Day care and respiratory infection

Paediatrician
|January 1, 1979
PubMed

Insights

Day care for children has evolved, with current understanding emphasizing simple preventive measures for respiratory illnesses. Medical care should focus on severe cases, with parents managing minor illnesses at home.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Historical medical opinions on day care since the 1940s focused on risks of respiratory illnesses.
  • Evolving knowledge of respiratory infections and viral dissemination in child day care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review medical opinions on day care for young children, focusing on respiratory illness risks.
  • To incorporate recent knowledge on respiratory infections and virus spread in day care.

Main Methods:

  • Review of medical opinions and literature on pediatric day care and respiratory illnesses.
  • Analysis of current understanding of viral transmission among children in day care settings.

Main Results:

  • Simple preventive measures are crucial for managing respiratory infections in day care.
  • Strict isolation of children with respiratory symptoms is less emphasized.
  • Medical treatment is recommended primarily for complicated illnesses and infection-prone children.

Conclusions:

  • Child health services, parents, and day care personnel should collaborate on care principles for minor respiratory illnesses.
  • Responsibility for managing sick children with minor respiratory illnesses should largely remain with parents.

Related Concept Videos

Assessment of Respiration01:23

Assessment of Respiration

The respiratory system's basic structures and primary functions lay the foundation for nurses' comprehensive respiratory assessments. This assessment includes subjective and objective data to gauge the patient's respiratory health.
Subjective Assessment: Nurses interview the patient to gather information directly during the subjective assessment. It includes questions about the individual's medical history, medications, and symptoms, focusing on past respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD,...
Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications01:19

Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications

Respiratory assessment is a cornerstone of nursing assessments, crucial for the early detection of patient deterioration. This evaluation transcends routine procedures, representing a critical skill nurses must master to ensure optimal patient care.
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...
Common Respiratory Disorders01:31

Common Respiratory Disorders

Respiratory disorders, a prevalent health concern globally, are generally divided into two primary categories: upper and lower respiratory tract disorders. The categorization is based on the area of the respiratory system they affect.
Upper respiratory disorders impact the airways above the vocal cords, encompassing areas like the nose, sinuses, and throat. Various conditions fall under this category, including the common cold and allergic rhinitis. These disorders can stem from several causes,...
Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation01:17

Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation

In terms of human respiration, the act of expelling air, known as exhalation (or expiration), operates on the principle of pressure gradients. During expiration, the pressure within the lungs exceeds that of the surrounding atmosphere. Under normal conditions, quiet breathing involves passive exhalation and is free of muscular contractions. This is because the exhalation process is driven by the natural elastic recoil of the lungs and chest wall, both of which have an inherent tendency to...
Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention01:30

Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention

Nursing management of pneumonia involves promoting airway patency, facilitating rest and conserving energy, encouraging fluid intake, maintaining nutrition, and educating patients.
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease01:29

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a widespread pathogen that primarily targets infants and young children but also poses a serious health risk to elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Belonging to the Pneumoviridae family, RSV is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus within the Pneumovirus genus. Its global health burden is significant, with millions of cases annually resulting in hospitalizations and mortality, particularly in resource-limited settings. Although most...