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Open in new tab Children’s Cold & Flu
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Overview
‘Flu’ is the short term used for ‘influenza’, and is caused by a viral infection of the nose, throat and chest. Cold and flu is more likely to occur in children than adults. A child may develop cold and flu up to eight times a year compared to two or three times for adults.
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Signs and Symptoms
The Common Cold
Onset of symptoms is 1-4 days after infection.
Cold symptoms in children include:
- Fever (37.5 to 39°C).
- Runny nose.
- Cough.
- Headache.
- Sore throat.
- Stomach upset.
- Convulsions, attributed to fever.
Flu
Symptoms similar to the common cold (see above) but usually more severe. These are also accompanied by:
- General aches and pains.
- Chills.
- Pain or burning sensation in eyes.
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Treatment
No cure. Treatment is usually to ameliorate the symptoms thus enabling the immune system to deal with the infection.
Medicines that may help relieve your child’s symptoms
include:
- Decongestants (e.g. oxymetazoline, pseudoephedrine) – reduce runny or blocked nose, thus easing breathing. This may also relieve headache.
- Antihistamines (e.g cetirizine, loratadine) – reduce mucus secretion and relieve watery eyes, sneezing and runny nose.
- Expectorants – loosen mucus in the airways.
- Cough Suppressants – act on the cough center in the brain to reduce frequency of dry cough.
- Pain killers – (e.g paracetamol for children > 1 month old; ibuprofen for children > 6 months old) relieve aches and headaches. Aspirin is not suitable for children and adolescents under 16 years old.
- Antipyretics (eg Panadol)- relieve fever.
Prior on purchasing the medication, you should get proper consultation from your medical practitioner or pharmacist.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”10vh”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Self-care
- Keep your child warm in bed and maintain a normal temperature for 48 hours- this will aid the body’s defense against virus.
- Make sure your child drinks plenty of water.
- Make sure your child blows his/her nose gently one nostril at a time – this is important to prevent nasal secretions from entering and infecting the sinus/middle ear.
- To prevent spread of the infection, quarantine your child where possible.
- Good hygiene (proper disposal of used tissues and frequent hand washing) is important.
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Supplements
- Vitamin C – for prevention and treatment of cold and flu.
- Cod Liver Oil – increases immune system.
- Multivitamin and Minerals – for prevention of cold and flu.
- Vitamin E- Antioxidants and Immunity Booster – for prevention of cold.
*Consult a pharmacist at Lovy Pharmacy when choosing a supplement for your condition.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”10vh”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Chickenpox
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Overview
Common childhood illness. Caused by a virus and results in a rash of blisters which are very itchy. It can occur in adults as well.
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How contagious is Chickenpox?
When symptoms first appear until the last blisters have crusted. Children with chickenpox should not go to school until at least 5 days after the rash disappears. Virus stays dormant in the nerve roots of the spine, so generally you cannot catch chickenpox virus again. However, virus can reactivate in later life to cause shingles.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”10vh”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Causes
- Caused by herpes virus – Varicella-zoster virus (VZV).
- Highly contagious.
- Easily passed between members of families and school classmates through airborne particles, droplets in exhaled air and fluid from the blisters or sores.
- Can be transmitted indirectly by contact with articles of clothing and other items exposed to fresh drainage from open sores.
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Signs and symptoms
- Symptoms tend to appear 14 to 16 days after initial exposure but can occur any time from 10 days up to 21 days after contact with the virus.
- First symptoms – mild fever, moderate fever, general unwell feeling.
- The rash of chickenpox develops in crops with raised red spots arriving first, progressing to blisters that burst, creating open sores, before crusting over.
- Rash first appear on the back and chest then spreads to face, neck, arms and legs. New spots can continue to appear for up to 5 days.
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Medicines
May help in relieve itch, fever and discomfort
- Calamine lotions or cream.
- Antihistamines – to reduce the itch (Ask a pharmacist for further advice).
- Oral paracetamol for fever.
- Drink plenty of fluids if blisters/ ulcers in the mouth and throat make swallowing painful.
- Antiviral may be given to reduce the systemic infection caused by herpes virus.
- Antiviral cream/gel can be applied locally on the body as well as on the mouth.
*Consult a pharmacist at Lovy Pharmacy when choosing a supplement for your condition.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”10vh”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Self-care
- Get as much rest as possible.
- Take plenty of fluids.
- Can relieve the itch by patting or gently smacking the lesions.
- Keeps nails short to reduce the risk of infection.
- Avoid contact with persons who have not had chickenpox or shingles while disease is still contagious.
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Preventing Chickenpox
Vaccines are available for immunization of children over 9 months of age and adults.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”10vh”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Cervical Cancer
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Overview
Each year, January is marked as the Cervical Health Awareness Month by the United States Congress who estimated 12,000 diagnoses of cervical cancer in the U.S annually. However, cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers today. Early detection and treatment of abnormal cell changes that occur in the cervix can prevent most cases of cervical cancers. Human papillomavirus, which is also known as HPV, commonly causes these cell mutation. Regular testing is encouraged in sexually active individuals to maintain cervical health.
At early stage of cervical cancer, it can be asymptomatic. Advanced cervical cancer may lead to abnormal bleeding or discharge, for instance, bleeding after sexual intercourse.
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What is HPV?
HPV is a group of more than 150 related viruses. Some types of HPV such as HPV type 6 and 11 can cause genital warts, while some other different types such as HPV type 16 & 18 can cause cervical cell changes that are linked to cervical cancer if early detection is failed. At least 40 types of HPV are found to infect genital areas of males and females as well as sexual intercouse routes including genital-to-anal and genital-to-oral contacts. Although HPV infections is usually harmless and most are cleared naturally within 1 to 2 years and yet, if it does not, the risk of cervical cancer development is increased over time.
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Screening Tests
In addition to HPV infections, some other factors can increase the chance of cervical cancer, for example, HIV-infection, multiple sexual partners, long term hormonal contraceptives (> 5 years) and having given birth to three or more children. [2] Hence, sexually active individuals are recommended to have tests done on regular basis.
- Pap test (or pap smear)
Recommended for women aged 21-65 years old. The test looks for precancers, or in other words, cell changes on the cervix that might cause cervical cancer if it is not followed up appropriately. If your pap test result is normal, you are advisable to repeat the test every three years. - HPV DNA test
Looks for the casual virus that cause cell changes on the cervix. The test is recommended along with pap test for women aged 30 years old and above. If your test result is normal, you may repeat HPV DNA test in five years.
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HPV Vaccines
HPV vaccines function to prevent infection from both high risk HPV types that cause cervical cancer and low risk types that result in genital warts. Gardasil®️ and Cervarix®️ are currently available HPV vaccines. Healthcare professionals suggest that all females ages 9 to 26 should be vaccinated for early protection.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”10vh”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
| Gardasil®️ | Cervarix®️ | |
| Gender (FDA-approved) | Female and male | Female only |
| HPV types | Type 6, 11, 16 & 18 | Type 16 & 18 |
| Suitable age (years old) | 9 to 26 | 10 to 25 |
| Contraindication(s) |
|
|
| Dosing schedule | 0, 2, 6 months | 0, 1, 6 months |
Tested in thousands of people in many coutries, both vaccines have proven to be safe and well tolerated; the most common side effect has been soreness at the injection site.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”10vh”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
References
- National Cervical Cancer Coalition. Cervical Health Awareness Month. http://www.nccc-online.org/hpvcervical-cancer/cervical-health-awareness-month/
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cervical Cancer Awareness. [6th Jan 2016]. http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/resources/features/cervicalcancer/
- National Cervical Cancer Coalition. Ten things to Know About HPV and Cervical Cancer. [2015].
- Malaysia index of Medical Specialities (MIMS). http://www.mims.com/Malaysia/home/Index
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