Childhood Communicable Infectious Diseases

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Children have immature or unstable immunity, which exposes them to the risk of contracting infections. Communicable infectious diseases are common in children because they are close to one another most of the time at school, buses, daycares, or classes. Microorganisms such as bacteria or viruses cause infectious diseases. Some of these infections are directly transmissible from one person to another through body contact, body secretions or fluids, air, or other agents such as insects.

The spread of infectious diseases sometimes occurs through bacteria such as scarlet fever. The spread of the virus causing hand-foot-and-mouth disease, measles, and chickenpox, especially during coughs or sneezes, causes transmission from one child to another. Close or personal contact with infected persons or sharing items with patients also spread childhood infections. This also applies to insect-caused infections such as scabies (lice) and fungal infections such as ringworms.

The prevention measures of childhood diseases may not be straightforward interventions. They range from vaccinations, treatment, or management of symptoms. Behavioral therapies are also conventional, but parents play an essential role in ensuring their children are safe from these contagious infections. These diseases often cause lifelong immunities in patients. Vaccinations also provide immunities to some conditions. Besides, childhood communicable diseases are most infectious even before the appearance of signs and symptoms in patients. This increases the risk of transmission among peers. Also, skin changes are the most typical manifestation of infectious diseases in children.

The table below shows some examples of childhood communicable diseases.

Disease	Definition and cause	Manifestations	Transmission	Prevention/Treatment
Measles	Respiratory disease caused by the measles virus	Coughs Fever Red spots on the skin	Sneezing Coughing	Vaccination
Chicken Pox	Varicella-zoster virus	Skin rash	Sneezing or coughing	Goes away on its own Vaccination
Scarlet fever	Throat infection caused by Streptococcus bacteria	Sandpaper-like rash of 1–2 mm red bumps. Fever, aches, tonsils	Airway secretions	Ten-day- Antibiotic treatment to kill bacteria
German Measles	Rubella virus Spread through contact of respiratory tract fluids	Rash Fever	Coughing Sneezing	Antibiotic
Scabies	Itchy skin condition caused by Sarcoptes scabiei	Entire body itching	Prolonged skin contact	Skin ointments
Hand-Foot and Mouth Disease	Viral disease caused by Coxsackievirus A16.	Fever Sore throat Headache	Direct contact with nasal, oral secretions, and stool contact.	Fluids or pain killers
Ringworm	Spots and patches of broken hair on the head caused by a fungus.	Ringworm on scalp, eyebrows or eyelashes	Direct contact with infected people or objects.	Anti-fungal syrups such as Griseofulvin, Terbinafine, Itraconazole.
Pink Eye	Inflammation of the eye and/or the inside lining of the eyelids caused by virus, bacteria or allergies or injuries	Itching Discharges from eye Pink or red color Pain Sensitivity to light	Contact and sharing of personal items.	Antibiotics Anti-inflammatory or Anti-allergy drops
Roseola	Mild illness caused by herpes viruses.	Fever followed by a rash on torso	Contact	Management of symptoms – fever with Tylenol.
Fifth disease	Infection with parvovirus B19	Lacy rashes on parts of the body. Red cheeks	Spread through contact or respiratory secretions.	No required treatment. Management of symptoms

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