As temperatures rise, food spoils easily. Children have weak immune systems and poor thermoregulation, making them unable to adapt to high summer heat. They are prone to infectious diseases caused by overeating cold food, excessive cold drinks, or mosquito bites.
1. Bacillary Dysentery (Shigellosis)
It is an acute intestinal infectious disease caused by Shigella bacteria, transmitted via contaminated food. Its typical manifestations include abdominal pain, diarrhea, tenesmus, and mucoid bloody stools.
Toxic bacillary dysentery is the most severe type, mostly seen in robust children aged 2 to 7. The onset is abrupt, with body temperature reaching 41–42°C, accompanied by restlessness, drowsiness or recurrent convulsions. Respiratory or circulatory failure may occur within a short time and lead to death.
Prevention
Strictly prevent diseases entering through the mouth and maintain food hygiene. Teach children not to drink raw water or eat rotten meals and fruits; limit cold snacks. Wash and peel raw fruits before consumption, and wash hands before meals and after using the toilet. Disinfect feeding bottles and tableware for infants regularly.
2. Japanese Encephalitis (JE)
It is an acute infectious disease of the central nervous system caused by the Japanese Encephalitis Virus, transmitted by mosquitoes. It mostly affects children under 10 years old.
Symptoms include headache, vomiting, irritability, drowsiness, neck stiffness, persistent high fever, coma and convulsions. Delayed treatment may endanger children’s lives or leave severe sequelae.
Prevention
Children under 10 should receive JE vaccine on schedule. In summer, prioritize mosquito elimination and prevention. Bathe frequently to keep skin clean to reduce skin infection and mosquito bites. Discourage children from sleeping outdoors to avoid cold exposure. Use various mosquito repellent methods to prevent bites.
3. Typhoid Fever
An acute intestinal infectious disease triggered by Salmonella typhi. Patients and carriers are the main sources of infection. Children account for 35%–60% of all cases.
Symptoms in children are less typical than those in adults, especially in younger kids. Newborns with typhoid often yield negative Widal test results, leading to misdiagnosis. Most children have an acute onset with persistent fever and prominent gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.
Prevention
Strengthen sanitation management of feces, water sources and food. Cultivate good personal hygiene habits, such as avoiding contaminated food and raw water.
4. Malaria
Transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes carrying malarial parasites. Classic symptoms include periodic chills, fever, sweating, splenomegaly and anemia. The two common types are tertian malaria and quartan malaria.
Children have an unstable thermoregulatory center, leading to irregular fever patterns. Convulsions often replace chills, together with pale complexion, cyanotic lips, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cold extremities and other signs of poor circulation and gastrointestinal disorders, which require parents’ close attention.
Prevention
Focus on cutting off transmission via Anopheles mosquitoes: improve environmental sanitation, eradicate mosquitoes and avoid mosquito-human contact to prevent bites.
5. Pink Eye (Viral Conjunctivitis)
Viral conjunctivitis, commonly called pink eye, is the most prevalent ocular infectious disease in summer, spreading mainly through direct contact.
Early symptoms include itchy eyes, foreign body sensation and burning sensation, followed by red, swollen and painful eyes, excessive eye discharge, photophobia and lacrimation, accompanied by fever and headache in some cases.
Prevention
Wash hands frequently and avoid rubbing eyes. During the epidemic period, reduce visits to crowded public venues such as swimming pools, public bathhouses and amusement parks. For swimming, use chloramphenicol eye drops for preventive medication.