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 a bacterial illness that occurs due to Group A Streptococcus, which can be found in a human being’s throat and on the skin. The same bacteria also cause people to have...

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...

Injuries from bites and stings range from trivial to fatal, depending upon the source of the bite and the child’s response to it. For example, a bee sting is usually a minor, albeit painful,...

Inflammation of the membrane lining the eyelids and covering the eyeball (conjunctivitis) is one of the most common eye conditions affecting both adults and children. Symptoms frequently begin in one eye but usually spread...

When a child has a serious injury or infection, the body may react by going into shock. Shock occurs when the body tried to redirect blood to the brain and other important internal organs....

Nosebleeds can be caused by a blow to the nose, picking or poking nostrils or blowing too hard. Sometimes a nosebleed has no obvious cause. Whatever the cause, the bleeding may seem heavy because...

Burns are damage caused to the body’s tissues due to factors such as heat, UV radiation, electricity, chemicals, and hot liquids. Scalds are usually caused by wet elements, such as steam or hot water....

Children are the victims in more than half of all significant burn injuries in the United States. Burns may be caused by heat, flame, hot liquids or metals, steam or hot water, sun, chemicals...

Effective first aid is vital in order to help a victim who is bleeding severely. Major blood loss can rapidly cause shock and death, therefore effective control of bleeding is vital whilst awaiting for...

The signs of a stroke are often subtle and easily missed. For example, the victim suddenly finds that his face, arm or leg is limp or numb, often on the same side of the...

If the heart stops pumping and the blood stops circulating we say that the victim has had a cardiac arrest. In many cases, however, a heart rhythm may still be present. This rhythm is...

As a general rule, you should not move a casualty from the place of the accident. You should only move a victim if he is in uncontrollable danger, if the safety of the situation...