Canal Hamamatsu | Top Page > Child Care > Common Illnesses and Treatments > Common Infections
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更新日：2022年7月19日
Common Infections
1. Influenza
Children’s Body Temperature
Influenza is an infectious disease caused by a virus. There are three strains: A, B and C. The strains that cause the flu in humans are currently A (H3N2, H1N1) and B. It is very contagious, so entire households or classes become infected (symptoms are worse than a normal cold.)
Fever: A high fever for 3 to 7 days. It goes down temporarily, then returns after 1 to 2 days.
Body: Sluggish. No appetite.
Pain: Pain in many places, such as the head, joints and muscles
Stomach: Pain, vomiting, often diarrhea
Cough: Coughing becomes worse later. The nose is also very runny.
Examination
Take a sample from the inside of the mouth or nose with a cotton bud. It takes about 20 minutes to examine it.
Treatment
An antiviral agent has been developed.
Things to be careful of at home
Rest: Rest in the house. Don’t send them to school immediately even if their fever has gone down.
Temperature: Keep a steady temperature.
Food: If they can eat, give them easily digestible foods. Give them plenty of water.
Bathing: Don’t bathe them until after their fever has gone down.
※If their condition seems different from usual, take them to the hospital right away.
2. Measles
An infectious disease caused by the measles virus. Highly contagious, often with complications. A very serious illness.
Treatment
Measles itself cannot be cured. Antibiotics are used to prevent pneumonia, and medicine is given for severe coughs.
Things to be careful of at home
Food: Drink plenty of water. If they can eat, give them easily digestible foods.
Bathing: They can take a bath 3 days after their fever has gone down, their coughing has decreased and they seem well.
School: They can go to school once over 3 days have passed since their fever has gone down.
3. Rubella
An infectious disease caused by the rubella virus. Also known as three-day measles or German measles. If infected at the beginning of pregnancy, it can cause disabilities in the child.
Treatment
There is no medicine to cure rubella. There is medicine for the fever, pain and itching.
Things to be careful of at home
When there is a rash, stay inside the house. Aside from this, be careful with regards to the usual things.
They can go to school as long as the fever and rash have subsided.
Go to the hospital when...
When they are limp and have no energy, or when their fever continues for more than 3 days.
4. Mumps
An infectious disease caused by the mumps virus.
Things to be careful of at home
Food: Don’t feed them sour foods, or foods that they have to chew a lot
Bathing: Don’t bathe them if they have a fever or are in pain
School: Keep them out of school until the swelling goes down
Go to the hospital again when...
- They have a very bad headache and keep vomiting
- Their fever continues for over 3 days
- The swelling beneath their ears turns red
- Their testicles hurt
5. Chickenpox (varicella)
An infectious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus.
Treatment
Using medicine that prevents the multiplication of the virus causes the disease to be less serious.
There are also medicines and ointments to reduce itching.
If pus forms, antibiotics are also available.
Things to be careful of at home
Food: If the inside of their mouth is sore, give them food that doesn’t sting
Bathing: Don’t bathe them. When the heat rash is bad, but they have no fever and seem well, a shower is fine.
School: Keep them out of school until the rash subsides.
Go to the hospital again when...
- The pimples are swollen and pussy
- The fever lasts more than 4 days
- They are limp and have no energy
6. Fifth disease (erythema infectosium)
Possible Causes
An infection by parvovirus B19. ※If infected while pregnant, there is a possibility of miscarriage.
Treatment
There is no medicine to cure fifth disease. There is medicine to help with strong itchiness.
Things to be careful of at home
Food: The same as usual
Bathing: They can take baths. If they stay in very hot water for a long time, the redness will increase.
Other: The redness will reappear if the body becomes cool or becomes warm due to sunlight, exercise, etc.
School: Once the rash appears, they are no longer contagious and can go to school.
7. Herpangina
A summer cold that is caused by a viral infection. Herpangina isn’t caused by a single virus. You can catch it multiple times. A high fever between 38 and 40 degrees Celsius lasts for between 1 to 4 days. The inside of the throat and the tongue are covered in blisters. It is painful if they break and form ulcers.
Treatment
There is no medicine to cure herpangina. A doctor may give medicine for the fever or pain.
Things to be careful of in the home
Food: Soft, mushy foods, with flavoring that isn’t too strong.
Drink: Plenty of refreshing drinks that don’t sting
Bathing: They can bathe if they seem well and don’t have a high fever
School: They can go if they don’t have a fever and have an appetite
Go to the hospital again when...
- They can’t drink anything and are limp
- A high fever continues for more than 3 days
8. Hand, food and mouth disease
Common in summer. It is caused by a viral infection. There are multiple viruses that cause this disease. It can be caught multiple times. Recovery occurs after a few days.
Treatment
There is no medicine to cure hand, foot and mouth disease. There is medicine for fevers and pain.
Things to be careful of at home
Food: When the inside of their mouth hurts, give them foods that don’t sting
Bathing: If they have no fever and seem well, they can take a bath.
School: If the child themselves seems well, they can go to school
Go to the hospital again when...
- They aren’t drinking anything
- A high fever continues for more than 3 days
- When they throw up and are limp
9. Roseola
An infectious disease caused by herpesvirus 6. Affects children from 4 months to 1 or 2 years old. The fever will go down in about 3 days. It cannot be diagnosed until the rash breaks out.
Treatment
There is no medicine that cures roseola. There is medicine to reduce the fever.
Things to be careful of in the home
High fever: You may be worried due to the high fever, but take the same precautions as for a normal fever
Milk: If they won’t drink it, dilute it. Have them drink plenty of cooled boiled water and apple juice.
Weaning: If they have diarrhea or a lack of appetite, stop for a little while
Bathing: Don’t bathe them if they have a fever or don’t seem well
10. Pharyngoconjunctival fever (pool fever)
A viral infection. It spreads through swimming pools, but can be spread in other ways too. A high fever of between 39 and 40 degrees Celsius (especially during the night) continues for 5 days on average. They will have a sore throat, and their eyes will turn red. They will have headaches, stomachaches and diarrhea.
Treatment
There is no medicine to cure it. There is medicine for the fever and pain.
Things to be careful of in the home
High fever: You may be worried as the high fever will last for a long time, but don’t use too much anti-fever medicine
Food: Food that’s easy to swallow, drinks that don’t sting
Bathing: Don’t bathe them until their fever has gone down and they seem well
School: Don’t go to school until the fever has gone down
Go to the hospital again when...
- They can’t drink anything and show symptoms of dehydration
- The high fever continues more than 3 days
- When they have no energy and are limp
11. Group A streptococcal infection
An infection by Streptococcus pyogenes. The main symptoms are a fever and a sore throat. A rash of small, red spots appears on the body, hands and feet. Red blisters that look like strawberries form on the tongue.
Treatment
Take antibiotics for 10 to 14 days. The fever will go down in 1 to 3 days, but if you stop taking the medicine it will go back up again. If you don’t finish taking all the medicine, it may cause complications such as inflammation of the kidneys or rheumatic fever.
Things to be careful of in the home
It can spread to family members. Unless you treat the whole family, you can catch it again even after getting better.
12. Whooping cough (pertussis)
An infection caused by the Bordetella pertussis. For babies, it’s a particularly dangerous disease that can stop them from breathing. Older children and adults can also be infected. They may be well even if the bad cough continues.
Treatment
Take antibiotics that are effective against whooping cough, and cough medicine.
Go to the hospital again when...
- Their breathing almost stops because of the coughing
- They throw up repeatedly due to the coughs and have no energy
- They have a fever
13. Molluscum contagiosum (water warts)
A viral infection. They are round and the center is slightly depressed and has a slight gloss. If you burst them, a white lump comes out. This contains lots of the virus. As an allergic reaction to the virus, eczema forms around the water warts. This can cause itchiness.
Treatment
Ointment
Antiseptic and silver nitrate creams can be used. However, they are not guaranteed to work.
Medicine
It may be cured in 1 to 2 months using traditional Chinese medicine. However, it is not guaranteed to work.
Removal
Remove them with tweezers. Disinfect the area. They will cry a lot, and the warts may return even if you remove them all.
Wait for them to disappear naturally
It takes a long time, but they will recover without any particular treatment.
Decide which treatment to take after consulting your doctor. If they are in a place that stands out, remove them while they are still few in number.