Children, just like the rest of the human race, will get sick. Even if they live a healthy lifestyle, there are still going to be some problems. It used to be much worse in the early days. Thanks to modern medicines, vaccines, clean food, clean water, clean air, and better knowledge, children have a fighting chance to survive. Still, people have to be aware of the illness still out there. The key is to know about the illnesses out there and how to treat them. Here are five common childhood illnesses and disorders parents should be aware of.
Chickenpox
Chickenpox is one of the most common diseases. The kids are covered in itchy spots with a fever. It used to be that it was okay for kids to get them due to the idea that once you got chickenpox, you would never get it again. However, we now know that the virus stays in your body. That could lead to shingles years later. Luckily, there is now a vaccine for chickenpox.
Flu
Everybody gets the flu. It’s so easy to spread too. A simple cough and sneeze can make a person sick. Everyone assumes that it is like the cold. It is easy to see why. This isn’t true due to the fact that the flu can lead to more difficult health problems later in life. Plus, there are more symptoms to look for, like fever, sore throat, fatigue, body aches, and chills. Because of this, everyone has to have flu shots every year. There are certain ages when a child can get the shot. As soon as your kid becomes of age, get that flu shot as soon as you can.
Ear Infections
This is another problem that children have to face once or twice in their lives. Don’t ignore the signs of an ear infection. If your kid is complaining about an earache, try to fix the problem as soon as possible. How do ear infections happen? Part of it is because of swimming. Live About says that 36% of children from ages seven to seventeen years, and 15% of adults go swimming at least six times annually in America. From this, they can get Swimmer’s Ear. It is not a good thing to have. You have to treat that and other ear infections as soon as possible.
Speech Impediments
Not all kids can talk well. There will be speech impediments as they get older. Between the ages of two and five, children can have developmental stuttering. This isn’t a problem at this age. Just be patient with them. Have your kids slow down and think about what they want to say. Screaming at them will only make things worse. You will end up doing more damage than good. If you start to feel frustrated with your children when they struggle to talk, just take a moment to take a deep breath and count to five. You will be able to help them with a calmer head.
Autism
Here it comes. Autism has been making headlines in recent years. But really, it’s been around a lot longer than you think. In 2021 alone, the CDC reported in 2018 that approximately 1 in 44 children in America were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There is so much misinformation about autism. But autism doesn’t have to be a pain or scary. You are just going to have to get to that kind of lifestyle. It just takes patience and understanding to have your child grow up to live a normal and happy life.
Just because common childhood illnesses and disorders are much easier to treat and deal with doesn’t mean they are completely gone forever. You still have to know what you are dealing with. Knowing to the key to a happy, safe, and healthy lifestyle.