Once your little one enters childcare and preschool, you may find them falling ill a lot more often. Don’t be too alarmed though! With more exposure to the outside world, your child will inevitably catch a cold or two from others.
In fact, you may expect your healthy child to develop up to 12 viral illnesses a year. Thankfully, most viruses are self-limiting and do not result in serious conditions, with kids tending to recover on their own.
Here are some common viral infections you can expect your mini-me to develop during their early years. As a general rule of thumb, always seek a Healthcare Professional’s advice and treatment if you suspect your child is unwell.
Common Viral Infections
Common Cold
A result of viruses/bacteria in the upper respiratory tract, symptoms of a cold include a runny nose, blocked nose or a sore throat and cough. Young children may contract around 6 to 8 colds every year, with symptoms lasting up to ten days.
If you notice that your child’s mucus is green in colour, don’t immediately assume that antibiotics are needed - as these don’t actually help treat viruses. The green colour in mucus actually comes from dead white blood cells and other waste products, and it's a sign that the body is fighting the infection. Fluids and plenty of rest are the way to go for recovery.
Flu
Whilst similar to a cold, flu symptoms are typically more intense and include fever, body aches, chills, coughs, headaches and a stuffy nose.1
Like many viruses, flus spread through breathing in air droplets released when an infected person sneezes or coughs, or when your child touches contaminated surfaces.
Flus usually go away on their own without treatment, but children may carry the virus for
more than 7 days. Yearly flu vaccinations are also recommended for young ones aged 6 months to 5 years.
Stomach Flu
If you’ve ever had a stomach flu (also known as gastroenteritis), you’ll know how painful it can be!
Usually caused by the rotavirus or norovirus, stomach flu can spread by eating /drink contaminated food or water, or by direct contact with others like touching contaminated surface like railing, door handles or sharing utensils or toys with someone who is infected. A vaccine against viral gastroenteritis is available in some countries, including the United States, and appears to be effective in preventing the infection.
Common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and a mild fever.
There’s unfortunately no instant relief for a stomach bug, but most tend to go away within a few days. Plenty of fluids are advised to replace lost water and salts too.
Chicken Pox
Caused by the varicella-zoster virus, this extremely contagious virus is transmitted via direct contact with an infected person or via air droplets.
Symptoms include fever and an itchy, red rash on the body and face. The rash soon develops into blisters which dry and become scabs.
If your child is healthy, chickenpox is usually not life-threatening. However, complications may include secondary bacterial infections or pneumonia, so consult a doctor if symptoms worsen.
You can also request for an optional vaccine, with the Ministry of Health recommending it be administered to children within 12 to 15 months of age.2
Hand, Foot And Mouth Disease (HFMD)
As its name suggests, Hand, Foot And Mouth Disease (HFMD) is characterised by rashes or blisters on your child’s palms, feet, buttocks, arms and leg, accompanied with mouth ulcers and possibly a fever.
The contagious illness is commonly spread via nasal discharge, saliva and fluid from the rash of an infected child.
There isn’t any specific treatment for the infection, but symptoms can be relieved by keeping kids hydrated, switching to soft foods if mouth ulcers are painful, and giving medications like paracetamol as prescribed by your doctor.
Preventing Common Viral Infections
It’s not possible to prevent your child from ever catching a virus, but there are steps you can take to reduce their susceptibility.
Ensure they practice good hygiene both at home and at preschool via regular handwashing. Also, remind them not to pick up dirty objects or share cups and eating utensils with others.
To boost their immunity, provide them with a balanced diet with adequate vitamins and minerals, and ensure they get plenty of sleep.
You may also wish to select a formula milk with prebiotics. Prebiotics stimulate the growth of good bacteria and activity in your child's digestive system. Since 70-80% immune cells are located in the gut, a healthy gut environment supports the child's immune system development, helping the child to cope and reduce risk of infections, thus building up their immunity and reducing the risk of infections.
One such formula containing prebiotics is Aptamil Gold+ Toddler Growing Up Milk. It has scientifically-proven unique prebiotic blend, scGOS:lcFOS (9:1) to help support your child’s natural defences3, so that they are better able to fight any virus that comes their way.
Sign up here for a free 900g Aptamil sample!
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/coldflu.html
2 NCIS data. https://www.moh.gov.sg/docs/librariesprovider5/resources-statistics/ncis_table-only_13-jul-2020.pdf
3 Arslanoglu et al. 2008. Journal of Nutrition, 138:1091-1095