IT may start with a cough, a rash, or a low-grade fever. Before you know it, your child is home sick instead of being in school, and you find yourself juggling work, worry, and wiping noses. Illnesses like hand, foot and mouth disease( HFMD), measles, and influenza seemed to make their rounds every few months. All it takes is a crowded classroom or a birthday party for bugs to spread. These illnesses disrupt routines, sideline little ones for days, and impact their learning, appetite, and energy.
According to Sunway Medical Centre ' s Consultant Paediatrician and Paediatric Infectious Disease Specialist, Dr Ch ' ng Tong Wei, this concern is one she heard almost every day. But here ' s the reassuring truth: falling sick in early childhood is normal.
" Young children, especially those entering preschool for the first time, can fall sick up to eight to twelve times a year, and this is still within the normal range," Dr Ch ' ng
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" Their immune systems is like a blank sheet of paper. Over time, their immunity is strengthened as each infection aids in the production of antibodies."
- Dr Ch ' ng
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explained.
" Their immune systems is like a blank sheet of paper. Over time, their immunity is strengthened as each infection aids in the production of antibodies."
Older children and adults get sick less often because their immune systems are more matured through years of exposure.
COMMON INFECTIONS
In Malaysia, certain infections are particularly common in the tropical climate settings: Influenza( A & B): Seasonal spikes are especially common at year-end and during school reopening. Respiratory Syncytial Virus( RSV) and adenovirus: Frequent causes of persistent cough and cold symptoms. HFMD: Spreads easily in daycare settings. Stomach flu( gastroenteritis): Cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
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Dengue: A year-round concern due to mosquitoes. Chickenpox and measles: Still seen, especially when vaccination coverage dips.
It can be challenging for parents to know when to be concerned, as symptoms like cough, fever, and exhaustion often coexist.
SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS Dr Ch ' ng emphasised that most infections among healthy children are mild and self-limiting.
" If the fever lasts fewer than three days, the child stays active, and they are still able to eat and drink, even with less appetite, it’ s likely a mild infection," she explained.
However, Dr Ch ' ng cautioned parents that some symptoms should never be ignored, such as a fever lasting more than three days, difficulty breathing, unusual drowsiness, persistent vomiting or diarrhoea, or a rash that
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