Healthy Children

Worms are many-celled animals unlike single-celled bacteria and protozoa which are the other main parasites of humans. Parasitic roundworms and tapeworms that cause disease in humans come from unsanitary living conditions and unhygienic preparation of food. They vary in size and shapes and in their life-cycles. The following types of roundworms are significant: Filariae - these cause elephantiasis, loa loa and river blindness. These worms are round, and can be transferred from person to person by a blood-sucking insect.

This is a highly infectious bacterial disease characterised by a strange ‘whoop’ sound upon coughing.

What to look for

· a runny nose, cough, mild fever and loss of appetite.

· conjunctivitis

· spasms of coughing - with the characteristic ‘whoop’ at the end.

· vomiting after coughing episodes.

The most common cause of toothache is decay. Decay is dental plaque which corrodes the protective enamel on your teeth. Plaque is made up of the bacteria, acids, and sugars in your mouth. Eventually every time that you eat something, you will feel pain.

If decay goes untreated, an abscess can develop and eventually blood poisoning.

Sometimes when the wisdom teeth grow they become impacted and cause pain. This is common in people in their late teens or early twenties. You may need to get your wisdom teeth taken out if they cause too much pain and discomfort.

Toothaches may also be caused by sinus congestion.

The tonsils are part of the lymphatic system. They are present at birth and grow during the early years of life and regress later on at puberty.

When they become infected, the resulting condition is called tonsillitis.

Tonsillitis most commonly affects young children as the tonsils are apparently at their most potent and strong, taking in any foreign material that threatens the body. But as the child grows, the tonsils shrink, and infections become less common.

This complaint is common with tennis players, hence the name. Yet all people can and do suffer from tennis elbow at some stage of their lives. People who are particularly vulnerable are people who work in active occupations and who use their hands and arms (machinists, signwriters, painters, computer operators and builders).

This is the time when teeth break through the surface of the gums in an infant.

What to look for

· crying more than usual.

· dribbling increases

· chewing on fingers and rubbing the mouth.

· swollen and red gums.

Infections caused by the staphylococcus bacteria.

What to look for

· Swollen areas around a cut.

· boils or pus filled pimples around hair follicles.

· swollen lymph nodes

There are different types of sports injuries.

· Dislocation - when bones separate and ligaments tear at a joint.

· A fracture (usually at ankle, hand, wrist or collarbone)can be either simple or compound. Simple fractures occur when the broken bone remains beneath the surface of the skin. Compound fractures are when the bone protrudes through the skin.

· Most sports require people to use their shoulder muscles and joints. Injuries are common in this area.

· Tennis elbow involves the outer elbow. (see section on tennis elbow).

· Lower-back injuries are very common in sports that require a great deal of bending up and down. (see back problems)

· Groin strain is another common sports problem and may result from intense movement of the legs.

· Quite commonly, knees are subjected to jumping and other strains.

· Leg injuries (shin splints and tendonitis) as well as fractures occur if you constantly run, walk or stand for long periods

Shin splints are characterised by pain occasionally swelling anywhere in the lower leg.

Usually any pain in the lower leg is referred to as shin splints. It is to do with the muscles that enable the foot to move. Injuries that result in damage to the fibres of these muscles bring on shin splints.

Scarlet fever is a childhood disease that was once fatal and now has been controlled by antibiotics.

It usually starts with a very high fever. Next a distinctive scarlet rash appears, first on the neck and chest and then all over the body. The tongue also becomes swollen and turns bright red. After three days the rash and fever usually disappear, but the tongue may remain swollen for several more days.

You must take your child to the doctor if you suspect he or she has this disease.