Childhood illnesses

Being sick is part of childhood, and caring for a sick child is part of being a parent. But a parent might worry about a rash or wonder if a cough is getting worse. Many of these diseases listed below spread easily between family members, at day care centres and at school. Some of them are preventable with immunization.

Diarrhoea and vomiting in children

It can be very concerning to see your baby or child having bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting. This helpful information aims to explain some of the common causes and strategies to help you alleviate your child’s symptoms. Vomiting usually last 1-2 days. Diarrhoea usually lasts five to seven days.

Babies

Most babies have occasional loose stools or faeces (poo) and breastfed babies normally have looser stools than formula-fed babies. Diarrhoea in a baby describes frequent, repeated passing of unformed, watery stools.

Toddlers and older children

Some children between the ages of one and five pass frequent, smelly, loose stools that may contain recognisable foods, such as carrots and peas. Usually, these children are otherwise perfectly healthy and are growing normally. The diarrhoea may be due to drinking too much cordial or sugary drinks, but you should check with your doctor. Sometimes the doctor can’t find any cause.

Causes of diarrhoea and vomiting in children

Diarrhoea and vomiting may be caused by many different things, including:

• a virus
• a stomach bug
• food poisoning
• eating something you may have an allergy to.

Treatments for diarrhoea and vomiting in children

Babies and toddlers

Diarrhoea and vomiting is more serious in babies than older children because babies can easily lose too much fluid from their bodies and become dehydrated. Signs of dehydration are:

• sunken eyes
• a sunken soft spot (fontanelle) on a baby’s head
• few or no tears when they cry
• a dry mouth
• fewer wet nappies
• dark yellow urine

If a baby becomes dehydrated they will need extra fluids. For breastfeeding mother, it is advisable to keep offering feeds but feed more often. For mothers practicing bottle feeding, it is advisable to offer clear fluids in between feeds. It is also important to give an oral rehydration fluid or get a prescription from a health care professional.

Parents should seek urgent medical attention if their baby is sick and showing any of the following:

• less responsive
• has a temperature
• has blood or mucus in their faeces
• has green vomit
• has severe abdominal pain
• not passing much urine
• vomiting has lasted more than a day

Parents are never to give their babies or toddlers anti-diarrhoeal drugs (not prescribed by the a health care professional) as they may be dangerous,

Children

The child will have large, runny, frequent or watery faeces. The colour of the faeces might vary from brown to green, and the smell can be quite offensive. Diarrhoea might also be associated with stomach cramps or pain. Contact a health care professional or go to your local emergency department if a child has:

• bad diarrhoea (8-10 watery motions or 2-3 larger motions a day) signs of dehydration
• diarrhoea and is vomiting at the same time
• frequent vomiting and can’t keep down any fluids
• diarrhoea that is particularly watery
• diarrhoea that has blood or mucus in it
• diarrhoea that lasts for longer than 10 days
• diarrhoea and you are concerned
• bad stomach pain
• green vomit.

Diarrhoea and vomiting self care

If a child has diarrhoea and vomiting there are a number of things you can do to help manage their condition. Here is some self-help information:

Feeding and meal times

• Breast and bottle fed babies should continue to be given their normal feeds (at normal strength).
• If a child is on solid foods, be guided by their appetite. There is no evidence that fasting benefits someone with diarrhoea and vomiting.
• If a baby is under one year old, you should try to give them more fluids to avoid them becoming dehydrated.
• Older children should eat normally. Foods high in carbohydrates, like bread, potatoes, pasta and rice are good, and soup will also help replace fluids.
• Maintain good personal hygiene.
• With formula-fed babies, make sure that bottles are sterilised carefully.

Avoiding dehydration

• Encourage a child to drink their usual amount of fluids. Children lose fluids through vomiting so your child will require extra.
• Specially prepared children’s rehydration drinks can be bought from your local pharmacy. Always follow the instructions on the packet.
• If a child refuses rehydration drinks try diluting fruit juice with water.
• Sports drinks and energy drinks should be avoided as a rehydration fluid option.

Medicines

• Don’t give your child any medicines to stop diarrhoea without medical advice.
• Antibiotics are not usually given to treat diarrhoea and vomiting, as the cause of the condition is often due to a virus. Antibiotics only work on fighting bacteria and not viruses.
• Keep the child away from other children while the child is sick.

Hygiene and cleanliness

• For babies and children who wear nappies, a barrier cream may help to prevent soreness or nappy rash developing.
• Ensure that the child’s bottom is cleaned gently and thoroughly, after each episode of diarrhoea to avoid irritation to the skin.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm running water to prevent the spread of infection. Dry your hands thoroughly but do not share towels as this can spread an infection. Wash your hands:
  • Before handling food, including babies’ bottles
  • Before eating
  • After going to the toilet or changing your child’s nappy
  • After cleaning up blood, faeces or vomit
  • After wiping a nose, either your child’s or your own
  • After handling garbage
• Clean surfaces – washing with detergent and water is a very effective way of removing germs from surfaces you have touched.
• Do not share personal items – your child should use their own personal items, such as towels, toothbrushes, flannels or face cloths.
• If your child has diarrhoea, organise a separate toilet to other people if possible and clean it with disinfectant after use.
• Do not take your child swimming until two weeks after their last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting.
• If your child has diarrhoea or vomiting they should not go to school or day care for 24 hours after their last episode of either.
• If your child has been diagnosed with Norovirus, or has diarrhoea and vomiting following contact with someone else with Norovirus, disinfect any surface that may have been contaminated.
• Immediately remove and wash clothing or bedding contaminated with diarrhoea or vomit.

Sleeping

• If a child has diarrhoea or vomiting, they may feel tired and irritable. Always place the baby on their back in their cot to sleep, as this position reduces the risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy.

Coughs, colds and ear infections in children

It is common for young children to get the odd cough, cold or even ear infection.

Coughs

In children cough is a common symptom which is commonly caused by a cold. Usually a cough is self limiting and not serious. If your child is feeding, drinking, eating and breathing normally and there’s no wheezing, a cough isn’t usually anything to worry about.

If a child has a bad cough that won’t go away, see a health care worker. Causes of a more serious cough in children can include;

• croup
• whooping cough
• asthma
• pneumonia
• swallowing a foreign object e.g. peanut.

Signs of a more serious cause of a childhood cough can include;

• high temperature
• persistant or unual cough
• breathlessness at rest or on exertion
• occurs at night
• listless or overly tired
• in discomfort.

If a child has any of these symptoms take them to a health worker. If the child seems to be having trouble breathing, seek medical attention urgently, even if it’s the middle of the night. Although it’s upsetting to hear your child cough, coughing helps clear away phlegm from the chest or mucus from the back of the throat.

Sore throats

Sore throats are often caused by viral illnesses such as colds or flu. Your child’s throat may be dry and sore for a day or two before a cold starts. Infant or child dosage paracetamol or ibuprofen can be given to reduce the pain.

Most sore throats clear up on their own after a few days. If your child has a sore throat for more than 4 days, has a high temperature and is generally unwell, or is unable to swallow fluids or saliva, see a health worker

Colds

It is normal for a child to have 8 or more colds per year. This is because there are hundreds of different cold viruses and young children have no immunity to any of them as they’ve never had them before. Gradually they build up immunity and get fewer colds. Most colds get better in 5 to 7 days. Here are some suggestions on how to ease the symptoms in your child:

• Increase the amount of fluid your child normally drinks.
• Saline nose drops can help loosen dried nasal secretions and relieve a stuffy nose.
• If a child has a fever, pain or discomfort, paracetamol or ibuprofen can help. There are child and infant products that will state on the packet how much you should give children of different ages.
• Encourage the whole family to wash their hands regularly to stop the cold spreading.
• Nasal decongestants can make stuffiness worse. Never use them for more than 2 or 3 days.

Ear infections

Ear infections are common in babies and small children. They often follow a cold and sometimes cause a temperature. A child may pull or rub at an ear, but babies can’t always tell where pain is coming from and may just cry and seem uncomfortable.

If a child has an earache but is otherwise well, give them infant or child dose paracetamol or ibuprofen for 12-24 hours. Don’t put any oil, eardrops or cotton buds into your child’s ear unless on prescribed according to standing order. Most ear infections are caused by viruses, which can’t be treated with antibiotics. They will just get better by themselves. After an ear infection, the child may have a problem hearing for 2 to 6 weeks. If the problem lasts for any longer than this, seek medical advice.

Glue ear

Repeated middle ear infections (otitis media) may lead to ‘glue ear’ (otitis media with effusion), where sticky fluid builds up and can affect a child’s hearing. This may lead to unclear speech or behavioural problems.

Chickenpox (varicella)

Chickenpox is usually a mild and common childhood illness that can also occur at any stage of life. The illness can be associated with severe complications and even death so must be treated seriously in all cases. Immunisation can help prevent the spread of chickenpox. Chickenpox causes a rash of red, itchy spots that turn into fluid-filled blisters. They then crust over to form scabs, which eventually drop off.

A child is likely to have a fever at least for the first few days of the illness and the spots can be incredibly itchy, so expect them to feel pretty miserable and irritable while they have chickenpox. Some children have only a few spots, but in others they can cover the entire body. The spots are most likely to appear on the face, ears and scalp, under the arms, on the chest and belly and on the arms and legs.

The incubation period for chickenpox is between one and three weeks. The most infectious time is between one and two days before the rash appears, but it continues to be infectious until all the blisters have crusted over. Chickenpox can be severe at any age and have serious complications. Complications include:

• bacterial skin infections
• pneumonia
• swelling of the membranes covering the brain (aseptic meningitis)
• decrease in blood platelet cell (thrombocytopenia)
• may have a short term effect on movement (acute cerebellar ataxia)
• foetal abnormalities in pregnant women (see below)
• encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).

Pregnant women should be especially careful to avoid chickenpox as it can affect the unborn baby by causing foetal malformations, skin scarring and other serious problems (congenital varicella syndrome). There is no specific treatment for chickenpox, but there are medication which can help alleviate symptoms, such as:

• paracetamol to relieve fever
• calamine lotion and cooling gels to ease itching.

In most children, the blisters crust up and fall off naturally within one to two weeks. Adults who have had chickenpox as a child may also get shingles later in life, as they are both caused by the virus varicella zoster.

Croup

Croup is very common in young children, mainly in children under 5 years old. It’s usually not serious. The inflammation is usually caused by the same viruses that cause the common cold, and is therefore more common in winter.

What is croup?

Croup is a viral infection that causes swelling of the windpipe (trachea), the airways to the lungs (the bronchi) and the vocal cords (voice box). This swelling makes the airway narrower, so it is harder to breathe. A child with croup has a distinctive barking cough and may make a harsh sound, known as stridor, when they breathe in.

Croup diagnosis

Croup can usually be diagnosed by a health worker and treated at home. This is often diagnosed after taking the child’s history and examining the child.

It is advisable to seek medical attention if:

• a child is having trouble breathing
• the mother can easily hear their child’s noisy breathing, even when they are resting quietly
• the child’s breastbone sucks in when they breathe in
• the child has trouble swallowing

If a child’s lips go blue, seek medical attention immediately. Severe croup requires emergency medical attention.

Measles

Measles is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that is spread from person to person through droplets in the air. It can be very unpleasant and possibly lead to serious complications.

Anyone can get measles if they haven’t been vaccinated or had it before, although it’s most common in young children and young unvaccinated adults. Measles is a vaccine preventable disease and vaccination against the disease is recommended as part of routine childhood immunisation.

Measles symptoms

Early symptoms of measles include fever, cough and sore, watery eyes. A rash appears after the third or fourth day. The spots are red and slightly raised.

Someone with measles is infectious for one week before and after the rash appears. It is advisable to contact a health worker in case of any measles symptoms. Let the clinic know about the symptoms so they can consider whether you may be infectious. They might suggest a home visit, or they may ask you to come to see them at the end of the day. This is to avoid spreading the highly infectious disease to other people. If you are diagnosed while visiting a clinic, they might isolate you in a separate room for the same reason. Anyone who suspects they might have measles should stay home and should not attend school, child care or work.

Measles prevention

The best to protect children and other is to get vaccinated. If you have children, remember to vaccinate them at 12 and 18 months.

Measles immunity

Anyone who has not had measles before and hasn’t been vaccinated can be infected. However, cases of re-infection after you have had the virus are extremely rare because the body builds up immunity (resistance) to the virus. Most people who are not immune from measles and are in close contact with somebody who is infected will catch it.

Causes of measles

Measles is caused by a type of virus called a paramyxovirus. This kind of virus spreads from person to person via ‘droplets’ from coughing or sneezing. Measles can be contracted by breathing in these droplets or, if the droplets have settled on a surface, by touching the surface and then placing your hands near your nose or mouth. The measles virus can survive on surfaces for a few hours.

Once inside the body, the virus multiplies in the back of the throat and lungs before spreading throughout the body, including the respiratory system and the skin.

Measles treatments and prevention

Treatment of measles

• Make sure a child gets plenty of rest and plenty to drink (warm drinks will ease the cough).
• Give them paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve the discomfort and fever.
• Put petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) around their lips to protect their skin.
• If their eyelids are crusty, gently wash them with warm water.
• If your child is having trouble breathing, is coughing a lot or seems drowsy, see your doctor urgently.

Prevention of measles

Children can be immunized against measures. The vaccine is given in combination with the rubella and mumps vaccine. This is known as the ‘MMR’ vaccine. Immunising your child with the recommended two doses provides him with 99% immunity against measles.

Fever in children

Fever is not an illness in itself, but is the sign of an illness. Children get fevers for all kinds of reasons. Most fevers, and the illnesses that cause them, last only a few days. But sometimes a fever will last much longer, and might be the sign of an underlying chronic or long-term illness or disease. A fever is a high temperature. As a general rule, in children, a temperature of over 37.5 °C is a fever.

It can be worrying if a child has a high temperature, but it is very common and often clears up on its own. A quick and easy way to find out if a child has a fever is to take their temperature using a thermometer. Most fevers are caused by infections or other illnesses. A fever helps the body to fight infections by stimulating the immune system (the body’s natural defence against infection and illness).

By increasing the body’s temperature, a fever makes it more difficult for the bacteria and viruses that cause infections to survive. A baby’s or child’s temperature can also be raised during teething (when the teeth start to develop), following vaccinations or if they overheat due to too much bedding or clothing.

If a child seems to be well other than having a high temperature – for example, if they are playing and attentive – it is less likely that they are seriously ill. It advisable for the parent to contact a health worker if the child:

• is under three months of age and has a temperature of 38 °C or above
• is between three and six months of age and has a temperature of 39 °C or above
• is over six months and shows other signs of sickness

If a child has a fever, it is important to keep the child well hydrated by giving plenty of cool water to drink. Even if your child isn’t thirsty, try to get them to drink little and often to keep their fluid levels up.

Food allergies in children

Babies are more likely to develop allergies if there’s a history of eczema, asthma, hay fever or food allergies (known together as ‘atopy’) in the family.It’s recommended that when an infant is ready, at around 6 months, but not before 4 months, start to introduce a variety of solid foods, starting with iron rich foods, while continuing breastfeeding. Hydrolysed (partially and extensively) infant formula are not recommended for prevention of allergic disease.

When a mother starts introducing solids (weaning), introduce the foods that commonly cause allergies one at a time so that any reaction can be spotted. These foods are: milk, eggs, wheat, nuts, seeds, fish and shellfish. Don’t introduce any of these foods before six months. There is evidence that infants should be given allergenic solid foods including peanut butter, cooked egg and dairy and wheat products in the first year of life. This includes infants at high risk of allergy. Many children outgrow their allergies to milk or eggs, but a peanut allergy is generally lifelong.

Food additives

Food contains additives for a variety of reasons, such as to preserve it, to help make it safe to eat for longer, and to give colour or texture. A few people have adverse reactions to some food additives, but reactions to ordinary foods, such as milk or soya, are much more common. Processed foods are more likely to contain additives and high levels of salt, sugar and fat. Therefore, it is best to avoid eating too many of these foods, and avoid giving these foods to children.

Mumps

Mumps is a contagious viral infection that is most common in children between five and 15 years of age. Mumps is most recognisable by the painful swellings located at the side of the face under the ears (the parotid glands), giving a person with mumps a distinctive ‘hamster face’ appearance. Other symptoms include headache, joint pain and a high temperature.

Causes of mumps

Mumps is caused by the mumps virus, which belongs to a family of viruses known as ‘paramyxoviruses’. It’s spread by close contact or by coughing and sneezing. Paramyxoviruses are a common source of infection, particularly in children. When mumps occur, the virus moves from the respiratory tract (nose, mouth and throat) into the parotid glands, where it begins to reproduce. This causes inflammation and swelling of the glands. The virus can also enter your cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is the fluid that surrounds and protects the brain and spine. Once the virus has entered the CSF, it can spread to other parts of the body, such as the brain, pancreas, testes (in boys and men) and ovaries (in girls and women).

Mumps treatments

There are currently no anti-viral medications that can be used to treat mumps. Treatment is focused on relieving symptoms until the body’s immune system manages to fight off the infection. These self-care techniques can help:

• get plenty of bed rest until the symptoms have passed
• over-the-counter painkillers, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, can relieve pain (children aged 16 or under should not be given aspirin)
• drink plenty of fluids, but avoid acidic drinks such as fruit juice as these can irritate your parotid glands water is usually the best fluid to drink
• applying a cold compress to swollen glands can help to reduce the pain
• eat foods that don’t require a lot of chewing, such as soup, mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs.

Mumps prevention

Children are immunised against mumps. The vaccine is given in combination with the measles and rubella vaccine. This is known as the ‘MMR’ vaccine. A child should receive the first immunisation dose of MMR at 12 months and a second dose at 18 months (MMRV). If the MMRV dose is not received at 18 months, MMR is given again at four years. Immunising children with these two doses gives child immunity against mumps in approximately 95% of cases.

Rubella (German measles)

Rubella (also known as ‘German measles’) is a viral infection that used to be common in children. It is usually a mild infection. Symptoms of rubella include a distinctive red-pink skin rash, swollen glands (nodes), and cold-like symptoms such as a mild fever, sore head and runny nose. Rubella’s incubation period is between 2 and 3 weeks with its infectious period lasting from 1 week before the rash first appears until at least 4 days after it’s gone. It is recommended the children are immunised against rubella as part of their routine childhood immunisation program.

Causes of rubella

Rubella is caused by the rubella virus that’s spread through personal contact, or by coughing and sneezing. Once an individual have had rubella they normally develop a lifelong immunity against further infection. Rubella is best prevented by the MMR vaccination.

Congenital rubella syndrome

If a pregnant woman who does not have immunity to rubella (either due to previous infection or vaccination) catches the rubella virus, then the virus can be passed on to her unborn baby. The virus can disrupt the development of the baby, causing a series of birth defects that are known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).

The risk of CRS affecting the baby and the extent of the birth defects it causes depends on how early in the pregnancy the mother is infected. The earlier in the pregnancy the greater the risks. CRS can include hearing and visual impairments, developmental delay and other problems in the baby.

As many as 9 out of 10 babies whose mother caught rubella during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy will have CRS, with multiple birth defects. After 20 weeks there is no risk of the baby developing CRS.

Whooping cough

Whooping cough (also known as ‘pertussis’) is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airways. The disease is highly infectious and most serious in babies under the age of 12 months, particularly in the first few months. Babies are at greatest risk of harm from whooping cough as they have soft airways that are vulnerable to damage from the severe coughing bouts, and may not yet be immune from vaccination.

Older children and adults, including those who have been vaccinated, can still get whooping cough. While it is not as critically dangerous as it is in small babies, it is still a distressing condition, with the cough lasting up to 3 months. Whooping cough has been called the ‘100 day cough’.

The condition usually begins with a persistent dry and irritating cough that progresses to intense bouts of coughing. Particularly in small children, these bouts can be followed by a distinctive ‘whooping’ noise as the child breathes in, which is how the condition gets its name, but in many cases the only sign is a persistent hacking cough. Other symptoms include a runny nose, raised temperature and vomiting after coughing.

The incubation period for whooping cough is roughly between 7 to 20 days with its infectious period lasting from the first signs of the illness until about three weeks after coughing starts. If an antibiotic is given, the infectious period will continue for up to five days after starting treatment.

Added protection for infants

It is now recommended that all pregnant women receive a pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination during their third trimester (ideally at 28 weeks). A combination of antibodies being passed through the mother’s bloodstream and the reduced risk of the mother contracting the disease makes this an ideal time to administer the vaccine. Most states now offer the pertussis vaccination for free to expectant mothers.

Whooping cough symptoms

Whooping cough tends to develop in stages, with mild symptoms occurring first, followed by a period of more severe symptoms, before improvement begins.

Early symptoms

The early symptoms of whooping cough are often similar to those of a common cold and may include:

• runny or blocked nose
• sneezing
• watering eyes
• dry, irritating cough
• sore throat
• slightly raised temperature
• feeling generally sick.

These early symptoms of whooping cough can last for one to two weeks, before becoming more severe.

Whooping cough treatments

If whooping cough is diagnosed during the first few weeks of the infection, Antibiotics can be used to prevent the infection spreading further. Antibiotics will stop being infectious after five days of taking them. However, without antibiotics, an individual may still be infectious until three weeks after your intense bouts of coughing start.

If whooping cough is not diagnosed until the later stages of the infection, antibiotics may not be prescribed. This is because the bacterium that causes whooping cough has already gone by this time, so the patient is no longer infectious. Antibiotics will make no difference to the symptoms at this stage.

Treating babies and young children

Babies are affected most severely by whooping cough, and are most at risk of developing complications. For this reason, babies under 12 months who contract whooping cough will often need hospital admission. If a child is admitted to hospital to be treated for whooping cough, it is likely they will be treated in isolation. This means they will be kept away from other patients to prevent the infection spreading. The child may need to be given antibiotics intravenously (straight into a vein through a drip).

If a child is severely affected, they may also need corticosteroid medication as well as antibiotics. Corticosteroid medication contains steroids. These are powerful hormones that will reduce inflammation (swelling) in the child’s airways, making it easier for the child to breathe. Like antibiotics, corticosteroids may be given intravenously.

Whooping cough prevention

Whooping cough (also known as ‘pertussis’) is a vaccine preventable disease and vaccination is recommended as part of routine childhood immunisation. Immunisation against whooping cough is normally effective in preventing the disease, and can also reduce the severity of the cough if it does occur despite vaccination. Immunity can wear off several years after vaccination. Routine immunisation against whooping cough is given to children at 6 weeks, 4 and 6 months, with booster doses at 18 months, 4 years and 10-15 years. While whooping cough can occur in immunised children, the disease is then generally less severe.

Conjunctivitis

Pink eye is another name for conjunctivitis. It is caused by inflammation of the outer layer of the eye and inside of the eyelid that causes the eye to turn pink. It can be highly contagious, and it is important to diagnose the exact cause to ensure the right treatment. Conjunctivitis means the white of the eye (the sclera) is pink due to inflammation of the clear covering over it (the conjuctivae). This is manifested in the form of:

• tears
• discharge, usually yellow or green, and crusty lashes, usually worse on waking
• itchy or burning eyes
• sensitive to light.

Causes of conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis can be caused by:

• bacterial infection
• viral infection
• allergy
• irritants such as dust or chemicals
• a foreign body.

Conjunctivitis treatment

The treatment for conjunctivitis depends on the cause. Viral infections improve without treatment, but bacterial infections require antibiotic eye drops. It can be difficult to tell them apart. Allergic conjunctivitis is treated with antihistamine drops or tablets, and conjunctivitis due to irritants will settle with anti-inflammatory drops.

Conjunctivitis prevention

• People with conjunctivitis should try not to touch their eyes, and should wash their hands
• This will reduce the risk of it spreading. People using contact lenses should change them regularly.
• People working with an irritant or in a dusty environment should wear eye protection.

Asperger’s syndrome

Asperger’s syndrome is now defined as a part of one of the autism spectrum disorders. It is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. It seems that the brains of people with Asperger’s syndrome do not deal with information in the same way as the brains of others do. People with Asperger’s syndrome often have average or above average intelligence, and can be quite creative, but they often find life hard. In particular, they find it hard to communicate and interact with other people. For example, people with Asperger’s syndrome often:

• struggle to express themselves
• find it hard to understand others
• find it hard to make friends
• find it hard to work out what others might be thinking
• find it hard to use their imagination.

These difficulties can lead to anxiety, confusion and frustration for the person with Asperger’s syndrome, and sometimes for their family and friends. Asperger’s syndrome is usually diagnosed in childhood, but some people don’t recognise the condition until they are adults.

It’s not clear what causes Asperger’s syndrome. It’s likely that genes play a part, although it’s unclear whether the condition is influenced by upbringing or social circumstances. There is no evidence to suggest that vaccines cause Asperger’s syndrome.A diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome can help an adult or child and their carers understand their feelings and behaviour. It can also assist in getting help and support.

Caring for a child with Asperger’s

Asperger’s syndrome is part of a group of neurological disorders known as autism spectrum disorders. Asperger’s syndrome is at the mild end of this spectrum. Children with Asperger’s syndrome may have difficult behaviours because of the difficulties they face in expressing their thoughts and feelings. A child with Asperger’s, may cope better if they spend some time alone, or get some exercise. The child may be comforted by breathing techniques or relaxing music.

Treatments and therapies for Asperger’s syndrome include:

• therapies such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology
• psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which may reduce anxiety
• the Social Stories program, which explains social situations
• programs that provide skills for parents and children
• medicines for specific symptoms, such as hyperactivity, anxiety, aggression and tics.

These therapies can help in very practical ways. For example, occupational therapy can help your child learn how to get dressed, talk to friends and complete work or school tasks. There is no evidence that complementary or alternative medicines relieve Asperger’s symptoms.