Capable of leaving a child literally gasping for air, pediatric lower respiratory-tract disease encompasses a potentially life-threatening group of illnesses. Anatomically, the lower respiratory tract consists of the parts of the respiratory system positioned beneath the larynx and trachea, specifically the bronchi, bronchioles, lungs and alveoli. Prompt recognition and treatment of lower respiratory-tract disease in children is necessary to ease breathing and minimize potential complications, including chronic airway problems, lung failure...
The lining in the small intestine becomes damaged from the immune system’s response and has difficulty absorbing important nutrients from foods. Celiac disease cannot be cured. Children, as well as adults, with the diseas...
Muscle reflex tests are used to indicate the health of the brain and nervous system and to help diagnose neuromuscular disease or nerve injury. A reflex is a nerve circuit between a muscle and the brain or spinal cord in the ce...
Though the term "heart disease" often brings to mind adult disease, children are also susceptible to health conditions that can adversely affect the heart. Although a few of these conditions are benign and can exist in a health...
Childhood nutrition sets the stage for growth, adult disease prevention and musculoskeletal health, according to MedlinePlus. During this time of growth and development, children's parents must take on the task of understanding...
Endocrinologists and other doctors calculate the genetic growth potential of children using mid-parental height. The adult heights of 95 percent of children will fall into the range predicted by mid-parental height calculation,...
If the kidneys become damaged, acid can build up in the body, resulting in a condition known as renal tubular acidosis. This disorder can affect children, resulting in multiple symptoms.
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease commonly affects young children. The disease can be contracted through direct contact with discharges of the nose and throat, saliva, fluid from blisters or infected stool. This viral infection prese...
Cysts are benign fluid-filled or tissue-filled sacs that develop on or within the body. In children, one disease-- polycystic kidney disease--is associated with cyst formation in the kidneys. Other cysts usually develop in resp...
Many areas where children like to play harbor ticks, small parasitic arachnids that can latch onto your child and feed on blood. Ticks are not only a nuisance. They also spread diseases, such as Lyme disease. To reduce the risk...
Herpangina is a childhood illness characterized by painful sores or ulcers in the mouth, lips, throat and palate. It is caused by several viruses, most notably the coxsackie virus and echovirus, which belong to the family of th...
Playgrounds present serious risk of injury for children, especially if the area does not meet safety guidelines. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, injuries on the playground results in at least 200,00...
The 33 vertebrae go from the neck all the way to the pelvis. They give support to the head, chest and abdomen, and completely surround and protect the spinal cord. Vertebral diseases can be hereditary, caused by nerve and muscl...
Children come into contact with many germs through sharing, playing and interacting with others and their environment. There are many common diseases that children can become infected with and some of them are vaccine preventab...
Children frequently have short-term illnesses that last only a few days, such as colds or an upset stomach. Other childhood diseases include chronic illnesses that last for years or for a lifetime. Some diseases are acute, or s...
The high number of germs--combined with the fact that children don't yet have fully developed immune systems and hygiene habits--makes the possibility of contracting a disease very high. Contagious diseases are most often trans...
The condition may develop among children as a result of congenital or developmental problems, or it may develop later in life as a result of injury or degenerative or inflammatory diseases that affect the bones of the spine, ac...
Research and treatment through vaccinations account for a great reduction in childhood infectious diseases in the United States, according to Medline Plus, a publication of the National Institutes of Health. Childhood diseases ...
Good handwashing and keeping ill children away from healthy ones are simple things that can be done to prevent the spread of infection.
Children may get diseases of the scalp because they have direct contact with each other in settings such as daycare centers and preschools. They may get such diseases when they go to elementary school or simply play together wi...
Many communicable diseases occur most frequently in children. Although children's susceptibility to communicable diseases has many factors, their spirited desire to touch and physically interact with their environment contribut...
There are many diseases that are exclusive to children. Some diseases occur only in newborns and infants, while some develop in young children only. Among these are various types of tumors and inflammation. Children with these ...
According to the CDC, second-hand tobacco smoke--smoke from burning cigarettes or exhaled by smokers--causes between 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. in children less than 18 months of age. Smoking parents expose th...
Some of these bowel disturbances are caused by bacteria, parasites, or viruses, and the child recovers fairly quickly, with or without medication. At other times, the child may feel significant, recurring distress in the abdome...
The brain is made up of cells called neurons, which signal to one another, as well as other cells that support the neurons. Brain diseases in children can occur when the cells of the brain are mutated, causing them to grow or s...
All children get sick from time to time, and hopefully these sniffles, spots and rashes will pass in a relatively short time. However, long-term chronic and acute diseases in children can alter a child's life forever. With the ...
Children are prone to specific diseases. They are young and their immune systems are not as strong as that of adults. Children may develop rashes all over their body as a result of a viral infection. In some instances, childhoo...
It has to protect you against harmful microbes, prevent you from losing fluids, regulate your body temperature and warn you when something that you touch is too hot or too cold. And, it is susceptible to disease. There are seve...
Deficiency diseases in children include those diseases that are a result of having an insufficient amount of a particular enzyme. Enzymes are substances that are needed by your body to speed up a vital chemical reaction. Withou...
People often say that children are our most precious gift. And yet there are diseases they can contract. Some diseases can be prevented by immunizations; but unfortunately, there are other diseases that cannot be prevented. Amo...
Some infections will resolve given time, rest and plenty of fluids, while others will need to be treated. Thus, all of a child's illnesses should be brought to the attention of his pediatrician, for there are some infectious di...
Some diseases may mainly affect a specific race or ethnic group. There are also diseases primarily seen in specific age groups, including some which affect small children only.
In fact, children can carry certain viruses in their oral (nose or mouth) mucosa and spread them to other children via sneezing or laughing. In some cases, the viruses can also contaminate certain surfaces and touching them can...
Communicable diseases are everywhere--on your hands, the doorknobs, the faucets, your friends' faces and in your children's noses. Communicable diseases are illnesses that can be passed from person to person, either by direct c...
The large intestine, or colon, has two basic functions: It absorbs water and electrolytes, and stores and eliminates stool. Children can suffer from several conditions that affect the large intestine. The symptoms for these con...
There are several sections of the intestine, and each can have its own diseases. The intestine is usually divided in two, the small and the large intestine. The small intestine is further subdivided into the duodenum, the jejun...
Children under 15 made approximately 21,876,000 visits to an emergency room in 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Boys were treated more often, and comprised 52.8 percent of the pediatric ER pati...
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) affect more than 13 million Americans every year, MedlinePlus reported in 2007. The fact that there has never been a documented case of an STD being transmitted by a toilet seat does little...
According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, a child is 15 to 30 percent more likely to be diagnosed with it if one parent suffers from it, and 50 to 75 percent more likely if both parents have it. Medications are ...
Fifth disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is an illness consisting of a mild rash that occurs mostly in children. The disease is caused by an infection of human parvovirus B19, which is u...
While it affects every child differently, common challenges include behavior issues, learning challenges and social difficulties. Treatment for bipolar generally involves psychotherapy and medication. Because the disorder is st...
Diseases can be acute or chronic, and can range in severity from mild to life-threatening. Children can acquire diseases when they are very young or they can be born with them. In some cases, they may need to have treatment the...
GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is often associated with adults--but children, and even babies, can get it, too. Acid reflux is one of the most common symptoms of GERD, which can result in heartburn for older kids, an...
It was named fifth disease because it was fifth on a list of diseases that resulted in rashes and were once common in early childhood, after measles, scarlet fever, rubella (German measles) and a condition known as Duke's disease.
Presently, there is no cure for children with Ataxia-Telangiectasia. The disease, which usually presents itself around the age of two, becomes increasingly worse over time and generally results in death by the time the child re...
Look for a "drunken" walk with an unsteady gait. This nervous-system disorder produces uncoordinated muscle movements in the arms, legs and midsection area. Adults and older children can get ataxia, but it most commonly affects...
Specifically, this neurological ailment causes damage to the myelin surrounding the brain's nerves. Both adults and children can get ADEM, however, the disease is more common in children under the age of ten. A case of ADEM can...
Since celiac disease is caused by a reaction to the gluten protein gliadin, maintaining a gluten-free diet is the most important component of managing the disease. Unfortunately, gluten is found everywhere and eliminating it f...
