Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially fatal contagious disease that can affect almost any part of the body but is mainly an infection of the lungs. It is caused by a bacterial microorganism, the tubercle bacillus or Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although TB can be treated, cured, and can be prevented if persons at risk take certain drugs, scientists have never come close to wiping it out. Few diseases have caused so much distressing illness for centuries and claimed so many lives.

Causes

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that spread from person to person through microscopic droplets released into the air. This can happen when someone with the untreated, active form of tuberculosis coughs, speaks, sneezes, spits, laughs or sings. Although tuberculosis is contagious, it's not easy to catch.

Sign n symptoms

Symptoms of TB disease depend on where in the body the TB bacteria are growing. TB disease symptoms may include:

A bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer.

Pain in the chest.

Coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs)

Weakness or fatigue.

Weight loss.

No appetite.

Chills.

Fever.

Vaccination

Vaccination is one major preventive measure against TB. A vaccine called BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, named after its French developers) is made from a weakened mycobacterium that infects cattle. Vaccination with BCG does not prevent infection by M. tuberculosis but it does strengthen the immune system of first-time TB patients. As a result, serious complications are less likely to develop. BCG is used more widely in developing countries than in the United States. The effectiveness of vaccination is still being studied; it is not clear whether the vaccine's effectiveness depends on the population in which it is used or on variations in its formulation.

Down syndrome

Down syndrome (DS) or Down's syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21.[1] It is typically associated with physical growth delays, characteristic facial features, and mild to moderate intellectual disability.[2] The average IQ of a young adult with Down syndrome is 50, equivalent to the mental age of an 8- or 9-year-old child, but this varies widely.

Causes

Research shows that three types of chromosomal changes can lead to Down syndrome.

Complete trisomy 21. In this case, an error during the formation of the egg or the sperm results in either one having an extra chromosome. ...

Mosaic trisomy 21. Not every cell in the body is exactly the same.

Translocation trisomy 21.

Sign n symptoms

Common physical signs include:

Decreased muscle tone at birth.

Excess skin at the nape of the neck.

Flattened nose.

Separated joints between the bones of the skull (sutures)

Single crease in the palm of the hand.

Small ears.

Small mouth.

Upward slanting eyes.

Vaccination

Some children with DS may not mount the usual immune response to vaccines or natural infections. After a vaccine is given, the immune system produces antibodies that will fight off infections when a child is exposed in the future to that particular bacteria or virus. A significant number of people with DS do not produce enough antibodies after receiving the vaccines against pneumococcal or haemophilus influenza bacteria. A blood test can measure the antibody titer after the vaccines are completed at the one year checkup. If the response to the vaccines is insufficient, then it would be a good idea for the child to see an immunologist. Vaccines would probably be repeated and the child may need preventive treatments to avoid recurrent infections.

Hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, most commonly caused by a viral infection. There are five main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E. These five types are of greatest concern because of the burden of illness and death they cause and the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread. In particular, types B and C lead to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people and, together, are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer.

Hepatitis A and E are typically caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Hepatitis B, C and D usually occur as a result of parenteral contact with infected body fluids. Common modes of transmission for these viruses include receipt of contaminated blood or blood products, invasive medical procedures using contaminated equipment and for hepatitis B transmission from mother to baby at birth, from family member to child.

Symptoms

Acute infection may occur with limited or no symptoms, or may include symptoms such as jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Preventing hepatitis

How to prevent hepatitis A and E

Only drink commercially bottled water, or boiled water if you're unsure of local sanitation

Only eat raw vegetables if you are sure they have been cleaned/disinfected thoroughly

Get a vaccine for hepatitis A if you travel to places where hepatitis may be endemic.

How to prevent hepatitis B and D

Only use clean syringes

Do not share toothbrushes, razors, or manicure instruments

Have a hepatitis B series of shots if you are at risk

Only allow well sterilized skin perforating equipment (tattoo, acupuncture, etc.).

How to prevent hepatitis C

If you are infected cover open wounds

Do not share needles, toothbrushes, or manicure equipment

Go easy on the alcohol.

DTP

Dtp

DPT (also DTP and DTwP) refers to a class of combination vaccines against three infectious diseases in humans: diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus. The vaccine components include diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and killed whole cells of the organism that causes pertussis (wP).

Who should get this vaccine?

DTaP is one of the recommended childhood immunizations. Many states require proof that a child has received the vaccine before starting day care or preschool.

Children should get 5 doses (shots) of the vaccine. One dose should be received at each of the following ages:

2 months

4 months

6 months

15 through 18 months

4 through 6 years

WHO SHOULD NOT GET THIS VACCINE

A child who received a dose of any vaccine that has tetanus, diphtheria, or pertussis in it and developed an allergy from the vaccine.

The health care provider will decide if a child who has nervous system problems, such as epilepsy, should receive any diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis vaccine.

A child who is ill with something more severe than a cold or a has a fever should have the vaccination rescheduled until after the child is recovered.

RISKS AND SIDE EFFECTS

Common side effects include pain and swelling at the injection site, mild fever, and irritability.

Severe side effects include allergic reaction to parts of the vaccine.

There is no proof that DTaP vaccine is linked to the development of autism.

No vaccine works all of the time. It is still possible, though unlikely, to get any of the three infections even after receiving all doses (shots) of DTaP.

Human Papilloma Virus

HPV, or Human Papilloma Virus, is a virus from the papillomavirus family that affects human skin and the moist membranes that line the body, such as the throat, mouth, feet, fingers, nails, anus and cervix. There are over 100 types, of which 40 can affect the genital area.

How does one get hpv

Genital HPV is spread through direct skin-to-skin contact with someone who has an HPV infection. Contact includes vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Some types of HPV cause genital warts, which are hard, rough lumps that develop on the skin. Anyone who is sexually active can get HPV and genital warts.

In women, genital warts most often appear:

On the vulva (the outer female genital area)

In or around the vagina

In or around the anus

On the groin (where the genital area meets the inner thigh)

On the cervix

Symptoms

In many cases, HPV produces no symptoms. When they do occur, the most common symptom is the presence of warts in the genital area. Signs of infection can appear weeks, months, or even years after infection with the virus.

Vaccination

The first approved HPV vaccine, called Gardasil®, is approved for girls and women ages 9 to 26, and protects against the development of cervical cancer and genital warts. It is also approved for boys and men ages 9-26 to protect against genital warts. The second approved vaccine, called Cervarix, is approved for women between the ages of 9-25, to protect against cervical cancer.

It is best to get the vaccine before the start of sexual activity. The vaccine consists of a series of three shots, with shot two coming 2 months after the first, and shot three coming 6 months after the first.

Typhoid

Typhoid

Typhoid fever is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi. It is also known as enteric fever, or commonly just typhoid. Typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever are clinically indistinguishable diseases, collectively called enteric fever. It easily spreads through contaminated food and water supplies and close contact with others who are infected. The illness is characterized by very high fever, sweating, gastroenteritis, and diarrhea. Although typhoid is very rare in the developed world, it is still a serious health threat in the developing world. Typhoid is treatable with antibiotics.

Causes

Typhoid fever is an acute illness associated with fever caused by the Salmonella typhi bacteria. It can also be caused by Salmonella paratyphi, a related bacterium that usually causes a less severe illness. The bacteria are deposited in water or food by a human carrier and are then spread to other people in the area.

Symptoms:

Poor appetite.

Headaches.

Generalized aches and pains.

Fever as high as 104 degrees Farenheit.

Lethargy.

Diarrhea.

Vaccination

Typhoid fever can be prevented through proper sanitation and hygiene. To prevent typhoid, people in endemic areas should avoid drinking untreated water, avoid raw fruits and vegetables, and choose to consume hot foods where bacteria cannot survive, adequately clean household items, and avoid handling food if there is a risk of spreading the disease.

There are two vaccines that are recommended by the World Health Organization. They are usually only given to those who are traveling to typhoid endemic areas and they are from 50 to 80% effective in preventing typhoid.

Asthma

Asthma

A respiratory condition marked by attacks of spasm in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing. It is usually connected to allergic reaction or other forms of hypersensitivity.

Types of asthma

Do you know the different types of asthma? Advances in our understanding of asthma have helped experts define specific types of asthma, such as exercise-induced asthma (asthma that occurs with physical exertion) and nighttime asthma (asthma that makes sleeping miserable and is quite serious). Understanding the type of asthma you have can help you seek the most effective treatment when you have an asthma attack.

Causes

Particles that may provoke allergic reactions or irritate the airways, such as:

Indoor allergens (for example house dust mites in bedding, carpets and stuffed furniture, pollution and pet dander)

Outdoor allergens (such as pollens and moulds)

Tobacco smoke

Chemical irritants in the workplace

Air pollution

Sign n symptom

Asthma is characterized by inflammation of the bronchial tubes with increased production of sticky secretions inside the tubes. People with asthma experience symptoms when the airways tighten, inflame, or fill with mucus. Common asthma symptoms include:

Coughing, especially at night

Wheezing

Shortness of breath

Chest tightness, pain, or pressure

Vaccination

Some vaccine have suggested that the increasing incidence of asthma may be due to vaccinations, primarily to whole cell pertussis vaccine. Some have hypothesized that vaccines might change the balance of immunity towards allergic responses either directly (that is, caused by the immune responses to the vaccine) or indirectly (by altering the balance of immune responses to infections in infancy).

Pneumonia

Pneumonia

Lung inflammation caused by bacterial or viral infection, in which the air sacs fill with pus and may become solid. Inflammation may affect both lungs (double pneumonia) and only one (single pneumonia)

Causes

It occurs outside of hospitals and other health care facilities, and may be caused by:

Bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumonia. ...

Bacteria-like organisms, such as Mycoplasma pneumonia, which typically produce milder signs and symptoms than do other types of pneumonia.

Sign and Symptoms

Cough, often producing mucus, also called sputum, from the lungs. Mucus may be rusty or green or tinged with blood.

Fever, which may be less common in older adults.

Shaking, "teeth-chattering" chills.

Fast, often shallow, breathing and the feeling of being short of breath.

Chest wall pain that is often made worse by coughing or breathing in.

Fast heartbeat.

Feeling very tired or weak.

Nausea and vomiting.

Diarrhea.

Vaccination

Pneumococcal vaccination is a method of preventing a specific type of lung infection (pneumonia) that is caused by pneumococcus bacterium. There are more than 80 different types of pneumococcus bacteria -- 23 of them covered by the vaccine. The vaccine is injected into the body to stimulate the normal immune system to produce antibodies that are directed against pneumococcus bacteria.

In children, especially under the age of 2, a special conjugated vaccine has been developed to stimulate less developed immune systems. Originally only covering seven serotypes, the newer vaccine released in 2010, now covers 13 serotypes of pneumococcus (Prevnar 13).

Yellow fever

Yellow fever

Yellow fever is a serious disease caused by the yellow fever virus. It is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito and cannot be spread directly from person to person. It is found in certain parts of Africa and South America. Yellow fever vaccine can prevent yellow fever.

Yellow fever can cause (symptoms)

Fever and flu-like illness

Jaundice (yellow skin or eyes)

Liver, kidney, respiratory and other organ system failure

Vomiting blood

Death

People with yellow fever disease usually have to be hospitalized.

Yellow fever vaccine is given only at approved vaccination centers. After receiving the vaccine, you should receive an International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow card) that has been validated by the vaccination center. This Certificate becomes valid ten days after vaccination and lasts for ten years. You will need this card as proof of vaccination to enter certain countries.

Vaccinations

Persons nine months of age or older traveling to or living in a country that requires yellow fever vaccination for certain travelers. Check with your health-care provider.

 Persons nine months of age or older traveling to a country that does not require yellow fever vaccination but is located in an area where the risk of yellow fever is known to exist. Check with your health-care provider.

 Information about known or probable infected areas is available from the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, and CDC.

If you continue to live or travel in yellow fever-endemic areas, you should receive a booster dose of yellow fever vaccine after ten years. Yellow fever vaccine may be given at the same time as most other vaccines.

Measles

Measles also called rubella, is a childhood infection caused by a virus. Once quite common, measles can now almost always be prevented with a vaccine. Measles can be serious and even fatal for small children. While death rates have been falling worldwide as more children receive the measles vaccine, the disease still kills more than 100,000 people a year, most under the age of 5.

Causes

The cause of measles is a virus that replicates in the nose and throat of an infected child or adult.

When someone with measles coughs, sneezes or talks, infected droplets spray into the air, where other people can inhale them. The infected droplets may also land on a surface, where they remain active and contagious for several hours.

You can contract the virus by putting your fingers in your mouth or nose or rubbing your eyes after touching the infected surface.

Symptoms

Measles signs and symptoms appear 10 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Signs and symptoms of measles typically include:

Fever

Dry cough

Runny nose

Sore throat

Inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis)

 Koplik's spots

A skin rash made up of large, flat blotches that often flow into one another

The infection occurs in sequential stages over a period of two to three weeks.

Vaccinations

Measles vaccine is usually administered as MMR, a combination vaccine that provides protection against three viral diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella. The MMR vaccine is strongly endorsed by medical and public health experts as safe and effective. Two doses are recommended for children:

The first dose at 12–15 months of age

 The second dose before entering school, at 4–6 years of age.

polio

Polio (also called poliomyelitis) is a contagious, historically devastating disease that was virtually eliminated from the Western hemisphere in the second half of the 20th century. Although polio has been around since ancient times, its most extensive outbreak occurred in the first half of the 1900s until the polio vaccine was introduced in 1955.

Causes

The poliovirus resides only in humans and enters the environment in the feces of someone who's infected. Poliovirus spreads primarily through the fecal-oral route, especially in areas where sanitation is inadequate.

Poliovirus can be transmitted through contaminated water and food or through direct contact with someone infected with the virus. Polio is so contagious that anyone living with a recently infected person is likely to become infected, too. People carrying the poliovirus can spread the virus for weeks in their feces.

Sign n symptoms

Fever

Sore throat

Headache

Vomiting

Fatigue

Back pain or stiffness

Neck pain or stiffness

Pain or stiffness in the arms or legs

Muscle weakness or tenderness

Meningitis

Vaccinations

currently, most children in the United States receive four doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) at the following ages:

Two months

Four months

Between 6 and 18 months

Between ages 4 and 6 when children are just entering school

IPV is 90 percent effective after two shots and 99 percent effective after three. It can't cause polio and is safe for people with weakened immune systems, although it's not certain just how protective the vaccine may be in cases of severe immune deficiency. Common side effects are pain and redness at the injection site.

Rotavirus

Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea among infants and young children. It is a genus of double-stranded RNA virus in the family Reoviridae. Nearly every child in the world has been infected with rotavirus at least once by the age of five.

Causes

Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea among infants and young children. It is a genus of double-stranded RNA virus in the family Reoviridae. Nearly every child in the world has been infected with rotavirus at least once by the age of five.

Signs and Symptoms

Vomiting,Watery diarrhea, and Low-grade fever.DehydrationDry mouth and throat. Once a child is infected by the virus, there is an incubation period of about two days before symptoms appear. Symptoms often start with vomiting followed by four to eight days of profuse diarrhea.

Vaccinations

The vaccines are RotaTeq (RV5) and Rotarix (RV1). Before being licensed, both vaccines were tested in clinical trials and shown to be safe and effective. Both vaccines are oral (taken by mouth and swallowed)There are two brands of rotavirus vaccine. A baby should get either two or three doses, depending on which brand is used.The doses are recommended at these ages:First Dose: 2 months of ageSecond Dose: 4 months of ageThird Dose: 6 months of age (if needed)The first dose may be given as early as six weeks of age, and should be given by age 14 weeks 6 days. The last dose should be given by eight months of age.

Immunizations and Vaccines

Immunization is a proven tool for controlling and eliminating life-threatening infectious diseases and is estimated to avert between 2 and 3 million deaths each year. It is one of the most cost-effective health investments, with proven strategies that make it accessible to even the most hard-to-reach and

vulnerable populations. It can be delivered effectively through outreach activities; and vaccination does not require any major lifestyle change.

Why Should Someone Get Immunized?

The goal of public health is to prevent disease. It's much easier and more cost-effective to prevent a disease than to treat it. That's exactly what immunizations aim to do.  Immunizations protect us from serious diseases and also prevent the spread of those diseases to others.

Which Immunizations Do My Children Need?

Proof of immunization is often a prerequisite for enrollment in school or day care, it's important to keep your children up to date on their vaccines. The benefit of doing so is that your children will be protected from diseases that could cause them serious health problems. The recommended immunizations for children 0-6 years of age include:

Hepatitis B

Rotavirus

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis

Haemophilus influenza type B

Pneumococcal

Poliovirus

Influenza

Measles, mumps, rubella

Varicella (chickenpox)

Hepatitis A

Meningococcal (for certain high-risk groups)

At one time or another, each of the diseases addressed by these vaccines posed a serious health threat to children, taking their lives by the thousands; today most of these diseases are at their lowest levels in decades, thanks to immunizations.

It's important to keep your child's immunizations on schedule and up to date, but if your child misses a scheduled dose he or she can "catch up" later.

Introduction

Every child has a wish. The wish for a healthy life, the wish for a chance to live. Kids Health is one of the major challenge that every parent faces, it’s not just about child’s heath it’s about child’s health safety. Keeping your child safe is your top priority.to protect your child from various disease is not that easy, and for that the vaccinations and doses have come up. For the first time since 1960 record had made, the number of deaths of young children have fallen below 10 million a year, according to figures from the United Nations Children’s Fund. The new born infants are very sensitive and therefore they easily attacked by the germs and their disease.

Infant mortality in India is as high as 63 deaths per 1,000 live births. Most infant deaths occur in the first month of life; up to 47 per cent in the first week itself. While the Infant Mortality Rate showed a rapid decline during the 1980s, the decrease has slowed during the past decade. Children in India continue to lose their life to vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, which remains the biggest killer. Tetanus in newborns remains a problem. However, the proportion of children who receive vaccination are now higher den earlier. The ministry has said under the universal immunization programme (UIP) that vaccines against rotavirus, rubella and polio virus vaccines free of cost in government-run hospitals.

The issue regarding infant health is existed since long time and due to lack of vaccinations causes’ death of child. This blog is made to aware and to help people about numbers of child health disease, issues, precautions and vaccinations with the symptoms to keep your child safe form such hazardous disease.