Parents are bombarded every day with things to worry about. But nothing sends fear through their veins like when they hear that someone in their child’s school is being treated for MRSA or meningitis. And now, we have H1N1 to worry about. We asked Dr. Andrew Bonwit, a pediatrician who specializes in pediatric infectious diseases, to list the five top disease-related concerns for children and tell us just how worried we should be.

Seasonal influenza and H1N1

On average, 36,000 people die each year from regular seasonal influenza and influenza-related causes. The hardest hit are seniors and children under five, particularly those under two. And now there is a new flu on the block to worry about – H1N1, more commonly called Swine Flu.

“We don’t know if H1N1 is going to be more dangerous than the seasonal influenza,” says Bonwit. “Most people haven’t been exposed to it and have no immunity built up. We are not sure how they are going to respond. It is important for people to get vaccinated.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov), or CDC, is recommending that children from 6 months through 18 years of age get vaccinated against H1N1. So far in 2009, cases of H1N1 influenza have been seen in children who are in close contact with each other in school and day care settings, which increases the likelihood of disease spread.

Bonwit says that the seasonal influenza vaccination will not protect your child from H1N1, because it is a separate vaccination. Make sure that you ask your doctor for both.

Pneumococcal disease

Bonwit says that pneumococcal disease is a leading cause of serious illness in children. The disease can cause pneumococcal pneumonia with symptoms such as high fever, cough, and shortness of breath; bacteremia (presence of bacteria in the blood) which leaves you with a fever and feeling generally poorly; or in some cases it can cause meningitis, an infection of the coverings around the brain and spinal cord.

According to the CDC, invasive pneumococcal disease causes more than 6,000 deaths annually. Children under age two fall into the highest general risk group for invasive pneumococcal infections. The pneumococcal vaccine is usually given to infants in a series of 4 doses – one at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and one between 12 to 15 months. Bonwit says that if your child has not been vaccinated, it is very important that you do so. “With the vaccination, this disease can be preventable,” he said.

MRSA

Bonwit says that the mention of MRSA causes a lot of concern, fear, and worry, especially when it shows up in a school. But Bonwit says that parents need to keep in mind that the staph bacteria that causes the kind of MRSA that shows up outside the hospital setting, while potentially dangerous, can be found all around us.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the staph bacteria that causes community–associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) can be found on the skin or in the nose of about one-third of the population and is usually harmless unless they enter the body through a cut or wound. Kids sharing sports equipment, towels, and other such items are vulnerable.

For the most part, CA-MRSA causes more irritation than harm. It starts out as small red bumps that resemble pimples. But these can quickly turn into painful abscesses that will require surgical draining. If the bacteria gets into the body, it can cause infections in the bloodstream, heart valves, and lungs which can be life threatening. Children and young adults are also more likely to develop the more dangerous forms of pneumonia related to CA-MRSA because their immune systems aren’t fully developed and they haven’t built up enough resistance. Thorough hand washing and good hygiene is key in prevention. Bonwit says that people, including family members, should not share bed linen and bath towels or eating utensils and glasses.

Group A Strep (GAS)

Several million cases of strep throat and impetigo, both of which are caused by group A strep, occur every year. Streptococcus, the bacteria, is often found in the throat or on the skin with no incidence, or it can cause relatively mild illnesses such as those mentioned above. In some cases though, if left untreated, GAS infections can move into the blood, muscles, or the lungs causing severe and sometimes life-threatening complications. The CDC estimates that there are somewhere between 9000-11,500 cases of invasive GAS disease annually, resulting in between 1,000-18,000 deaths.

The bacteria are usually spread through direct contact mucus from the nose or throat of someone who is infected. It can also be transmitted when one comes in contact with infected wounds or sores on the skin. According to the CDC, all types of GAS infection can be reduced by good hand washing.

Because GAS is highly contagious, it is recommended that a child with a severe sore throat be tested and if that test is positive, be kept out of school or day care until they have been on antibiotics at least 24 hours.

Childhood illnesses once controlled or eliminated by vaccines

Bonwit says that some parents are not getting their children fully vaccinated, which is causing concern that diseases already conquered will make a comeback. Some parents fear that vaccinations can lead to autism. Bonwit says there is no evidence supporting this – however, there is evidence that not vaccinating your child can be dangerous.

“We are starting to see small clusters of measles,” says Bonwit. “Measles was an almost completely vaccinated illness.” Bonwit says that it is showing up in areas where kids are not being vaccinated. Measles come with a variety of complications, including ear and respiratory infections. In some cases the respiratory infections can become serious and cause permanent brain damage and even death.

Bonwit says that Haemophilus influenzae – type b, a historic infection in children, vaccinated against in the 1980s, was almost completely gone but like measles, is now showing up again in small clusters. “Parents need to get their children vaccinated,” he said.

Choosing a Pediatrician

When it comes to selecting a medical provider for your child, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends a pediatrician as opposed to a general or family practitioner, simply because these doctors specialize in the special health needs of children, from infant through the teenage years. According to the Web site http://family.go.com, there are several important things to remember when choosing a pediatrician.

• Ask for recommendations from friends, family, your own doctor, the other women in your childbirth class, and anyone else you can think of. Narrow down the list to those who are pediatricians covered by your insurance and close enough in proximity to be convenient.

• Make appointments to visit your top two or three candidates. If you call and request a short meeting, most doctors will do this for free. Be sure to ask your most important questions. The answers will give you a good idea of whether or not the doctor is someone you could see choosing.

Source: http://family.go.com