All Children’s Health Problems Solutions

Chicken Pox

Colic

Croup

Diaper Rash

Diarrhea In Children

Ear Infections In Children

Fever In Children

Fifth Disease

German Measles

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

Impetigo

Lead Poisoning

Measles

Mumps

Rheumatic Fever

Roseola

Scarlet Fever

Strep Throat

Teething

Vomiting In Children

Whooping Cough

Bed-Wetting

Colic

Signs and Symptoms

In an otherwise healthy infant three months or younger:

1. Crying that goes on for three hours or more at a time despite efforts to comfort the baby. Crying is often worse in the evening and continues into the night.

2. When gas pain is the cause.

3. Baby extends legs or pulls them up to the abdomen.

4.Baby passes gas.

What to do now

1. If gas pain seems to be the problem, Place your baby stomach-down on your lap and gently massage the baby’s back.

2. Walk with your baby, rock him or her in your arms or in a swing, or take him or her for a car ride. Rhythmic motion often soothes babies.

3. Some babies are calmed by “white noise” or rhythmic sounds. So put them near such sounds.

4. Wrap your baby snugly in a blanket for security and warmth.

5. Ask a friend or neighbor for help when you feel yourself getting frustrated from trying to soothe your colicky child.

When to call a doctor

1. If your baby has not had colic before and is now acting colicky.

2. If the colic gets worse.

3. If your baby is older than three months and is still colicky.

4. If your colicky baby is not hungry and is not gaining weight.

How to prevent it

1. If you’re nursing, notice whether your baby is colicky after you eat certain food, so that you can avoid them.

2. Frequent offenders include cabbage, onions, garlic, broccoli, and turnips, and the caffeine in coffee, tea, chocolate, and cocoa.

3. For a colicky bottle-fed baby, switch to formula without cow’s milk.

4. Always burp your baby after feeding.

5. Try feeding your infant smaller amounts more frequently.

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Croup

Signs and Symptoms

1. Loud, barking cough.

2. Difficulty breathing.

3. Shrill wheezing or grunting noise while breathing.

4. Hoarseness.

5. Sometimes fever can be as high as 104 degrees.

What to do now

1. Have your child breathe moist air, either from a bowl filled with steaming water, a cool-mist humidifier, or a hot shower. Your child’s breathing should ease after about 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Take your child outside for a few minutes-dressed warmly if it’s cold out.

3. Breathing cold, moist air, especially at night, may make breathing easier. Going for a drive with the car windows open can also help.

4. Sit your child up straight to ease breathing.

5. Stay calm, and try to keep your child calm, too. Crying makes the symptoms worse.

When to call a doctor

1. If your child starts to make loud, high-pitched wheezing noises while inhaling.

2. If your child struggles to get a breath or can’t speak or lack breath.

3. If your child has difficulty swallowing.

4. If your child breathes quickly and nosily.

5. If your child’s temperature is 102 degrees or higher.

How to prevent it

1. Get prompt treatment for any child with a respiratory infection.

2. Make sure your children wash their hands often to reduce the change of spreading infections.

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Diaper Rash

Signs and Symptoms

1. Redness or small swelling on a baby’s lower abdomen, thigh folds, buttocks, genitals, or any place that has contact with wet or soiled diapers.

2. In the same areas, tight, dry skin or red skin.

3. Strong smell.

What to do now

1. Keep your baby’s bottom as clean and dry as possible.

2. Always dry your baby’s bottom after bath.

3. Apply zine oxide ointment to the inflamed area after washing and drying your baby. Baby powder is not an effective alternative.

When to call a doctor

1. If a baby’s foreskin becomes very red and inflamed.

2. If there is no improvement after four days of home treatment.

3. If the diaper area is covered with red or pus-filled blisters, which then crust over; this may be impetigo.

4. If your baby’s rash affects more than the diaper area.

How to prevent it

1. Avoid plastic pants or disposable diapers that are tight around the tummy or legs.

2. Make sure air can circulate inside your baby’s diaper.

3. Change soiled or wet diapers as soon as you can.

4. Expose your baby’s bottom to the air as much as possible.

5. If you wash cloth diapers yourself, use a mild laundry soap, and avoid fabric softeners, which can irritate skin. Put the diapers through several rinse cycles to remove all traces of detergent. And two tablespoons of vinegar to the rinse water; this helps fight bacteria.

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Diarrhea In Children

Signs and Symptoms

1. Frequent bowel movements.

2. Loose, watery stools.

3. Abdominal pain or cramping.

What to do now

1. Avoid feeding your baby solid food at first to let the digestive tract rest.

2. Make sure your baby drinks enough clear, warm liquids (water, saline). Let him or her drink only moderate amounts for the first few hours, then as much as his or her stomach can handle.

3. If your baby’s stomach tolerates the fluids, try feeding bulk-adding foods such as bananas, white rice.

4. Don’t give anti-diarrhea products without doctor’s permission; allow your baby’s digestive system to expect whatever irritant or infectious agent may be causing the problem.

5. While your baby is recovering, avoid giving him or her milk products, and fiber-rich foods such as salads and fruit.

6. If your baby’s diarrhea is severe, be sure to avoid dehydration. The signs include dry mouth, sticky saliva, and dark yellow urine in smaller amounts than usual. Commercial dehydration drinks such as depilate (for infants) and sports drinks can help replace lost fluids and minerals.

When to call a doctor

1. If the diarrhea is a accompanied by severe cramping, light-headedness, chills, vomiting, or fever over 100 degrees.

2. If you notice signs of severe dehydration in your baby - dry mouth, sticky saliva, dizziness or weakness, and dark yellow urine Call for an immediate appointment.

3. If baby’s stools are bloody or tarry, or contain  mucus or worms.

4. If your baby have diarrhea frequently, or if it occurs while your baby are taking a medication.

5. If diarrhea lasts for more than 48 hours (one day for a child under three, eight hours for an infant under six months).

6. If your baby may have been drinking untreated water.

7. If you notice signs of dehydration, which can be dangerous for young children.

How to prevent it

1. Avoid giving foods to your baby that you know your baby’s digestive system cannot tolerate well.

2. When traveling in foreign countries, give your baby only bottled or boiled or canned beverages. Make sure your baby eats more fruits and vegetables.

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Fifth Disease

Signs and Symptoms

1. A rash that start as reddish patches on the checks. Over the next few days, it becomes pink, slightly raised, and spreads the buttocks, torso, arms and thighs.

2. Fever, as high as 102 degrees.

3. Physical activity or bathing worsen the rash (sometimes).

4. Sore throat, headache, reddish eyes, and fatigue (sometimes).

5. Itchiness (sometimes).

What to do now

1. Encourage bed rest and give plenty of water and other fluids to your child if he or she feels sick.

2. For minor aches or pains, or discomfort from fever, you can give your child acetaminophen. (Never give aspirin to a child under 12 who has fifth disease, chicken pox, flu, r any other illness you suspect of being caused by a virus).

3. If the rash is itchy, apply a cream such as calamine lotion.

4. Fifth disease can harm a developing fetus, so keep your child away from pregnant women.

When to call a doctor

Call for advice and an appointment:

1. If your child is affected with any kind of rash. Fifth disease isn’t serious, but it has symptoms that can appear similar to those of more serious illness.

2. If your child develops new symptoms or a fever of 102 degrees or higher.

How to prevent it

Make sure your children wash their hands often. It will reduce the chance of spreading infections.

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German Measles

Signs and Symptoms

1. Swollen glands, usually in the neck.

2. Fever of 102 degrees or lower.

3. By the second or third day a rash appears, generally starting on the face and spreading to the chest and back, then the arms and legs.

4. Tiny red or pink spots or irregular marks or rashes, and usually lasts only a few days.

5. Painful, aching joints, especially in adolescents.

What to do now

1. Make sure your child feeling comfortable.

2. Provide him or her with lots of liquids.

3. Give your child acetaminophen for discomfort. (Never give aspirin to a child under 12 who has German measles, chicken pox, flu, or any other illness your suspect of being caused by a virus).

4. Keep your infected child away form other children, pregnant women and any adults who are vulnerable. A person with rubella is contagious from two days before and up to one week after the rash appears.

When to call a doctor

1. If you suspect that your child has rubella.

2. If your child has rubella or had it recently, and develops symptoms such as a stiff neck, sever headache or lethargy. Though happens rarely but this could signal meningitis.

3. If you are pregnant and have not been immunized against measles.

4. If you are pregnant, have been immunized in the past, and may have been exposed to rubella. You need to find out whether you are still immune.

How to prevent it

1. Make sure your children get the MMR (Measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccines.

2. If you’re a woman and you weren’t immunized in childhood, you’ve never had rubella, and you’re considering having children, get the rubella vaccine at least three months before you get pregnant. The vaccine should never be given during pregnancy.

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Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Signs and Symptoms

1. Small, tender, canker-like sores on the tongue and inside of the cheeks.

2. An itchy reddish rash or small blister on the hands and feet, between the fingers and toes, and sometimes appearing on the buttocks.

3. Low fever up to 102 degrees.

4. Tiredness.

What to do now

1. Be sure your child drinks plenty of fluids.

2. If the rash is itchy, apply an anti-itch cream.

3. Avoid citrus fruits, spicy foods, and other foods that might irritate your child’s sore mouth. Try serving nutritious liquids, such as chicken or vegetable soup, and soft foods, such as mashed banana, if solid foods are too painful to chew.

4. To help relieve pain or reduce your child’s fever, give acetaminophen. (Never give aspirin to a child under 12 who has hand, foot, and mouth disease, chicken pox, flu, or any other illness you suspect of being caused by a virus).

When to call a doctor

Call for an immediate appointment:

1. If your child have extreme difficulty swallowing.

2. Whenever your child gets a rash. Hand, foot, and mouth disease is not serious, but it can be confused with a rash.

How to prevent it

1. Make sure children don’t share glasses, silverware, or toys that have been in other children’s mouths.

2. Ensure that your children wash their hands after using the toilet.

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Impetigo

Signs and Symptoms

1. Small area of red pus-filled blisters, typically on the face, arms or legs (but they can show up anywhere).

2. When blisters pop – brown colored sticky curst.

3. Itching.

What to do now

1. Apply an antibiotic ointment to help clear up a minor case.

2. Softly wash away the crusty discharge with warm water and soap.

3. To avoid infecting other people, warn them not to touch your child’s towel, and unwashed clothing. Wash them in hot water. Change linens daily; wash them in hot water and detergent, and add bleach.

4. To limit the spread of infection, encourage your child not to touch or scratch the blisters.

5. To discourage the bacteria from growing, expose the affected area to air rather than bandaging it.

6. Give your child lukewarm baths with an antibacterial soap.

7. Dress your child in long-sleeved shirts and long pants to go school until the crusts are gone and the skin clears, which generally takes seven to ten days. This will lower the chance of spreading the infection to others.

When to call a doctor

Call for an immediate appointment:

1. If your child’s urine is red or dark brown; this signals a related, rare kidney ailment that might be dangerous.

2. If the impetigo covers a large area or keeps spreading after three days. Use antibiotic cream or oral antibiotics to fight the infection if prescribed by a doctor.

3. If your child develops a fever of more than 100 degrees or has a blister larger than one inch wide; this could indicate a more serious skin infection.

How to prevent it

1. Make sure children wash their hands regularly with soap and keep their nails trimmed. Remind them not to scratch insect bites, scabs, or other skin irritations.

2. Wash all cuts, scrapes, and wounds with antibacterial soap and water to avoid infection. Keep them clean and dry while they heal.

3. Never have children share towels, or bedding.

4. Guard against diaper rash to protect your baby from the infection.

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Lead Poisoning

Signs and Symptoms

With low levels of lead poisoning, most children show no clear symptoms. Sometimes, however, they will have:

1. Loss of appetite.

2. Vomiting.

3. Fatigue.

4. Constipation.

5. Behavior problems.

Severe lead poisoning:

1. Stomach pain.

2. Headaches.

3. Lack of physical coordination.

4. Loss of recently acquired mental skills.

What to do now

1. Ask a pediatrician whether you can have a test of your child’s blood for lead; this is the only way to know the level in your child’s blood.

2. If test results show an high lead level 10 micrograms per deciliter or more, according to the CDC - talk to your doctor about ways you can protect your child from further exposure.

3. In severe cases (45 to more than 69 micrograms per deciliter), a treatment that increases the body’s ability to eliminated lead (chelation therapy) can be given.

When to call a doctor

1. If you think that your child has been exposed to lead; for example, if your house paint is old and peeling or if your house has recently been renovated.

How to prevent it

1. Consider having the paint, water, and soil in and around your home tested; you may then need to rid your home of lead hazards.

Other steps to take:

1. Keep your house as clean and dust-free as possible. Pay attention to areas where dust tends together, such as windowsills. Frequently damp-mop floors and damp-dust surfaces.

2.Take precautions against lead hazards if you are going to renovate your house. If possible, children and pregnant women should move out of the house during renovation. If this is not possible, they should take extra precautions to avoid being exposed to lead.

3. Wash children’s toys and bottle nipples frequently.

4. Unless a lead test shows that your tap water is safe, use bottled water or a water filter that removes lead from the water. Use only cold water from the tap for drinking, cooking or preparing baby foods.

5. Wash your hands before preparing food, and wash your child’s face and hands before meals.

6. Feed your child balanced meals that include plenty of calcium and iron-rich foods; these can reduce lead absorption.

7. Never purchase, store, or heat foods in cans manufactured in another country; these may contain lead.

8. If you work with lead in your job; remove your work clothes and shower before going home.

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Measles

Signs and Symptoms

1. Fever as high as 105 degrees.

2. Swollen glands.

3. Runny nose & dry cough.

4. Watery red eyes that are sensitive to light

5. Loss of appetite; and muscles pain.

6. Painless, small, gray or white bumps surrounded by red rings in the mouth.

7. Red bumps that start on the face and neck, and then spread down the abdomen and back to the arms and legs.

What to do now

1. Give your child lots of fluids to drink.

2. Encourage your child to rest in bed as much as possible.

3. Try to keep your child’s room humidified.

4. If your child’s eyes are sensitive to light, darken the bedroom.

5. If your child has minor aches or pains, or if fever is causing discomfort, you can give acetaminophen. (Never give aspirin to a child under 12 who illness your suspect of being caused by a virus).

6. Keep your child away from anyone who is not immune to measles.

When to call a doctor

1. If your child has headache, is sensitive to bright light, and feels so drowsy that it is difficult to awake him or her. These can be warning signs of encephalitis.

2. If your child develops a fever of 102 degrees or higher (100 degrees or higher for infants six months or younger.)

3. If your child has a feeling of painful or not painful fullness in the ear.

4. If your child has chills, sweating, and chest pain.

5. If your child is short of breath while resting.

6. If your child develops any kind of rash or other infection diseases can have symptoms that resemble measles.

How to prevent it

Ensure that your child gets immunizations against MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella).

Mumps

Signs and Symptoms

1. Low fever from 100 to 101 degrees.

2. Swollen, inflamed neck glands below the ear near the jawbone, on one or both sides of the face.

3. Headache.

4. Earache (sometimes).

5. Loss of appetite.

6. Fatigue.

7. Nausea and vomiting (sometimes).

8. In adults, swelling in one or both testes in men; swelling or ovaries in women. (sometimes)

What to do now

1. Make sure your child gets lots of rest as long as he or she has a fever.

2. Provide plenty of liquids and a diet of soft foods, such as soups, cooked vegetables, and fruits. But don’t offer sour fruits and juices, which can irritate swollen glands.

3. To ease discomfort, apply ice packs, warm cloths, or heating pads to swollen areas.

4. Give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen to ease pain and reduce fever if doctor prescribes. (Never give aspirin to a child under 12 who has mumps, chicken pox, flu, or any other illness you suspect of being caused by a virus).

When to call a doctor

1. If your child has mumps and feels severe abdominal pain or vomits; this could signal an inflamed pancreas.

2. If your child has the symptoms of mumps and a severe headache, neck pain, listlessness, or unusual behavior; this could indicate meningitis.

3. If you suspect your child has mumps.

How to prevent it

1. Make sure that your child gets the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. This will help prevent mumps. The injection is usually given at 12 months, with a booster at 12 years.

2. To prevent other children from infection of mumps from your child, keep him or her home for seven to ten days after the swelling appears. Don’t send him or her to school.

Rheumatic Fever

Signs and Symptoms

1. Fever of 100 degrees or higher.

2. Very sore swollen joints.

3. In the beginning, a sore throat usually with swollen glands in the neck.

4. Fatigue and breathlessness.

5. Loss of appetite.

6. Pale skin.

7. Rash on chest, back, and abdomen (sometimes).

What to do now

1. Make sure your child gets rest in bed and drink plenty of liquids.

2. After diagnosis is confirmed, doctor may advise aspirin for joint pain.

When to call a doctor

1. If a child or an adult has recently had a strep infection and then shows symptoms of rheumatic fever.

2. If new, unexplained symptoms appear after treatment has begun; this could be a reaction to a prescribed drug.

3. If a child or an adult has fever, sore throat, and swollen glands that persist for 48 hours or more; these symptoms could signal a strep infection.

How to prevent it

Seek prompt diagnosis and treatment of a strep infection.

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Roseola

Signs and Symptoms

1. Sudden high fever.

2. Slight cough.

3. Runny nose.

4. Decreased appetite.

5. Mild diarrhea.

6. Mild irritability, drowsiness.

7. Swollen glands.

8. In advanced stage Convulsions.

9. In advanced stage temperature returns to normal after three to six days; at the same time, a spotty, red, slightly raised rash appears on the torso. Rash may spread to the neck, arms, legs, and face; it disappears in a few hours to a few days.

What to do now

1. Give your child plenty of liquids.

2. Make sure that your child gets rest as long as he or she has a fever.

3. Give a feverish child sponge baths with lukewarm water.

4. Ask doctor if you should give acetaminophen to reduce fever. (Never give aspirin to a child under 12 who has roseola, chicken pox, flu, or any other illness you suspect of being caused by a virus).

When to call a doctor

Call for an immediate appointment:

1. If your child has a temperature of 102 degrees or higher.

2. If your child has convulsions.

How to prevent it

1. To prevent the virus from spreading, don’t let a child with roseola play with other children until it clears up.

2. Make sure all family members wash their hands frequently, especially before touching food and after using the bathroom.

Scarlet Fever

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms of this disease vary person to person, but in most cases it develops as follows:

1. First day: fever from 101 to 104 degrees; red and sore throat; fuzzy tongue; white coating on tonsils.

2. Headache, swollen neck glands; vomiting (sometimes).

3. By the second day: bright red rash that breaks out on face (except right around mouth) and in groin area.

4. By third day: rash, which feels smooth to the touch and may itch, spreads to rest of body. Temperature falls, and tongue turns bright red.

5. By sixth day: rash fades and skin and tongue may peel exposing raw, tender skin.

What to do now

1. Make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks lots of lots of liquids. Provide soft foods that won’t irritate a raw throat.

2. Your doctor may recommend acetaminophen to reduce fever and relieve pain. (Never give aspirin to a child under 12 who has an illness such as chicken pox, flu, or any other illness you suspect of being caused by a virus).

When to call a doctor

1. If your child has a temperature of 102 degrees or higher.

2. If your child has a sore throat with a rash.

3. If he or she has other symptoms of strep throat or scarlet fever.

4. If your child doesn’t get better with treatment at home.

How to prevent it

1. Keep your child away from anyone who has been diagnosed with a strep infection.

2. Once scarlet fever is diagnosed, make sure other family members are tested for strep if they develop a sore throat, with or without a rash.

3. Get prompt diagnosis and treatment for strep throat or other strep infections.

Scarlet Fever

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms of this disease vary person to person, but in most cases it develops as follows:

1. First day: fever from 101 to 104 degrees; red and sore throat; fuzzy tongue; white coating on tonsils.

2. Headache, swollen neck glands; vomiting (sometimes).

3. By the second day: bright red rash that breaks out on face (except right around mouth) and in groin area.

4. By third day: rash, which feels smooth to the touch and may itch, spreads to rest of body. Temperature falls, and tongue turns bright red.

5. By sixth day: rash fades and skin and tongue may peel exposing raw, tender skin.

What to do now

1. Make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks lots of lots of liquids. Provide soft foods that won’t irritate a raw throat.

2. Your doctor may recommend acetaminophen to reduce fever and relieve pain. (Never give aspirin to a child under 12 who has an illness such as chicken pox, flu, or any other illness you suspect of being caused by a virus).

When to call a doctor

1. If your child has a temperature of 102 degrees or higher.

2. If your child has a sore throat with a rash.

3. If he or she has other symptoms of strep throat or scarlet fever.

4. If your child doesn’t get better with treatment at home.

How to prevent it

1. Keep your child away from anyone who has been diagnosed with a strep infection.

2. Once scarlet fever is diagnosed, make sure other family members are tested for strep if they develop a sore throat, with or without a rash.

3. Get prompt diagnosis and treatment for strep throat or other strep infections.

Strep Throat

Signs and Symptoms

Infants below age of one year:

1. Low fever of 100 to 101 degrees.

2. Thick mucus from nose.

Children ages one to three:

1. Mild sore throat.

2. Swollen glands in throat.

3. Low fever of 100 to 101 degrees.

4. Loss of appetite.

5. Irritability.

Older children and adults:

1. Sudden, severe sore throat.

2. Swollen glands in throat.

3. High fever of 102 degrees or higher.

4. White coating on tonsils.

What to do now

1. Make sure your child gets rest, drink lots of liquids, and eat foods that won’t irritate a raw throat.

2. For children of age three and more, gargling with warm salt water can ease discomfort.

3. Give your child acetaminophen for pain relief. (Never give aspirin to a child under 12 who has chicken pox, flu, or any other illness you suspect of being caused by a virus).

4. If antibiotics are prescribed, take them all, even after symptoms have disappeared.

When to call a doctor

1. If a child or an adult has the symptoms listed.

2. A sore throat that lasts 48 hours or longer.

How to prevent it

1. Wash your and your child’s hands and face with soap and warm water frequently, especially after being in public places. Stay away from people when they are coughing and sneezing.

2. To prevent your sick child from infecting others, wait until he or she has been on antibiotics for 48 hours before sending him or her to school.

Teething

Signs and Symptoms

1. Increased fussiness, nighttime crying, and clingy behavior.

2. Excessive salivate.

3. Chewing on fingers and other objects.

4. Swollen, red, and inflamed gums.

5. Increased desire for nursing or bottle-feeding, or child may refuse breast or bottle because sucking action hurts sore gums.

6. Reduced appetite.

What to do now

1. When your child seems uncomfortable, rub his or her gums with a clean finger.

2. Wrap an ice cube in a soft cloth, and rub it gently on your child’s gums to reduce inflammation. Keep moving the ice over the gums to avoid damaging tissue.

3. If discomfort persists, consult doctor about using acetaminophen. ( Never give aspirin to a child under 12 who has chicken pox, flu, or any other illness your suspect of being caused by a virus).

4. The drooling that accompanies teething can cause a rash on the face, neck, and upper chest.

5. Change wet clothing often, or use bibs.

6. Never rub brandy or any other alcoholic drink on your child’s gums (no matter what you might have heard). Alcohol, even in small amounts, is bad for children.

When to call a doctor

1. If your child has no teeth by 12 months of age. This could indicate a harmless, inherited tendency to late teething, but it might mean a condition that causes delayed bone development.

2. If your child has a fever that lasts more than 48 hours or is higher than 100 degrees, has diarrhea, or is lethargic; these symptoms may indicate a condition more serious than teething.

3. If your child has cold symptoms, a persistent fever, trouble eating or sleeping, or garbs at the side of his or her face; this could signal an ear infection.

Whooping Cough

Signs and Symptoms

First stage (lasts one to two weeks):

1. Low fever of 100 to 101 degrees.

2. Runny nose and sneezing.

3. Dry cough.

Second Stage (lasts two to ten weeks):

1. Severe, frequent coughing, sometimes followed by a whooping sound when breathing in. (Babies may have repeated coughing fits without making the whooping sound.)

2. Red or blue face during coughing episodes. If your child turns blue or stops breathing, Get emergency treatment.

3. Vomiting may follow coughing fits.

Third stage (which may last for several months):

1. Cough that gradually becomes less frequent and severe.

What to do now

1. First diagnose the problem.

2. Keep your child comfortable.

3. Give your child plenty of liquids to drink. Frequent small meals may reduce likelihood of vomiting.

4. Children may be able to breathe more easily when coughing if they sit up and lean forward.

5. Do not give your child a cough suppressant, as it may prevent the clearing of mucus from blocked airways.

6. Give acetaminophen for pain relief.(Never give aspirin to a child under 12 who has chicken pox, flu, or any other illness you suspect of being caused by a virus).

When to call a doctor

1. If your child turns blue or stops breathing during or after coughing.

Call for an immediate appointment:

1. If your child’s cough becomes more severe and frequent.

2. If he or she has been exposed to someone with whooping cough, even if your child has been immunized.

How to prevent it

1. Starting at the age of two months, a child should be immunized against whooping cough. The vaccine is about 80 percent effective after three doses.

2. Doctor may recommend preventive antibiotics for family members or schoolmates of a child who has whooping cough, even for those who have been immunized.

3. Avoid exposing your child to anyone who has whooping cough.

Bed-Wetting

Signs and Symptoms

Occasional bed-wetting is normal. It may be a problem if:

1. Your child is six or older and seldom stays dry overnight.

2. You, your spouse, or your child are concerned.

What to do now

1. Remind your child to use the bathroom just before bed each night.

2. Limit the amount your child drinks before bedtime.

3. Don’t give your child drinks like colas and teas, that contain caffeine; caffeinated drinks produce more urine.

4. Wake your child to use the toilet again before you go to bed if he or she has been sleeping for more than an hour.

5. Praise your child whenever he or she stays dry. But never scold a child for bed-wetting; you may make the problem worse.

When to call a doctor

1. If your child has painful urination, bloody or very cloudy urine stream; this could signal a bladder infection.

2. If either you or your child feel frustrated and want more help.

How to prevent it

1. Try bladder training: Once a day encourage your child to hold his or her urine for a few minutes past the first sensation of a full bladder. Practice for three months to give the technique a chance to work.