Bacterial Infections In Children – Causes And Symptoms

Your child is down with an illness again? That nasty fever, runny nose or cough is troubling him? It looks like your child has got a bacterial infection…

Children are prone to various infections. No matter how clean you maintain your home, due to the environment and the inherent nature of germs, they tend to attract bacteria very soon. Hence, it is essential for you to keep your children safe from all kinds of bacterial infections as they might not have a strong immune system every time to resist infections.

Common Bacterial Infections In Children:

Unlike adults and teenagers, children and babies are susceptible to seasonal infections all round the year. Babies are also prone to these bacterial infections as they have an underdeveloped immune system, which makes them gets infected once in two months or earlier.

[ Read: Peanut Allergy In Children ]

Causes Of Bacterial Infection In Children:

The bacterial infections can occur in various ways.

1. Cold: Cold in children is usually accompanied by runny nose and fever with a high temperature.
2. Infections In Respiratory Tract: This infection would cause coughing in children and would produce phlegm in a dark color (sputum).
3. Infections In Intestines: Bacterial infection in the intestines can trigger diarrhea and vomiting when the bacteria enter the digestive tract of your children.
4. Infections In Urinary tract: This is a common infection in small girls and boys, which might lead to kidney damage if not treated.
5. Meningitis: Infants who have a weak immune system are prone to meningitis. This is a fatal condition in children, which can be fatal when not diagnosed early.
6. Sepsis: Sepsis is caused when there is already an untreated infection prevailing in your child’s body. If this infection gets severe, it can lead to death, so timely intervention is vital.

Now that you have known what causes bacterial infections in children, lets see what are its associative symptoms.

[ Read: Allergies In Children ]

Symptoms Of Bacterial Infections In Children:

If your child has a bacterial infection, make sure that you remember a few symptoms, which can be highly helpful for you to diagnose your child at an early stage.

1. Rise In Body Temperature: If the body temperature of your child is very high i.e. more than 101 degrees and if the fever prevails for more than 2 days.
2. Extended Period Of Sickness: If your kid has a fever or a cold for more than 5 days, then it is a cause of concern.
3. Loss Of Appetite: If a bacterium infects your child, then he / she might tend to show aversion towards food or will refuse to eat more.
4. Altered Toilet Habits: Not urinating frequently or passing stools very often.
5. Sleepy Or Lethargic: Your child would behave in a lethargic manner by avoiding playing with siblings or would like to sleep for long hours or just lie on the bed for a long time.

[ Read: Food Intolerance Vs Food Allergy ]

Preventing Bacterial Infections In Children:

Bacterial infection can be a serious issue for your child, if not offered treatment at the right time. You can prevent bacterial infection in children by following few simple tips.

• Make sure that you make your child wash his hands well with soap and water after using the bathroom and before eating.
• Keep a hand sanitizer in your child’s school bag and ask your child to use it before having lunch.
• If your child has an open wound, then make sure that you treat it with an antiseptic soap and water.
• Educate your child to cover the mouth while he coughing or sneezing.
• When your child is sick, make him take rest for two days by skipping school, if possible.

We hope that the information we have compiled on bacterial infections in children was useful for you. Make sure you keep an eye for these symptoms and seek your doctor’s advice immediately.

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