HEALTH & Lifestyle
A Brief Medical Guide for Parents
Part II E
very child becomes ill occasionally and every parent has had that feeling of anxiety as they see their normally cheerful child
looking sad and listless. In Part II Wing Commander Jon Griffiths the Senior Medical Officer at Cottesmore continues his words of advice…
Most bouts of illness pass quickly and leave children better able to resist the next attack. Sometimes, if the illness or accident is serious, immediate (and possibly long-term) help is needed. Here I deal with common childhood illnesses and accidents, the best ways to prevent them, and the action to take in an emergency.
Sometimes there is no doubt, but often it’s difficult to tell whether a child is ill; children may be listless, hot and miserable one minute and running around happily the next. Watch out for: Signs of illness like vomiting or a temperature, cough, runny nose or runny eyes. Or behaviour unusual for your child, like a lot of crying, being very irritable or refusing food and drink, being listless or drowsy.
Possible signs of illness are always more worrying if your child is a baby or very young. If your child is older and you’re not sure whether or not to see the doctor, you might want to carry on normally for a while and see how things go. It might be best not to let your child see you watching. Most children can put on an act, especially if they see you’re worried. Above all, trust your feelings. YOU know your child better than anyone, so you’ll know what’s unusual or worrying. If you’re worried, contact your doctor. Even if it turns out that nothing is wrong, that is exactly what you need to know.
It doesn’t matter if your child doesn’t want to stay in bed when unwell. Being with you, maybe tucked up in an armchair or on a sofa, might be less lonely.
Give your child plenty to drink. For the first day or so don’t bother about food unless your child wants food. After that, try to find ways of making food tempting. Try to give your
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child time for quiet games, stories, company and comfort. Sick children are often easily tired and need lots of rest. Encourage your child to doze off when he or she needs to, perhaps with a story.
Looking after a sick child, even for a couple of days, is exhausting. Make things as easy for yourself as you can. Get rest and sleep when you can, and try to get somebody else to take over every now and then to give you a break.
Medicines Medicine isn’t always necessary when your child is ill. Some illnesses simply get better by themselves and make your child’s immune system stronger and better able to resist similar illness in the future. If you’re offered a prescription, talk with your GP about why it’s needed, how it will help, and whether there are any alternatives.
Croup Croup is the result of inflammation of the larynx (voice box) owing to a viral infection. Your child will have a hoarse, barking cough and noisy breathing. Contact your GP if you think your child has croup.
If your child has croup, a steamy atmosphere may help to relieve a ‘croupy’ cough and ease breathing. If your child has an attack of croup, sit with him or her in the bathroom with the hot tap running, or in the kitchen with water boiling. Keep the door and windows closed.
Sometimes, though not often, croup can be life threatening. Therefore, it is important to watch out for danger signals like: In drawing between the ribs or below the ribs with breathing; Restlessness and lots of saliva; Irritability; Blueness of the lips or face. If you notice any of these signs, take your child to the Medical Centre immediately.
Eczema Atopic eczema, which occurs mainly where there is a family history of eczema, asthma or hay fever, is thought to affect one in eight children. Eczema often starts between the ages of four months and two years with patches of red, dry and irritable skin on the face or
behind the ears, and also in the creases of the neck, knees and elbows. It can be very itchy. This can lead to your baby scratching and the eczema may sometimes become infected. If you think your child has eczema, speak to your GP or Health Visitor (HV).
Ways you can help. If your child has fluffy or furry toys in the cot or bedroom, house dust mite collects on them. Limit these toys to one or two favourites, and either wash them weekly at 6O°c or put them in a plastic bag in the freezer for 24 hours to kill the house dust mite. Wash your child’s bed linen at 60°c to kill the house dust mite.
Parents sometimes get worried about using topical steroid creams. However, used properly for short periods they are safe and may prevent the eczema getting worse.
Don’t cut out important foods such as milk, dairy products, wheat or eggs without consulting your GP or HV. It’s fine to cut out foods such as citrus fruits, juice or tomatoes if you think these are irritating the skin.
If prescribed, apply cream or emollient to the skin several times a day. Try to put some cream on when you feed your baby or change a nappy and apply the cream with downward strokes – don’t rub it up and down. Try to identify and avoid anything that dries or irritates the skin or makes the problem worse such as soap, baby bath, bubble bath or detergents, soap powder, animals, and cigarette smoke. Try to avoid wool and nylon clothing – cotton is best. Simple aqueous cream is often as effective a moisturiser as more expensive creams. It can also be used for washing instead of soap.
Febrile convulsions Febrile Convulsions or ‘fever fits’ are common in children under the age of three, but can seem very alarming to parents. Although there are other reasons why children ‘fit’, fits are most commonly triggered by a high temperature. If your baby or child seems feverish or has a high temperature, it is important to cool him or her down immediately.
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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