Children and their common medical issues

CHILDREN AND THEIR COMMON MEDICAL ISSUES

What are the most commonly sold O-T-C drugs to children?

What are the most commonly formulated dosage forms for children?

Why do children visit a paediatrician?

Key words:

birth rate, natal death rate, incubator, breast feeding, congenital disorders, genetic disorders, children’s ailments, infectious diseases, vaccination, meningitis, encephalitis, impairment, disability, handicap, congenital cardiovascular defect, juvenile arthritis, integration into school, mental retardation, orthopaedic problems, dislocation of the hip, idiopathic scoliosis, allergies, atopic eczema, Down syndrome, chronic asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, cerebral palsy, diabetes, the onset of puberty

Some disorders and impairments of children can develop before birth, some of them during birth and other during their life.

Serious illness in children is now rare in developed countries, whereas fifty years ago, many children were permanently handicapped from infectious diseases. Rheumatic fever caused severe heart disease in small children. Poliomyelitis caused paralysis of the arms, legs and even the chest. Tuberculosis was a very common disease in children, too. Better hygiene and antibiotics have made these diseases rare in the developed world, although they have made still major health problems in developing countries.

Because children are healthier, the paediatrician’s role has changed. The main causes of long-term illness in children in developed countries today are eczema (which affects 10% of children), asthma (5%), squint (3%), congenital physical handicap (2%), epilepsy (0.8%), and diabetes (0.4%). Cancer occurs in only 0.03% of children. Today, paediatricians treat minor illnesses most of the time. They examine normal children regularly so that they can detect serious illness at a very early stage.

Congenital and genetic disorders of the musculoskeletal system include a broad spectrum

of abnormalities.

Among congenital disorders that effect bones, joints or muscles, some are apparent at birth, such as achondroplasia. Others are present at birth but not recognized until later, such as some forms of osteogenesis imperfecta and conditions like multiple epiphyseal dysplasia that become apparent only with growth.

Other disorders may also involve other body system, as in Down syndrome. Abnormalities

may result for instance from a defect in the original 46 chromosomes.

DOWN SYNDROME (TRISOMY OR MONGOLISM)

The prevalence of this disorder increases with maternal age. Patients with Down syndrome manifest varying degrees of mental retardation. They typically have stubby hands, slanted eyes, ... They often suffer from cardiac and gastrointestinal abnormalities. Spontaneous dislocation of the hip occurs between 2 and 4 years of age in almost 5 percent of children with Down syndrome. Their hips are usually hypermobile and dislocations often reduce spontaneously. These dislocations are not painful. However, if this condition is persistent and remains untreated, affective patients become less active and displacement may become fixed. Non-operative methods generally are not effective. Patellofemoral instability occurs in about 5 percent of Down patients. It may cause frequent falling and limited ambulation. These people can suffer from changes in gait, spasticity, weakness, bowel and bladder dysfunction and other disorders.