The term “childhood illnesses” refers to a number of infectious diseases
caused by bacteria or viruses
that are particularly common in childhood.
Once they have been infected,
people develop in most cases lifelong immunity
to the disease recurring.
However the term is a little misleading
as adults can also catch these diseases
if they are not already immune.
Typical childhood illnesses include
• measles
• mumps
• rubella
• chickenpox
• whooping cough
• scarlet fever
• fifth disease (slapped cheek disease)
• hand, foot and mouth disease
• and roseola
but also
• diphtheria
• poliomyelitis (polio)
• and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), a form of meningitis or laryngitis.
Most childhood illnesses are relatively mild
in otherwise healthy children of nursery age.
In rare cases, however,
they may also experience a severe form of the disease.
Typical symptoms of most of these diseases are
a high temperature and skin rashes.
Even a high temperature alone can lead to complications
such as febrile seizures.
In rare cases, some of the diseases can also
cause other severe complications:
These include pneumonia, encephalitis or meningitis
for measles, rubella and chickenpox,
as well as rheumatic fever for rubella.
Many childhood illnesses can cause lasting harm.
For example, polio can cause permanent paralysis.
There may sometimes be secondary complications
that only appear years later
such as shingles (herpes zoster) following a bout of chickenpox.
Children in countries with inadequate healthcare systems
are more at risk from these diseases.
In these countries more children, as well as adults,
die from childhood illnesses.
In general, these diseases are frequently more severe in adults
and have more complications than in children,
particularly in adults with pre-existing conditions.
Newborns are also generally more likely to have severe symptoms.
If pregnant women are infected,
chickenpox, measles, rubella or fifth (“slapped cheek”) disease
can cause severe fetal deformities, miscarriage or premature birth.
There are effective vaccination programs available
for most of these diseases in Europe.
The vaccination plan
recommended by STIKO (the Standing Committee on Vaccination)
includes routine vaccinations for:
• tetanus
• diphtheria
• and whooping cough
• polio
• measles
• mumps
• and rubella
• chickenpox
• and Haemophilus influenzae type b.
In short:
Childhood illnesses include a very wide range of diseases
that also have significant differences
in terms of progression.
The same childhood illness can also, depending on who gets it,
go almost unnoticed
or have serious consequences for those affected.
Illnesses in children are often less severe
than in babies and adults,
where complications are also more common.
Fetuses are particularly at risk for many of these diseases.
Overall, these illnesses pose a significant risk
but there are effective vaccinations for most of them.