Category: First aid blog

Dermatitis, or eczema, is a broad term used to describe dry, itchy inflammation of the skin occurring most commonly among children under the age of two. The two primary types of eczema are atopic...

Also known as heat rash and miliaria, prickly heat is a common problem among children who are still in diapers. Prickly heat is a skin irritation resulting from too much heat and moisture. It...

Lyme Disease was first identified in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, in 1975. The disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted by the bite of infected ticks. Cases of Lyme disease have been...

A rash typically manifests itself as red, inflamed and often itchy skin. There may be Rashescrusty scales, pimples, hives or wheals. It is important for a parent to distinguish between the different categories of...

This is the most common neurological disorder affecting children, and may be characterized by sudden, recurrent episodes of uncontrolled motor activity and, in some cases, impaired consciousness (seizures). Any condition that triggers disruptive electrical...

Disturbances in the brain’s electrical activity cause involuntary muscle spasms and jerky movements known as seizures or convulsions. Seizures are especially common in young children, often occurring during a high fever. Other common causes...

Food poisoning, a type of gastroenteritis (digestive tract inflammation) caused by eating contaminated food, results in severe abdominal cramps, repeated vomiting, diarrhea and muscle weakness. These symptoms develop suddenly between three and 24 hours...

Epiglottitis medical emergency is caused by inflammation and swelling of the epiglottis, the flap of membrane-covered cartilage lying behind the tongue that keeps food and drink entering the windpipe. It is almost always caused...

Meningitis refers to the infection of the meninges, the layered membranes that support and protect the brain and spinal cord. It most commonly strikes infants and children between the ages of one month and five...

The rash caused by contact with the poison ivy, oak and sumac plants is perhaps the most common form of allergic contact dermatitis. Almost everyone whose skin brushes up against these plants may experience...

When the body fails to replenish the water lost each day in urine, sweat, and feces, dehydration occurs. Although dehydration can result from inadequate intake of water, it is more commonly caused by abnormal...

This is a highly contagious bacterial skin infection that occasionally spreads among large numbers of children in day care, schools and camps. It occurs most frequently in the summer months and in areas with...

Scarlet fever is characterized by high fever and a bright, red rash covering the entire body. Scarlet fever occurs in conjunction with about 10 percent of cases of streptococcal respiratory infection, or strep throat....

Also known as varicella, chicken pox is a highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever (usually mild) and a rash (sometimes severe) consisting of tiny blisters or vesicles. Caused by one of a group...