Are you looking for a specialist in childhood illnesses?
Is your child ill again? No wonder when you consider that the youngest children are regularly affected by childhood illnesses. Although many of them are benign, proper management of these ailments avoids the risk of contagion and slows down complications.
The pediatricians working in our medical clinic in Barcelona listen to all parents. Their goal is to establish an accurate diagnosis and reveal a treatment according to your child's needs.
What are the most common childhood illnesses?
These illnesses are numerous, revealing viral and bacteriological origins.
Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is a highly contagious disease caused by the initial infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV). It can cause an itchy, blister-like rash.
Most cases occur in children before they are ten years of age. Once a person has had the chickenpox infection, it is unlikely he or she will get it again, as it confers lifelong immunity.
Measles can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children. Measles typically begins with:
- high fever
- cough
- runny nose
- red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
Babies under 6 months old have increased chances of problems including:
- dehydration
- breathing difficulties
- pneumonia
- fits (seizures)
It typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite.
Serious and potentially lethal complications include inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or heart muscle (myocarditis). The disease is spread from person to person and is as contagious as the flu (influenza).
Other common childhood illnesses include allergies, skin problems, eye conditions, neurological issues and gastrointestinal conditions. It’s important to understand which conditions affect certain age groups as well as the degree of severity.
What preventive measures exist to avoid childhood illnesses?
Prevention is better than cure. This famous saying is also part of the philosophy of our care center. Our pediatricians do more than just treat your child. They do not hesitate to share valuable tips with you on how to stop the onset of childhood illnesses.
They particularly appreciate the emphasis on a series of simple gestures:
- Regularly wash toys and the play area
- Wash your hands regularly
- Ventilate the living rooms of the home
- Avoid strong temperature variations
- Regularly observe nasal washings with physiological saline
Vaccines
Routine immunization programmes protect most of the world's children from a number of infectious diseases that previously caused millions of deaths each year. Please contact us for more info on mandatory vaccines in Spain.
Our English-speaking pediatrician
