Featured Condtion/Disease: Ear Infections

We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday.  Today's topic is Ear Infections.

Definition

Overview of Ear Infections

There are three main kinds of ear infections, which are called acute otitis (oh-TIE-tus) media (AOM), otitis media with effusion (uh-FEW-zhun) (OME), and otitis externa (Swimmer’s Ear). Sometimes ear infections can be painful and may even need antibiotics. Your healthcare provider will be able to determine what kind of ear infection you or your child has and if antibiotics would help.

Acute otitis media

The type of ear infection that is usually painful and may improve with antibiotic treatment is called acute otitis (oh-TIE-tus) media, or AOM. Symptoms of AOM include pain, redness of the eardrum, pus in the ear, and fever. Children may pull on the affected ear, and infants or toddlers may be irritable. Antibiotics are often prescribed to children for AOM, but are not always necessary.

Otitis media with effusion

Otitis media with effusion (uh-FEW-zhun), or OME, is a build up of fluid in the middle ear without signs and symptoms of acute infection (pain, redness of the eardrum, pus, and fever). OME is more common than AOM, and may be caused by viral upper respiratory infections, allergies, or exposure to irritants (such as cigarette smoke). The build up of fluid in the middle ear does not usually cause pain and almost always goes away on its own. OME will not usually benefit from antibiotic treatment.

Otitis externa (Swimmer’s Ear)

Otitis externa, more commonly known as Swimmer’s Ear, is an infection of the ear and/or outer ear canal. It can cause the ear to itch or become red and inflamed so that head movement or touching of the ear is very painful. There may also be pus that drains from the ear.  Antibiotics are usually needed to treat otitis externa.

Symptons

Acute otitis media (AOM)

• Pulling at ears
• Excessive crying
• Fluid draining from ears
• Sleep disturbances
• Fever
• Headaches
• Problems with hearing
• Irritability
• Difficulty balancing

Otitis media with effusion (OME)

• Problems with hearing

More Information

To get more information about ear infections, click here. 


 

*Most of the information provided here is from the CDC site, click here to visit their site.

Featured Condtion/Disease: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday.  Today's topic is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs).

Definition


Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects can include physical problems and problems with behavior and learning.  Often, a person with an FASD has a mix of these problems. 
Characteristics and Behaviors of Children with FASD

• Abnormal facial features, such as a smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip (this ridge is called the philtrum)
• Small head size
• Shorter-than-average height
• Low body weight
• Poor coordination
• Hyperactive behavior
• Difficulty paying attention
• Poor memory
• Difficulty in school (especially with math)
• Learning disabilities
• Speech and language delays
• Intellectual disability or low IQ
• Poor reasoning and judgment skills
• Sleep and sucking problems as a baby
• Vision or hearing problems
• Problems with the heart, kidney, or bones

More Information

To get  more information about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, click here.


*Most of the information provided here is from the CDC site, click here to visit their site.

Featured Condtion/Disease: Autism Spectrum Disorder

We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday.  Today's topic is Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Definition


Autism Spectrum Disorders are a group of disorders typified by a child's problems with social skills, effective communication and behavior. Autism Spectrum Disorders make a child experience the world differently from the way most other children do. It affects the brain and can make it hard for them to understand social situations and to get along with other people.  Each child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder has different symptoms. Some children may have mild symptoms and other children, more severe symptoms.
In the diagnostic manual used by professionals, these disorders are called Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Autism (Autistic Disorder), Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), Asperger's Disorder (or Asperger Syndrome), Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and Rett Syndrome are all in this category.

The different types of Autism Spectrum Disorders can be confusing. Sometimes parents will see different professionals, and their child will receive a different "label" from each one. For example, a neurologist might say the child has PDD-NOS, while the psychologist says the child has autism. In other instances a doctor might say the child has Asperger's, and another doctor could say the child has PDD-NOS or autism.
Remember that most times the specific label isn't really that important. What is important is that a professional has recognized that your child has an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Then, based on your child's individual strengths and weaknesses, a treatment and educational plan can be developed. A child with a diagnosis of autism may well be qualified for more services.

Everyone is different, and every person with an Autism Spectrum Disorder has particular strengths and areas of growth. Your encouragement, love and support help your child have a full, happy and independent life.

Symptons

• As a baby, he/she does not imitate other children and does not reach out to you.
• Doesn't look up or respond to his/her name. May seem deaf at times.
• Does not seek you out for attention or for only social reasons.
• Does not point or gesture.
• Voice and facial expressions can be flat, lacking "feeling" and may not match what the child is saying.
• Difficulty understanding what people around them think and feel.
• Delay in speaking, or has speech and then loses it.
• Speaks in great detail about one subject of topic (for example, only wants to talk about dinosaurs).
• Has difficulty having a conversation (back and forth)
• Has difficulty talking about abstract ideas or emotions; takes everything at face value.
• Does not develop age-appropriate peer relationships (does not play well or have friendships with same-age children), and has difficulty mixing with others.
• Obsessive (must do something the same way each time) or doesn't play in a usual way. (for example, needing to line up toys or spin objects over and over again).
• Eats only certain foods or only likes clothes that feel a certain way.
• Has a hard time relating with people around them.
• Does not handle change well.
• Problems with motor skills such as tying shoes, buttoning a shirt and handwriting.
• Upset when normal routines are changed in any way.
• May smell or lick toys.
• May react strongly to loud noises such as car horns.

More Information

To read more information about  Autism Spectrum Disorder, click here.

*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site

Featured Condtion/Disease: RWI

We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday.  Today's topic is Recreational Water Illness (RWI).

Definition

Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) are illnesses that are spread by swallowing, breathing, or having contact with contaminated water from swimming pools, spas, lakes, rivers, or oceans. Recreational water illnesses can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections. The most commonly reported RWI is diarrhea.

Most Common Areas

RWIs can be spread through use of swimming pools, hot tubs, decorative water fountains, oceans, lakes, and rivers.

More Information

To get more information about RWI, click here.  


*Most of the information provided here is from the CDC site, click here to visit their site.
 

Featured Condtion/Disease: Asthma

We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday.  Today's topic is Asthma.

Defintion

Asthma is a respiratory (the breathing system including the lungs, mouth and nose) disease. An asthma attack happens when something blocks the flow of air into the child's lungs. Asthma is different from other types of breathing problems because the block allowing air to enter the lungs is reversible. (It can be fixed.) Asthma is the most common disease in children and the leading cause of children missing school and children being admitted to hospitals.

Symptons

The most common symptoms (signs) of asthma are problems breathing, like wheezing, coughing and/or shortness of breath. Your child may start out feeling a tightness in the chest and be unable to play or exercise normally. Then he or she may start wheezing or having heavy breathing and shortness of breath. Other signs of asthma are shortness of breath or coughing when exercising and coughing at night even without shortness of breath. The symptoms can range from mild to severe. Most problems with asthma are worse at night. They also seem to be more severe in boys and in children under 5 years old.  

More Information

To get more information about Asthma, click here. 

*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.

Featured Condtion/Disease: Whooping Cough

This is the second post in our ongoing series about childhood/infant diseases or conditions on every other Friday.  Today's topic is Whooping Cough.

Defintion

Pertussis (whooping cough) is very contagious and can cause serious illness―especially in infants who are too young to be fully vaccinated. Make sure your young children get their recommended five shots.

Symptoms

Pertussis can cause serious illness in children and adults. The disease starts like the common cold, with runny nose or congestion, sneezing, and maybe mild cough or fever. But after 1–2 weeks, severe coughing begins. Children with the disease cough violently and rapidly, over and over, until the air is gone from their lungs and they're forced to inhale with a loud "whooping" sound. Pertussis is worse for very young children; more than half of infants less than 1 year of age who get the disease must be hospitalized. About 1 in 10 children with pertussis get pneumonia (lung infection), and about 1 in 50 will have convulsions.

More Information

To get more information about Whooping Cough, go here.

*Most of the information provided here is from the CDC site, click here to visit their site.