Special Sub-Topic: Childhood Illnesses Click Here To Play: Childhood Illnesses

Chicken pox (varicella zoster) is a very common childhood illness. Which of the following is NOT true.

Chicken pox produces milder symptoms in the elderly. According to the Center for Disease Control, although you cannot get chicken pox more than once, the virus stays in your body and can cause shingles later on.

Fifth Disease is sometimes referred to as what?

'slapped cheek disease'. Fifth disease is usually quite mild athough it can be potentially dangerous to an unborn baby. A person with fifth disease will have flushed cheeks that look as though they have been slapped.

What is the layman's term for Coxsackie A?

hand-foot-mouth disease. This disease may be quite mild or it may cause painful blisters in the mouth, on the gums and tongue as well as on the hands and soles of the feet.

Statistically, almost 100 percent of children in child care will get this illness in the first year of their life. An infection can range from mild to life-threatening or even fatal. What is it?

respiratory syncytial virus. RSV will often cause lower respiratory infections and ear infections. It usually causes more severe symptoms in children with respiratory problems such as asthma.

Which of the following is NOT true of pinkeye (conjunctivitis)?

It cannot be treated by antibiotics. Antibiotic drops are the treatment of choice for pink eye.

Which of the following is NOT true of roseola?

Roseola is highly contagious. Symptoms of roseola usually include a very high fever, a runny nose, tiredness, crankiness and swollen eyelids. Usually after the fever disappears a rash will develop.

Your child has been vomiting frequently, has watery diarrhea and a slight fever. He may even have a slight cough and a runny nose. Which of the following does he most likely have?

rotavirus. Rotavirus is highly contagious and is thought to spread from feces-to-hand-to mouth. Vomiting and watery diarrhea are the most common symptoms.

Giardiasis is a diarrheal illness caused by what?

a parasite. Some may exhibit little or no symptoms, while others have foul-smelling diarrhea, gas, abdominal pain, tiredness and weight loss.

What is the common name for tetanus?

lockjaw. Lockjaw is caused by a bacteria that enters an open wound (such as cutting onself with a dirty utensil). The bacteria causes toxins that spread through the blood. Tetanus is completely preventable through a booster shot.

Strep throat is characterized by a severe sore throat, fever, headache and swollen glands. It is important that it be treated because it can lead to all of the following but one.

meningitis. Strep throat is more common in children but is quite contagious and can easily be spread throughout whole families. Once a child has been on antibiotics for 24 hours they are thought to no longer be contagious.