©2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 4 Common Chronic Medical Conditions Affecting...

©2012 Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 4

Common Chronic Medical Conditions Affecting Children’s

Health


Early Identification & Management

• The early identification of children’s health conditions requires:– A basic understanding of common disorders– An awareness of high-risk child populations– Knowledge of resources for information

and/or assistance in addressing children’s special needs


Childhood Allergy Facts

• Thirteen percent of children who experience respiratory allergies are non-Hispanic white children; 10 percent are non-Hispanic black children; 9 percent are Hispanic children.

• Children living in the South are more likely to have respiratory allergies.

• Children who have poor or fair health are three times more likely to develop respiratory allergies.


Childhood Allergies

• Are hereditary

• Are not outgrown

• Are classified according to the allergen or substance that triggers a reaction

• Cannot be cured—treatment is aimed at reducing exposure and controlling the reactive symptoms


Childhood Allergies (continued)

• Respiratory tract allergies are the most common form of allergic response.

• To learn how allergens affect the respiratory system, click on the following link:– http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/anatomyvid

eos/000002.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/anatomyvideos/000002.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/anatomyvideos/000002.htm



• Allergies often affect children’s behavior and their interest in learning and, therefore, are important to identify and treat.

• Teachers play an important role in observing children for signs of possible allergies. – What indicators might a teacher observe?– What foods are common causes of allergies?


• ingestants—cause digestive upsets and respiratory problems. – Common examples include foods such as milk, citrus

fruits, eggs, wheat, chocolate, tree nuts, peanuts, and oral medications.

• inhalants—affect the respiratory system causing a runny nose, cough, wheezing, and itchy, watery eyes. – Examples include pollens, molds, dust, particulate

matter, animal dander, and chemicals, such as perfumes and cleaning products.



• contactants—cause skin irritations, rashes, hives, and eczema. – Common contactants include soaps, cosmetics, dyes,

fibers, latex, medications placed directly on the skin, and some plants, such as poison ivy, poison oak, and grass.

• injectables—trigger respiratory, digestive, and/or skin disturbances. – Examples of injectables include medications that are

injected directly into the body and insect bites, especially those of bees, wasps, hornets, spiders.


Common Food Allergens

Foods that are most likely to trigger an allergic reaction include:•eggs

•milk and milk products such as cheese and ice cream

•fish and shellfish

•peanuts

•tree nuts, such as almonds, cashews, and pecans

•wheat and wheat products

•soybeans



Facts about Childhood Asthma

• More than 7 million U.S. children younger than 18 years have been diagnosed with asthma (CDC, 2008).

• Boys and non-Hispanic black children experience the highest rate of asthma.

• Children who are in poor health and/or living in poverty are four times more likely to be diagnosed with asthma.

Facts about Childhood Asthma


Childhood Asthma

• Is thought to be hereditary

• Affects twice as many boys

• Is often seen in children who also have respiratory allergies

• Is increasing and thought to be related to environmental factors such as airborne allergens, secondhand smoke, chemicals, and early feeding practices among others.


Childhood Asthma (continued)

• Acute attacks make it difficult for the child to breathe and may be triggered by a variety of factors (e.g., exposure to airborne allergens, temperature changes, stress, infections).

• Treatment is aimed at preventing acute attacks, controlling exposure, and relieving symptoms.

• What measures must a teacher take if a child begins to have an asthma attack?

A is for Asthma



Anemia

• A blood disorder that reduces the number and ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen to the body’s cells.– What factors may cause this condition to develop?

– What children are at high-risk for developing anemia?

– What signs would a teacher be likely to observe?

Eczema

• an inflammatory skin condition commonly seen in children who have allergies

• it is sometimes outgrown.

• Treatment is aimed at limiting exposure to offending substances and reducing skin irritation.


Childhood Cancers

• Although cancers are the leading cause of childhood death from disease, they are still quite rare. – Only 1-2 children per 10,000 will develop cancer in a

given year.

• Symptoms and treatment vary according to the type of cancer involved;– leukemia is the most common form experienced by

children.

• Improved diagnosis and treatment have increased the number of children who are able to return to school.


Facts about Diabetes

• Approximately 1 in every 400 to 600 children has type 1 diabetes.

• Approximately 30 to 50 percent of children under age 18 are currently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (often associated with being overweight or obese).

• American Indian, African American, Mexican American, and Pacific Islander youth are at highest risk for developing diabetes.


Diabetes

• Early diagnosis and treatment is essential to reduce the risk of long-term health complications.– What are the early signs of diabetes?

• Weight management is important.

• Dietary intake and physical activity levels must be monitored carefully.


Facts about Lead Poisoning

• Non-Hispanic black children are more likely than other children to have elevated blood lead levels.

• Children two- to four years of age are at greatest risk for developing lead poisoning.

• Why are these two groups at such high risk?


Lead Poisoning (continued)

• The incidence of lead poisoning has been steadily decreasing as sources have been identified and eliminated.– What are the most common sources of

environmental lead?

• Elevated blood lead levels cause a variety of physical symptoms as well as learning and behavior problems.

Sesame St. Lead Away


Facts about Seizure Disorders

• Approximately 2 million people in the United States (about 1 in 100) have experienced a seizure or been diagnosed with a seizure disorder; 300,000 are children under 14 years.

• Children who have a neurological or genetic disorder, such as cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, or Down syndrome, are at higher risk of also experiencing seizures.


Management of Seizures

• Most seizures last less than two minutes. If they last longer than five minutes or if the child has no known history of seizures, call immediately for emergency medical assistance.

• Observe the child closely for breathing. (See Chapter 9 for additional emergency management procedures.)

Sickle Cell Anemia

• Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder affecting red blood cells.

• Normal red blood cells contain hemoglobin A.

• People with sickle cell disease have red blood cells containing mostly hemoglobin S, an abnormal type of hemoglobin.

Sickle cell Normal red blood cell

These red blood cells become sickle-shaped (crescent-shaped), and have difficulty passing through small blood vessels

Sickle Cell Disease• Sickle cell disease is not

spread like a cold and cannot be caught from another person.

• It is an inherited condition.

• Diagnosis of sickle cell disease can only be determined by a special blood test.

• Comprehensive care includes early diagnosis, preventive measures, treatment of complications, and ongoing patient education.

Many people with sickle cell disease live long and productive lives.

Children’s Books about Chronic Illnesses


Case Study

• Mr. Lui arranged to take his first grade class on a field trip to a nearby nature park after they had spent several weeks learning about small mammals living in the wild. The day was warm and sunny, and the children were bubbling with excitement as they completed a short hike around the beaver ponds. As they headed back to the picnic shelter for lunch, one of the children who had run ahead let out a sudden shriek and fell to the ground. The teacher quickly ran to the child and observed that she was unconscious and her arms and legs were jerking violently. Mr. Lui sent one of the other children to get the park ranger, calmed the rest of the children down, and then used his cell phone to call 911 for emergency medical assistance.


Case Study

Within minutes, the seizure ended and the child regained consciousness. When the paramedics arrived, they checked the child over carefully and were satisfied that she required no additional treatment at the time. Mr. Lui contacted the child's family and learned that her doctor had recently prescribed a new seizure medication.


Case Study Questions1. What type of seizure was this child probably experiencing?

2. What indication did the child give of a preceding aura?

3. What signs, in addition to the jerky movements, might you expect to observe during and immediately following this type of seizure?

4. Should Mr. Lui have called for emergency assistance? Would you expect his response to be different if he had known that the child was being treated for a seizure disorder?

5. What steps should Mr. Lui take when the child's seizure ends?

6. How can Mr. Lui turn this event into a learning experience for the other children?


©2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 4 Common Chronic Medical Conditions Affecting...

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