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Chapter 4
Common Chronic Medical
Conditions Affecting Children’s
Health
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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Childhood Allergies (continued)
• 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?
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Childhood Allergies (continued)
• 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.
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Childhood Allergies (continued)
• 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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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?
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A is for Asthma
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.)
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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.
Many people with sickle cell
disease live long and productive
lives.
• 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.
Children’s Books about
Chronic Illnesses
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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.
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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.
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Case Study Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What type of seizure was this child probably experiencing?
What indication did the child give of a preceding aura?
What signs, in addition to the jerky movements, might you
expect to observe during and immediately following this type
of seizure?
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?
What steps should Mr. Lui take when the child's seizure
ends?
How can Mr. Lui turn this event into a learning experience
for the other children?
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