From the cold and flu to chickenpox, here’s what your kids may be up against this season!

It’s often lamented that kids and the schools they attend are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria, and in reality, this is a very true fact! There’s a good chance that this season they’ll catch anything from the dreaded, creepy-crawly lice to a cold. So, what are some of the most common illnesses you amy have to tackle?

At Huneycutt Family Medicine, we are a family medicine center out of Loveland that is armed and ready to support your family this season with all the bugs and viruses that are going around! Learn more about what you may be in for!

Knowing Common Illnesses

So, why does it matter that you know about common childhood illnesses? Although there is a good chance that your kid will get sick, it’s important to know what they could get to better know the symptoms and when your child may need to go to your local family medicine center! Let’s dive right into them below!

Common Cold

Kids are known to get this frequently throughout the school year and it often features a runny nose, fever, congestion, and sore throat. Typically it’s nothing that a little rest and recovery can mend, but it can wipe your kids out!

Help your child through this with copious amounts of liquids (water, tea, soup, smoothies, etc) and rest. Saline nose rinses can be great to help with nose congestion, and for a cough, a humidifier works really well.

Help support their immunity by choosing kid-friendly supplements such as vitamin C and D, and, as always, give your local family medicine center a call for more tips and advice!

Stomach Bug

Oh the stomach bug, this is awful for both parties involved because it involves vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. There are a variety of common viruses such as norovirus and food poisoning that result in stomach distress, and you’ll know exactly when they have it — it’s not pretty!

Stomach bugs, like the common cold, will clear up in a few days to a week with proper rest and care. It is important that at this time, that your child is properly hydrated since they may succumb to hydration more easily.

An electrolyte solution is a great option, but make sure that they sip on water or liquids slowly and not all at once because they may not be able to hold it down, which may only make the issue worse.

As the stomach bug begins to lessen and your child gets their appetite back, incorporate bland foods and consider the BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) diet and soft foods like yogurt.

To support their recovery, probiotics are a great addition after the stomach bug is on its way out, to reestablish healthy gut bacteria.

Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease

One of the tell-tale signs of hand-foot-mouth disease are painful sores in the mouth and throat. This condition is highly contagious and can rapidly be passed from child-to-child through coughs, sneezing, touch, and fecal matter. Another common sign are blisters on hands and feet that will typically last for seven to 10 days.

This disease requires rest and proper hydration, and it may also be important to monitor the blisters and ensure they’re not scratching or touching them.

The Flu

Hopefully, your child can skip the flu this season, but if it comes, it comes swiftly and hard with an onset of body chills, aches and pain, sore throat, headache, and a high fever. This is miserable and will likely take your kid out hard for a week.

Rest is crucial so make sure your child has a chance to just lounge and sleep. Try and makes them as comfortable as possible with warms baths (if they have te chills) or cool compresses (if they’re running a fever).

The flu can lead to further complications such as pneumonia if it lasts longer than a week, so if it persists, ensure you schedule an appointment with your family physician promptly.

Talk with your family medicine center for more preventative actions for flu season!

Pinkeye

Conjunctivitis, pink eye, causes inflammation, yellow discharge, and crusty eyelids when it hits — so you’ll know! Pink eye is usually a bacterial infection that requires antibiotics. Once diagnosed, it is crucial that your child stays home for at least 24-hours to ensure they do not spread it because it’s highly contagious.

When you should pay your local family medicine center a visit…

While most of the illnesses we covered today only require rest and most will run their course without any big worries, you should consult your family medicine doctor if the following symptoms persist:

Dehydration
High fever
Difficulty breathing
Not eating

Medical Care And People You Can Count On

Stay Aware! 5 Common Childhood Illnesses