Children have a habit of getting ill very easily. Their young immune systems are still learning to fight off bacteria and viruses, which means that they are more vulnerable to many conditions than adults are. This can very problematic and cause a number of worries for parents who only want their child to be well, but maybe don’t know the best ways to deal with the problem as it’s not something they have a lot of experience in having to fight themselves. This is true in a number of cases, so we’ve supplied a great list of children’s illnesses and the best methods for being rid of them and improving your child’s overall health.
Irritated eyes
One problem that many children suffer from is irritations of the eyes. This is usually causes by the symptoms of some sort of virus, which the child then makes worse by rubbing. If your child has a cold, it’s probably nothing to worry about and it’ll clear up very soon. Alternatively, if they continue to rub their eyes there could be some sort of allergy issue. Try using over-the-counter eye drops to soothe the irritations. If your child’s eyes become very red and have any discharge, they may be suffering from pink eye and it’ll be worth going to the doctors about it.
Head lice
If there’s one childhood conditions we can all remember and relate to, it’s head lice. But when you child suffers from them it can be very worrying and problematic. Store bought shampoos and treatments actually work very effectively in terms of killing off lice, but sometimes the nits can be more of a problem. Nits are the eggs that are left behind in the hair. To get rid of them you need to douse the hair in one of the treatments and then brush the child’s hair with a very fine comb. It’ll do the trick.
Nosebleed
Children tend to get nosebleeds more regularly than adults, perhaps due to their (ahem) lack of shame in terms of picking their nose and going too far. The result is a large number of bloody incidents. Generally, the best advice is to lean you child forward so that a blood clot is able to form. However, it’s worth noting that if it lasts more than half an hour it may be worth talking to your doctor as your child may require cauterisation.
Stomach ache
Often you’ll find your child complaining of stomach pains without any of the other, usually associated symptoms such as vomiting. If it is an upset stomach it’s worth feeding your child some saltine crackers. Remember also that if your child has constipation it’ll be worth seeing the doctor and finding out if there is a more effective treatment.
Growing pains
Obviously there is usually a limit to how long you’ll feel growing pains. But for children going through it, it can feel like forever. Just use some standard children’s pain reliever and the pains won’t last long. You can also use a hot water bottle or give a light massage on the area where the child is feeling pain.
Sore throat
Sore throats are certain a problem that regular afflicts children. There are plenty of over-the-counter pain relief available for children and they tend to be fine. It is also usually a case of distracting the child and they’ll soon get over the issue. Generally a sore throat is not something you’ll need to worry about, once the child has gotten used to it they’ll not complain very much about it.