This document provides an overview of common infectious childhood diseases for nursing students, including objectives, introduction, and details on chickenpox, measles, rubella, impetigo, rotavirus, E. coli, shigella, cryptosporidiosis, salmonella, influenza, tuberculosis, pertussis, conjunctivitis, meningitis, and mumps. For each disease, it discusses rashes/skin infections, infectious period, symptoms, and treatment. The goal is for students to learn to identify these diseases, understand their symptoms and transmission, and provide appropriate care and treatment.
2. Objectives
By the end of this lecture the student will be
able to:
Count infectious disease in children
Analyze rashes and skin infections, infectious
period, symptoms and treatment for all
infectious disease in children.
3. Introduction
• Children’s nurses will come in contact with
infectious diseases as part of their everyday
practice.
• The ability to diagnose these quickly will result
in the quick and safe isolation of the child,
providing optimum care for the family while
protecting public safety.
5. Chickenpox
• Rashes and skin infections: 1–3 weeks
• Infectious period: 1–2 days before the rash appears,
but continues to be infectious until the blister crust
over.
• Symptoms: Mild flu-like symptoms: general malaise
aching, painful muscles moderate to high fever
• Rash starts as red itchy spots that blister.
• Fluid in the blister turns cloudy and crusts over.
• The crusting naturally falls off after 1–2 weeks
7. Chickenpox
Treatment :
•There is no cure for chickenpox as it is a viral infection but care
could include:
•Analgesia and antipyretic treatment
•Fluids
•Strategies to reduce scratching
•Cool light cotton clothing
•Those who are newborn, pregnant or immunosuppressed may
be administered antiviral treatment
8. Measles
• Rashes and skin infections: 7–18 days
• Infectious period: Symptoms usually disappear 7–10 days
after the onset of the illness.
• Symptoms: Symptoms start around 10–12 days with: High
fever, Coryza (runny nose), Conjunctivitis (non-purulent),
Koplik spots, Rash appear around 4 days after the initial
symptoms.
• Start small red spots behind the ears, moving to face and
head before clustering and spreading over the body
• Photophobia (light sensitivity)
10. Measles
Treatment:
There is no specific treatment for measles as it is
a viral infection but care could include:
• Analgesia and antipyretic treatment
• Gentle cleaning of the eyes
• Regular fluids
• Darkened room
11. Rubella
Rashes and skin infections: 2–3 weeks
Infectious period: 1–5 days after the
appearance of the rash.
Symptoms:
-Cold-like symptoms
-Distinctive red–pink rash starting behind the
ears before spreading around face, neck, trunk
and the rest of the body. Rash last approximately 3–7 days
-Swollen lymph nodes
-Moderate to high temperature
13. Rubella
Treatment:
There is no specific treatment for rubella as it is
a viral illness but care could include:
• Analgesia and antipyretic treatment
• Fluids
• Strategies to reduce scratching
• Cool light cotton clothing
14. Impetigo
Rashes and skin infections: 1–3 days for streptococcal infections
and 4–10 days for staphylococcal infections
Infectious period: If untreated the sores
will remain infectious as long as they persist.
Symptoms: Can occur anywhere on the body but general starts
around the nose and mouth
• Starts as a small itchy inflamed area that
blisters releasing yellow fluid that forms
honey-coloured crusts
• This fluid is highly contagious
16. Impetigo
Treatment:
Impetigo is treated with antibiotics that
may be administered orally or topically
Strict infection control measures should
be implemented to reduce the risks of
cross-infection within the home to
include the child’s own towel and
washing equipment
17. Rotavirus
• Rashes and skin infections:1–3 days
• Infectious period: May remain infectious for
up to 8 days after the loose stools subside
• Symptoms: Starts with a high fever and
vomiting followed by 3–8 days of watery
diarrhoea, Abdominal cramps, Signs of
dehydration
18. Rotavirus
Treatment :
Fluid to prevent dehydration such as
rehydration drinks
Analgesia and antipyretic treatment
Good hygiene and possibly barrier creams for
anal area
19. Escherichia coli
Rashes and skin infections:1–10 days
Infectious period: Several weeks after the
symptoms subside
Symptoms: Severe abdominal cramps,
Diarrhoea (often bloodstained), Moderate fever,
Most people recover within 5 days but there is
a risk of kidney damage and severe illness.
Treatment : same as rotavirus
20. Shigella
Rashes and skin infections:12 hours to 6 days
Infectious period: During the acute phase and
up to 4 weeks after the symptoms have
subsided
Symptoms: Severe abdominal cramps,
Diarrhoea (often bloodstained), Moderate fever,
Nausea and vomiting.
Treatment: as mentioned in rota
21. Cryptosporidiosis
Rashes and skin infections:3–12 days after contact
Infectious period : Should not return to school for 48
hours after the symptoms have subsided and should
not attend public swimming pools for 14 days after
symptoms
Symptoms: This is a parasitic infection that may have
no symptoms. When ill the child presents with
gastroenteritis like symptoms lasting around 12–14
days.
Treatment : as mentioned in rota
22. Salmonella
Rashes and skin infections:12–72 hours after
infection
Infectious period: This can range from several
days to several weeks
Symptoms: Severe abdominal cramps,
Diarrhoea (often severe), Moderate fever,
Nausea and vomiting.
Treatment: as mentioned in rota
23. Influenza
Rashes and skin infections:1–4 days
Infectious period: One day before and 5 days after the
symptoms subside
Symptoms: Headache, Fever (38–40°C), Aching muscles
and joints, Chest pains, Lack of appetite, Fatigue and
weakness, A runny nose and sore throat, Dry cough,
Chills and shivering, Vomiting or diarrhea.
Treatment: There is no specific treatment for influenza
as it is a viral illness but care could include: Analgesia
and antipyretic treatment, Fluids, Rest
24. Tuberculosis (TB(
Rashes and skin infections:2–12 weeks
Infectious period: A child is considered at the
end of the infectious period when the frequency
and intensity of the cough has improved or
having received 2 weeks of adequate treatment
Symptoms: A productive persistent cough that
may contain blood, Progressive breathlessness,
Lack of appetite and weight loss, Night sweats
Extreme tiredness and fatigue
25. TB
Treatment:
Pulmonary TB is treated using a 6-month course
of a combination of antibiotics. The usual course
of treatment is:
• Two antibiotics – isoniazid and rifampicin –
every day for 6 months
• Two additional antibiotics – pyrazinamide and
ethambutol – every day for the first 2 months
26. Pertussis
Rashes and skin infections: Average 7–10 days (range 5–21 days)
Infectious period: 21 days after the onset of symptoms
Symptoms: There are three stages to this illness:
•Catarrhal stage: usually 7–10 days with coryzal
features, low grade temperature and a mild occasional cough progressively
deteriorating
•Paroxysmal stage: usually 1–6 weeks but could last for up to 10 weeks.
Presenting with numerous, rapid and productive cough with a high-pitched
whoop in older children, cyanosis, vomiting and exhaustion
•Convalescent stage: usually 7–10 days presenting with a general recovery,
less persistent cough which disappears over a 2–3 week period
27. Pertussis
Treatment:
-Treatment is supportive and includes close
attention to respiratory effort and exhaustion
-Small frequent meals help reduce the
paroxysmal cough and fluid management helps
with hydration
-Erythromycin may be prescribed to reduce the
period of infectivity but has little influence on
the disease progression
28. Conjunctivitis
Rashes and skin infections: 1–3 days for
bacteria; 1–12 days for viruses
Infectious period: Usually while symptoms are
present but some viruses could remain infective
for 14 days after the start of symptoms
Symptoms: The eye appears red and may feel
‘gritty’, with a watery or yellow discharge
•One eye is usually involved at first but both
eyes are usually affected within a few hours
29. Conjunctivitis
Treatment:
-Viral infections will resolve without treatment,
topical antibiotic drops/ ointments may be
prescribed for a bacterial infection
-Eye toilet and strict hygiene helps to avoid the
spread of infection
30. Meningitis
Rashes and skin infections: 2–7 days following exposure
Infectious period: The child is not contagious 24–48 hours after
administration of antibiotics
Symptoms: Initial clinical features include severe headache,
fever, nausea and vomiting, feeling generally unwell. More
specific symptoms include severe lethargy, joint and muscle
pain, breathing difficulties. Symptoms related to meningitis
include stiff neck, photophobia, confusion and possible seizures.
Symptom relates to septicaemia include cold hands and feet, leg
pain, abnormal skin colour, confusion and a non-blanching
purpuric rash
31. Meningitis
Treatment:
Treatment includes assessment for raised
intracranial pressures and deteriorating
neurological status.
Fluid management and intravenous antibiotics
are the mainstay treatment while treating
symptoms as they present
32. Mumps
Rashes and skin infections: Around 17 days
Infectious period: Just before the swelling of the
parotid gland to 9 days after the onset of the
symptoms
Symptoms: Swelling of the parotid glands
causing pain and difficulty swallowing,
Headaches, General malaise, Moderate to high
temperature, Loss of appetite and abdominal
pain
34. Mumps
Treatment:
There is no specific treatment for rubella as it is a viral
illness but care
•includes:
Analgesia/antipyretic treatment
Fluids
Warm or cool compresses to the swollen glands may
reduce discomfort
Soft, light diet
35. References
• Alan Glasper, Jane Coad, Jim Richardson.
(2015). Children and Young People’s Nursing
at a Glance. Library of Congress Cataloging
