Infectious Diseases
To protect children from infectious diseases, it is important to vaccinate them according to the vaccination schedule, teach them hand washing and hygiene rules, and keep them away from sick people. Healthy nutrition, regular cleaning, school/nursery school information, outdoor hygiene and adequate sleep also strengthen immunity. These measures can help protect children from diseases.
Infectious diseases in children;
It usually occurs in winter and spring. It is caused by the measles virus. For protection, measles vaccine should be given to every child on time. Measles is a highly contagious disease that causes a red rash, fever and cough. A doctor's check-up is absolutely necessary for diagnosis. The incubation period is 8-12 days. The contagiousness lasts 2 days before the onset of the rash and up to 4 days after the rash. It is transmitted by droplet. Fever, runny nose, watery eyes and dry cough are observed for 1-2 days before the rash, sometimes diarrhea may occur. Small white spots appear in the mouth on the inside of the cheeks. The disease lasts for 1 week. During the illness, the child should be closely monitored, his/her fever should be kept under control, he/she should rest, drink plenty of fluids and be fed little by little.
It usually occurs in winter and spring. Vaccination is important for protection. There is no cure. Once you have had it once, you are immune. The causative agent is the Rubella virus. It is transmitted directly or by droplet. The incubation period is between 14-21 days. The contagious period is 1 week before the onset of the rash and 1 week after the rash. There may be mild fever and swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck. It starts as pink rashes on the face and spreads all over the body. This condition lasts for 4-5 days.
It is an infectious disease that causes skin rashes and can lead to serious complications such as glomerulonephritis and rheumatic fever. Scarlet fever, which is transmitted by cough, sneeze and droplet infection, is particularly common in school-age children. The incubation period is 2-5 days. After infection, symptoms include fever, sore throat, nausea and vomiting. Within 1-2 days after this, red spots and lines appear on the skin. Skin symptoms called “scarlet fever rash” cause peeling on the hands and fingers. Strawberry-like tongue and tonsils covered with white spots and pus are common symptoms of the disease. Transmission occurs through direct contact with an infected person.
It is usually seen in winter and spring seasons. It is a disease that can be protected by vaccination. Therefore, the vaccination program must be followed. The virus can develop into shingles at a later age. It is transmitted through airborne droplets. The incubation period is 14-16 days. The first symptoms after infection are mild fever, weakness, loss of appetite and itching. Within 1-2 days, watery blisters appear and spread all over the body, starting especially on the face and scalp, first in the form of red spots and then turning into pimples. These start to crust over after about 8 hours. The rash usually lasts for 5-20 days. During the illness, the child should be kept under control and the room should be ventilated frequently.
It is a viral infection that causes swelling of the salivary glands. Especially unvaccinated children between the ages of 2 and 12 are at risk. Therefore, vaccination is important as a preventive measure. Although it is usually seen in children, the disease can also be experienced in adulthood. The causative agent is mumps virus. The incubation period is 2-3 weeks. It usually starts with fever, loss of appetite, weakness, swelling of the salivary gland and swelling on the cheek under the ear. The child feels pain in the jaw, difficulty swallowing and dry mouth. It is transmitted by close contact with the patient, through inhalation and by using the same cup, fork and spoon. The contagious period lasts for 9 days, starting 1 day before the onset of the swelling. 2-3 weeks after contact with the infected person, the other person who has been infected will also develop symptoms. During the illness, the child should be kept under control and the room should be ventilated frequently.
It is a highly contagious disease. It is transmitted by droplet. The incubation period is 7-10 days. The period at the beginning of the disease is the most contagious. The contagious period continues for another 30-40 days. Immunity provided by the vaccine lasts for 5-7 years. It is therefore useful to be vaccinated again at the end of the protection period. First, dry cough and mild fever are observed. Within 1-2 weeks, there may be coughing attacks in the form of seizures, reddening of the skin during coughing, bruising and sweating. Very young babies may have respiratory arrest. After coughing, sputum is usually expectorated by vomiting. A doctor's supervision is essential. Babies may need to be kept under observation in hospital.
It is a disease with rash. It is especially seen in children between the ages of 5 and 15. It can also be seen in adults who have been in contact with children and have not previously encountered this virus. The incubation period is 4-14 days. In the beginning, joint pains and mild fever may occur rarely. The first finding is intense redness on the face. Later, redness of the arms and legs and then a rash appears. The rash may disappear and reappear within 3 weeks. There is no vaccine and no treatment.
It is a disease with rash. It is often seen in infants aged 3-18 months. The incubation period is 5-15 days. The first symptoms are high fever, restlessness and loss of appetite. When antipyretics are taken, the baby is seen to be a little more pleasant. The high fever period may last 3-4 days. Then the fever suddenly disappears and a red rash appears, especially on the trunk, neck and arms. When the rash starts, the baby has no other signs of illness and the fever goes down. In children with a normal immune system, it does not cause any complications. The rash disappears in 1-2 days.
