It can be dangerous to give aspirin to children, so you should administer ibuprofen instead as directed by your doctor or pediatrician. The MMR shot provides immunity against measles, mumps and rubella by introducing a safe level of the active...
While various studies report no connection between autism and vaccines, parents continue to disagree. Many parents of children with autism believe there is a connection, commonly noting regression in their child after receiving vaccines. There is...
Many parents of children with autism believe there is a link between autism and early childhood vaccinations, with special emphasis on the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. This belief began anecdotally as some...
If your child develops a rash following immunization, don't panic. It is not a sign that your child has contracted the disease against which he has been recently immunized. Vaccines can cause side effects. These are usually minor and last a few...
Vaccines help to prevent diseases and save lives. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, vaccines are "the most successful medical advances of all time." Prior to vaccines, children were dying of diseases such as polio, whooping cough...
Vaccines are generally required in order for children to enter public school and attend child care programs. A medical waiver not to vaccinate can be signed and utilized in some school districts. As a parent or caregiver, you should know what...
Most of us envision a child with a kerchief wrapped under his chin and tied above his head when we think of the mumps. This is because mumps is a viral infection that causes the parotid gland, a salivary gland just below and in front of the ear,...
Eggs can be a problem from a food safety perspective because they provide a nearly ideal growth medium for microorganisms. Eggs have a high level of liquid in them, and are rich in nutrients, especially proteins, that allow for rapid bacterial...
Mumps is a virus that causes swelling of the salivary glands. It's highly contagious, but advances in vaccinations have greatly reduced the occurrence of this illness. Complications from mumps are rare. The virus cannot be treated with...
The meninges are the protective layer of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. The illness meningitis is an infection of this protective layer. Bacteria or viruses can cause meningitis. While viral meningitis is more common, bacterial...
The various illnesses that children spread from one to another are no small concern to parents who feel as though they spend the entire winter wiping noses and taking temperatures. But fortunately, some of the more serious communicable diseases of...
When dealing with a developing child, there is wide range of "normal" behavior. Different personality traits are intricately woven into the fabric of what makes you special. Certain symptoms, however, such as restlessness and agitation, can be a...
Fever is defined as a temporary rise in the temperature of the body in response to infection or illness, while convulsion is a medical condition where a person's body shakes rapidly and uncontrollably due to repeated contraction and relaxation of...
The Healthy People 2010 Goals included complete immunization for more than 80 percent of American preschoolers. In 2008 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 76.1 percent of American children ages 19 to 25 months were fully...
One of the most ubiquitous substances in modern medicine, gelatin is also one of the most controversial. Gelatin, which is also the primary ingredient in Jell-O and a thickening agent for puddings and yogurt, is used in the pharmaceutical industry...
Most toddlers get vaccinated against measles between the ages of 12 and 15 months, but children who have not yet received the vaccine can be vulnerable to the disease. Being able to recognize the symptoms and signs of measles in a toddler can...
Mumps was once a common and contagious childhood illness. Thanks to the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine -- introduced in 1967 -- the disease is now quite rare among American children and adults. According to the University of Maryland...
Several common childhood diseases can cause fever and a splotchy rash on the face. Most of the time, these simple illnesses go away on their own, but occasionally a rash and fever requires the care of a doctor. If you decide to call your child's...
Ideally, every infant would thrive in healthy, safe surroundings. An infant's development directly correlates with factors involving genetics or other physiological variables, the environment, nurturing and caregiving. Less than optimal conditions...
Vaccines and flu shots generally are considered safe by health officials. However, like any medication, a vaccine or flu shot can cause side effects, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is possible for your toddler to have...
German measles, also called 3-day measles, are caused by the rubella virus, a form of togavirus that infects its host's respiratory tract. It is transmitted primarily through exchange of bodily fluids, particularly saliva and mucus, and you should...
Measles, also known as rubeola, refers to a common and contagious viral illness that commonly affects children. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of measles include fever, runny nose, dry cough, conjunctivitis (inflammation of the eyes),...
Rubella can't be treated. If you have the disease, you only can make yourself comfortable while the virus runs its course over 7 to 10 days. Treat your low-grade fever and aches with acetaminophen, ibuprofen or your preferred pain reliever. If a...
Mumps is a childhood disease that is rarely seen in the twenty-first century. The vaccine for mumps was approved for use in the United States in 1967 and is routinely given as the "MMR" (measles, mumps and rubella) immunization at well-baby...
Vaccinations are common during childhood but they're also somewhat controversial. According to KidsHealth website, some parents fear the effects of vaccine in the body and as a result question the idea of vaccinating their children. If you're...
German measles is a virus spread from person to person through coughing or sneezing. It is not the same disease as measles. Another name for German measles is rubella. The MMR vaccine that children receive before starting school stands for...
How do I know if I need any travel immunizations?
If you are traveling outside the continental United States, Hawaii or Alaska, it would be wise to visit your healthcare provider to determine if you indeed need vaccinations. Before your visit, you...
The virus varicella-zoster causes chickenpox. Spreading through direct contact or by airborne transmission of infected droplets, this highly contagious disease used to infect about 4 million American children per year, according to the Mayo...
Seizures are the most common neurologic dysfunction of childhood and occur when the electrical system in the brain malfunctions. Seizures can be idiopathic, meaning the cause is unknown, or they can be acquired as a result of brain injury. There...
Rubella, or German measles, is an often benign outbreak of little red bumps that usually pass in one to five days. Learn more in this health video.
The mumps, or epidemic parotitis, typically presents as severe swelling of the salivary glands. Learn more about the mumps including treatment options in this medical video.
Measles, also called rubeola, is primarily a respiratory infection caused by a highly contagious virus found all over the world. Measles can be serious, especially in small children. Learn about the different causes of, symptoms of, and...
Learn tips for filling out blood donation questions in this free video clip from a blood donation center.