In an earlier article, five common childhood illnesses were covered. A lot of times, these illnesses happen because of children’s still-developing immune systems and high exposure to infections at child-care facilities and in schools.
The commonest childhood illnesses are coughs and colds and the seasonal flu. Also known as influenza, the flu occurs all year round in Malaysia with peaks during the wet season in May to July and November to January[1] . Vaccines are available to prevent the flu and it is recommended[2] that children take the vaccine to prevent the disease as it can lead to severe symptoms such as breathing problems, lung infections such as pneumonia and even death[3] .
In the case of the common cold, there is no vaccine to prevent it as it is caused by more than 200 different types of rhinoviruses. Because rhinoviruses mutate very quickly and come in many varieties, there is no vaccine for the common cold.
However, like the common cold, influenza is caused by viruses, not the rain or cold weather. Both diseases can be prevented through simple measures, such as washing hands frequently, staying away from sick people, not touching the face after touching people or objects such as toys, and of course, boosting your child’s immune system through proper nutrition, getting enough sleep and being active through exercise.
Apart from the cold and flu and the five illnesses already mentioned, here are five more common childhood illnesses that you need to be aware of.
1: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD)
Malaysia saw an outbreak of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in January 2018 where 51,000 cases[4] were recorded nationwide by August 14 of the same year. Selangor recorded the highest cases with 11,349, Kuala Lumpur 4,428 and Sarawak with 4,412. At least two children died from complications from the disease.
Unfortunately, this didn’t spell the end of this disease. HFMD in Malaysia is an endemic disease that can result in huge outbreaks among children. Up to June 2022, approximately 106,447 HFMD[5] cases were recorded nationwide with 89% of the cases being among children aged six and below while 9% were among those aged between seven and 12. The majority of the cases occurred in nurseries and preschools (56%), within households (40%) and day-care centres (3%).
HMFD, usually caused by the coxsackievirus[6] , is very contagious and it is typically widespread among children aged 12 and below, and especially those aged five and under. Although it is not usually serious, it can result in a lot of discomfort and serious complications if it gets out of hand such as dehydration due to the person’s refusal to eat and drink because of the pain in the mouth. Other complications, according to the CDC, is that the person may also develop viral meningitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes), encephalitis (swelling of the brain) or paralysis[7] although this is rare.
HFMD symptoms last for seven to 10 days and include a fever, sore throat, feeling sick, having painful blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums and inside of cheeks, and a rash of red spots found on the hands and feet and sometimes the buttocks. The virus is spread from person to person through the oral-faecal route and through the infected person’s nose and throat secretions and fluid from scabs and blisters.
The disease is most infectious during the first week of illness. If your child has HFMD, the best way to stop it from spreading is to wash your hands with soap and water frequently, especially after using the toilet, changing diapers, coughing, sneezing, and after blowing your nose. Wash your child’s hands often too and keep the blisters clean, disinfect frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs, toys and other shared items and avoid close contact with the infected person.
The child should be taken to a hospital if he is not drinking enough water, if he has a high fever, if his condition does not improve after 10 days or if the child is younger than six months.
2: Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
According to a New Straits Times report[8] , eczema is on the rise in Malaysia particularly among children. Also known as atopic dermatitis, eczema affects over 20% of Malaysian children especially those who have a tendency to have dry skin. Eczema is a chronic, inflammatory, allergic, non-contagious skin disorder that causes itchy, scaly, flakey skin. There are many possible triggers for the disorder but it has been said that chemicals, allergy, sweat and heat are the main causes. When the skin becomes inflamed and very itchy, the child will scratch and scratch and this will damage the skin further, causing oozing sores and blisters that make it prone to bacterial, viral and fungal infections.
Eczema usually affects babies and very young children. It is not curable and may last until adolescence or adulthood.
During flare-ups, the child may need steroid creams to reduce the inflammation and break the itch cycle. If the skin is infected, antibiotics and antiviral medications may also be needed. During the subacute stage, the child will need maintenance therapy to prevent flare-ups. This includes keeping the child cool especially in our hot weather, and avoiding things that irritate the skin such as prickly materials like acrylic or synthetic clothing, bedding and car seat covers, detergents, soaps, antiseptic washes, toothpaste with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and environmental allergens like pet fur, pollen and dust mites.
The child should use moisturizing creams that are fragrance-free and bathe in soap-free solutions to prevent excessive drying of the skin.
3: Bronchitis
Bronchitis is inflammation of the of the lining of the large breathing tubes[9 called bronchial tubes that connect the windpipe to the lungs. Normally, this lining makes mucus to protect the organs and tissues involved in breathing. When they get infected and become swollen and red, the lining starts making too much mucus which makes it hard for air to pass in and out of the lungs.
Bronchitis is brought on by viruses, bacteria or irritants that get into the airways. Children who have chronic sinusitis, big tonsils, allergies or asthma are more likely to get bronchitis[10] . Also, it might happen along with or after a cold, or other respiratory infections. Exposure to secondhand smoke might also raise a child’s risk.
Symptoms include a cough that brings up white, yellow or green mucus, stuffy nose, chest pain, shortness of breath, tightness or congestion in the chest, headache, muscle pain, throat pain, a fever and even vomiting.
Doctors will advise children to get lots of rest, drink plenty of fluids and give medications for the cough, fever and pain.
Bronchitis lasts about two to three weeks[11] in children who are otherwise healthy. Those who live with people who smoke may get repeated bouts of bronchitis.
4: Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is one of the most common infections in children[12] . UTIs are commonly caused by bacteria from the digestive tract on any component of the urinary tract such as the ureters (narrow tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), bladder (where urine is stored), urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body) and the kidneys.
Typically, the bacteria enter through the urethra, travel up to the bladder, ureters and kidneys and begin to grow. The most common bacteria that causes UTI is E. Coli which normally live in the colon.
Children’s urethras can be contaminated by constipation, withholding urination or not emptying the bladder and improper cleaning of the anal area after going to the toilet. It can also happen when diapers are not changed often enough.
UTIs can occur at any age but are common in babies and young children of either gender. However, because girls have a shorter length of the urethra, they are more likely to get it than boys[13] . Boys can get it too if part of their urinary tract is blocked[14] . Uncircumcised boys are more at risk than circumcised boys.
Symptoms of UTI include: painful burning urination, an ache in the back or side below the ribs or the groin, blood in the urine, very strong-smelling urine, fever, chills, urgency to urinate, frequent urination, and in older toilet-trained children – loss of control of urine (incontinence) and bedwetting (enuresis).
A doctor will most likely prescribe a course of antibiotics and the child will be advised to drink a lot of water. A heating pad over the lower abdomen area may help ease the pain.
5: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
If your child is having cold-like symptoms like a runny nose and a cough, it might not be a cold he’s having but RSV. Respiratory Syncytial Virus or RSV is a common contagious virus that affects the respiratory system and which looks very much like the common cold.
In Malaysia the RSV season follows the monsoon months from the middle of the year to the end of it[15] . That is why it is easy to mistake it for the common cold or flu. With symptoms like coughing, runny nose, fever and sneezing, most children and adults only get mild symptoms although RSV can be serious for babies and less-than-two-years-old children because it can cause inflammation of the airways preventing breathing that could lead to bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
Hospitalisation due to RSV infection is higher in children below two years of age[16] . Those who are at particular high risk are infants with chronic lung disease and asthma, who have congenital heart disease and those with severe immunodeficiency disorders.
If your child is very young, keep a close eye on his condition and seek medical attention if severe symptoms develop. Some of the more severe symptoms include wheezing, rapid breathing and bluish skin or lips.
There are many ways to prevent the spread of RSV. Following basic hand hygiene, avoiding crowds and those, including children, who have a fever or cough and keeping toys, clothes, blankets and sheets clean can help prevent your child from getting RSV.
Morinaga Chil-kid
Morinaga Chil-kid is a Japanese growing-up milk that is formulated with a balanced ratio of over 45 essential nutrients such as ARA, DHA, Omega 3&6 LCPs (Long Chain Polyunsaturated fatty acids), prebiotics GOS (Galacto-oligosaccharides), five Nucleotides, Protein, Vitamins, Minerals and no added sugar.
For boosting the immune function, Nucleotides[17] , which are the building blocks of DNA and RNA, play an important role in supporting immune cell maturation and tissue repair.
Furthermore, Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) ─ a type of prebiotic that helps regulate the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut, further improves immunity through improving gut health.
To learn more about gut health and immunity, read about the gut-brain and immunity connection here[18] .
Morinaga Chil-kid is produced and packed in the Netherlands and double checked for quality adherence before it is released into the market. The milk is specially made for Asian children aged one to seven, to support their optimum growth and development during their rapid growing years.
[1]Influenza – Malaysian Society of Infectious Diseases & Chemotherapy. (n.d.). https://adultimmunisation.msidc.my/influenza/
[2]Immunise4Life. (n.d.). Page not found - Immunise4Life. https://immunise4life.my/5-additional-vaccines-for-children/
[3]Https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/-/media/images/Johns-Hopkins-medicine-logo-horizontal-full-color.svg. (2024, October 28). Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/influenza/influenza-flu-in-children
[4]Wikipedia contributors. (2024, February 29). 2018 Malaysia HFMD outbreak. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Malaysia_HFMD_outbreak
[5]Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease (HFMD) | Symptoms & Treatments. (n.d.). https://gleneagles.com.my/health-digest/hfmd-hand-foot-mouth-disease
[6]Hand-foot-and-mouth disease - Symptoms & causes - Mayo Clinic. (2022, August 16). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hand-foot-and-mouth-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20353035
[7]HFMD symptoms and complications. (2024, May 7). Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD). https://www.cdc.gov/hand-foot-mouth/signs-symptoms/index.html
[8]Murugesan, M. (2023, April 19). #HEALTH: Getting to the root of eczema. NST Online. https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/heal/2023/03/892417/health-getting-root-eczema
[9]Bronchitis (for parents). (n.d.). https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/bronchitis.html
[10]Kalra, S. (n.d.). 10 Common childhood illnesses and their treatments. Medanta - the Medicity. https://www.medanta.org/patient-education-blog/10-common-childhood-illnesses-and-their-treatments
[11]Bronchitis in children: care instructions. (n.d.). https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=uf7150
[12]Fisher, D. J., MD. (n.d.). Medscape Registration. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/969643-overview?form=fpf
[13]Kalra, S. (n.d.). 10 Common childhood illnesses and their treatments. Medanta - the Medicity. https://www.medanta.org/patient-education-blog/10-common-childhood-illnesses-and-their-treatments
[14]Https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/-/media/images/Johns-Hopkins-medicine-logo-horizontal-full-color.svg. (2024, September 10). Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/urinary-tract-infections/urinary-tract-infections-uti-in-children
[15]Som, Z. M. (2023, September 6). To help affected parents, RSV medication should be cheaper and easier to access. The Star. https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/family/2023/09/12/to-help-affected-parents-rsv-medication-should-be-cheaper-and-easier-to-access
[16]‘Tis the Season. . . for the spread of Respiratory Diseases? - Columbia Asia Hospital I Private Hospital in Malaysia. (2024, March 31). Columbia Asia Hospital I Private Hospital in Malaysia. https://www.columbiaasia.com/malaysia/health-articles/%E2%80%98tis-season%E2%80%A6-spread-respiratory-diseases/
[17]Hess, J. R., & Greenberg, N. A. (2012). The role of nucleotides in the immune and gastrointestinal systems. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 27(2), 281–294. https://doi.org/10.1177/0884533611434933
[18]The Gut-Brain-Immunity Connection & 8 Ways to Boost your Child’s gut Health | Tips and Guides | Morinaga Malaysia. (n.d.). Morinaga Malaysia. https://morinagamilk.com.my/detail-tip-guide.php?article=T2301180633326898