened immune system, or malnutrition may benefit from vitamin A supplementation.

In children, the most common form of hepatitis is hepatitis A (also called infectious hepatitis). This form is caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), which lives in the stools (feces or poop) of infected individuals. Infected stool can be present in small amounts in food and on objects (from doorknobs to diapers).

HAV is spread:

1. when someone ingests anything that’s contaminated with HAV-infected stool (this makes it easy for the virus to spread in overcrowded, unsanitary living conditions)
2. in water, milk, and foods, especially in shellfish

Other common hepatitis virus infections include hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Hepatitis A is the least serious and mildest of these diseases. The other hepatitis infections may become chronic illnesses, but hepatitis A does not become chronic.

Symptoms usually appear 2 to 6 weeks after your child is infected with the virus. Hepatitis A is sometimes so mild, especially in children, that there are few or no obvious symptoms. If your child has symptoms, the illness usually begins with:

• loss of appetite
• fever
• general aching
• tiredness

After several days there may be:

• nausea and vomiting
• foul breath and bitter taste in the mouth
• dark brown urine
• yellowish skin and eyes (jaundice)
• pain just below the ribs on the right side, especially if you press on that part of the abdomen
• bowel movements that are whitish or light yellow and may be looser than normal

Once a clinical infection is established, there is no specific treatment for hepatitis A.  Affected individuals generally suffer from loss of appetite, so the main concern is ensuring a patient receives adequate nutrition and avoids permanent liver damage (Mayo Clinic, 2009). An individual’s perception of the severity of fatigue or malaise is the best determinant of the need for rest.

Treatment of those suffering from fulminant hepatic failure depends largely on the affected person’s status.  Those who have not become encephalopathic generally undergo an intense course of supportive treatment.  But for those whose liver failure is so complete that it has lead to encephalopathy or cerebral edema, timely liver transplantation is often the only option. Unfortunately, many individuals with irreversible liver failure do not receive a transplant because of contraindications or the unavailability of donor livers (Feldman, 2002).

A sinus infection is a bacterial infection of one of the sinuses that normally drain into the nose. When someone has a cold or allergies and the nasal passages become swollen and make more mucus, so do the sinus tissues. The drainage system for the sinuses can get blocked, and mucus can become trapped in the sinuses. Bacteria, viruses, and fungi can grow there and lead to sinusitis.

Sinus congestion commonly occurs without an infection when one of the sinus openings becomes blocked from a cold or hay fever. Sinus congestion usually goes away on its own. If bacteria multiply within the sinus, a sinus infection can occur. The main symptom is facial pain. Other symptoms of a sinus infection are:

• swelling of the skin over the sinus
• fever that begins 3 or more days after your child gets a cold
• yellow/green nasal discharge lasting more than 10 days

Understanding the signs and symptoms of a sinus infection can help us know when we need to seek medical advice, however, the symptoms vary according to what sinuses are infected and if the infection is acute or chronic.

Younger kids often have cold-like symptoms, including a stuffy or runny nose and slight fever. If your child develops a fever 5-7 days after cold symptoms begin, it could signal sinusitis or another infection (like bronchitis, pneumonia, or an ear infection), so call your doctor.

Many parents mistake cold-related headaches in young kids for sinus infections. But the sinuses in the forehead don’t start developing until kids are 6 or 7 years old and aren’t formed enough to get infected until the early teen years, so headaches in kids who have colds usually aren’t sinus infections.

In older kids and teens, the most frequent symptoms of sinusitis are a daytime dry cough that doesn’t improve after the first 7 days of cold symptoms, fever, worsening congestion, dental pain, ear pain, or tenderness in the face. Sometimes teens who have sinusitis also develop upset stomachs, nausea, headaches, and pain behind the eyes.

The following treatment should reduce pain and fever within 48 hours or less.

• Antibiotics: This medicine will kill bacteria that are causing the sinus infection. Try not to forget any of the doses. If your child goes to school or to a baby sitter, arrange for someone to give the afternoon dose. If the medicine is a liquid, use a measuring spoon to make sure that you give the right amount. Even though your child will feel better in a few days, give the antibiotic until the bottle is empty to prevent the infection from flaring up again. Do not save the antibiotic for the next illness because it loses its strength.
• Nasal washes: Use warm water or saline nose drops followed by suction or nose blowing to wash dried mucus or pus out of the nose. Do nasal washes at least 4 times a day or whenever your child can’t breathe through the nose. If the air in your home is dry, run a humidifier.
• Decongestant nose drops or spray: To drain the sinuses, use a generic, long-acting decongestant nose drop or spray (such as oxymetazoline). You don’t need a prescription for the nose drops or spray. The usual dose for adolescents is 2 drops or sprays per nostril twice a day. For younger children use one drop or spray a day. Use the medicine routinely for the first 2 or 3 days of treatment. After that, don’t use the spray or nose drops unless the sinus congestion or pain recurs. Stop the drops or spray after 5 days to prevent rebound swelling.
• Pain-relief medicines: Your child can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) for a few days for sinus pain or any fever over 39°C (102°F).
• Oral antihistamines: If your child also has hay fever, she should take allergy medicine (antihistamine). Otherwise avoid using antihistamines because they can slow down the movement of secretions out of the sinuses.
• Contagiousness: Sinus infections are not contagious. Your child can return to school or day care when she is feeling better and the fever is gone.

It can also be caused by allergies, hay fever, chlorine from swimming in pool water, or sometimes it is part of having an illness like measles.

While pinkeye can be alarming because it may make the eyes extremely red and can spread rapidly, it’s a fairly common condition and usually causes no long-term eye or vision damage. But if your child shows symptoms of pinkeye, it’s important to see a doctor. Some kinds of pinkeye go away on their own, but other types require treatment.

Conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by viral infection, often adenovirus, but bacterial infections, allergies, other irritants (e.g. particles of faeces) and dryness are also common etiologies for its occurrence. Both bacterial and viral infections are contagious, but usually don’t require treatment. A rare exception is Herpetic keratoconjunctivitis, which requires treatment antiviral aciclovir. Commonly, conjunctival infections are passed from person-to-person due to lack of hygiene measures.

Signs and Symptoms :

Viral conjunctivitis

• Watery discharge
• Irritation
• Red eye
• Infection usually begins with one eye, but may spread easily to the fellow eye

Allergic conjunctivitis

• Usually affects both eyes
• Itching
• Tearing
• Swollen eyelids

Bacterial conjunctivitis

• Stringy discharge that may cause the lids to stick together, especially after sleeping
• Swelling of the conjunctiva
• Redness
• Tearing
• Irritation and/or a gritty feeling
• Usually affects only one eye, but may spread easily to the fellow eye

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung, usually caused by an infection. Three common causes are bacteria, viruses and fungi. You can also get pneumonia by accidentally inhaling a liquid or chemical. People most at risk are older than 65 or younger than 2 years of age, or already have health problems.

About 80% of pneumonia cases are caused by viruses and 20% by bacteria. Viral pneumonia is usually milder than bacterial pneumonia. Bacterial pneumonia tends to occur more suddenly and cause higher fevers (often over 40°C, or 104°F). Pneumonia is usually a complication of a cold. Although colds can be passed from person to person, bacterial pneumonia is not considered contagious.

Symptoms of pneumonia vary, depending on the age of the child and the cause of the pneumonia. Common symptoms include:

• fever
• chills
• cough
• unusually rapid breathing
• breathing with grunting or wheezing sounds
• labored breathing that makes a child’s rib muscles retract (when muscles under the rib cage or between ribs draw inward with each breath)
• vomiting
• chest pain
• abdominal pain
• decreased activity
• loss of appetite (in older kids) or poor feeding (in infants)
• in extreme cases, bluish or gray color of the lips and fingernails

Sometimes a child’s only symptom is rapid breathing. Sometimes when the pneumonia is in the lower part of the lungs near the abdomen, there may be no breathing problems, but there may be fever and abdominal pain or vomiting.

Most cases of pneumonia can be treated without hospitalization. Typically, oral antibiotics, rest, fluids, and home care are sufficient for complete resolution. However, people with pneumonia who are having trouble breathing, people with other medical problems, and the elderly or children may need more advanced treatment. If the symptoms get worse, the pneumonia does not improve with home treatment, or complications occur, the person will often have to be hospitalized.

Vaccines can prevent infections by viruses or bacteria that cause some types of pneumonia. Kids usually receive routine immunizations against Haemophilus influenzae and pertussis (whooping cough) beginning at 2 months of age. (The pertussis immunization is the “P” part of the routine DTaP injection.) Vaccines are now also given against the pneumococcus organism (PCV), a common cause of bacterial pneumonia.

Children with chronic illnesses, who are at special risk for other types of pneumonia, may receive additional vaccines or protective immune medication. The flu vaccine is strongly recommended for kids with chronic illnesses such as chronic heart or lung disorders or asthma, as well as otherwise healthy children ages 6 months through 19 years.