Maryland Pediatrician Talks About Common Childhood Illnesses
Dr. Mary Ogunsanya, our experienced, skilled, licensed, and board-certified pediatrician, directs and sees patients daily along with her professional, wise, and experienced staff at the Maryland Children Health Center's two locations in Glenn Dale and Oxon Hill, MD.
Our doctor and staff provide their patients with various services, including explaining common childhood illnesses and symptoms and the recommended treatment options.
Common Childhood Illnesses, Symptoms, and Treatment
If treatment recommendations don't help symptoms, please visit us.
The Common Cold
- A cold is caused by a virus that inflames the nose and throat. Of the 200 possible viruses, the rhinovirus causes the most colds from early fall to late winter. The common cold attacks the upper respiratory tract.
- Symptoms include sneezing, coughing, sore throat, headache, runny nose, and watery eyes.
- Treatment includes decongestants, cough medicine, antihistamines, rest, increased fluids, NASIDS, gargling, lip balm, and warm beside humidifier.
*Antibiotics don't work on viruses unless the virus turns into a bacterial infection.
The Flu
Flu attacks the respiratory tract. The cold and flu have many of the same symptoms, but both are very different.
- Symptoms include fever as high as 103 degrees with body aches, headache, sore throat, worsening cough, fatigue, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Symptoms may last up to four weeks.
- Treatment is acetaminophen, antivirals, strict rest, and drinking plenty of fluids.
- Prevention is an annual flu shot.
Pink Eye
Pink eye is highly contagious.
- Symptoms can include pink or red eyes, feeling of sand in eyes, itchy, irritated, burning eyes, excessive clear or colored eye discharge, matted eyelids, swelling of eyelids, and blurred vision.
- Treatment is antibiotics, steroid eye drops, ointments, antiviral eye drops, allergy eye drops, and artificial tears.
Contagious Head Lice
Lice can be body or pubic lice and are tiny parasitic bugs infesting the hair and feeding on your child's blood.
- Symptoms include extreme itching, and the presence of eggs on the hair, behind the ears, neck, eyebrows, and lashes.
- Treatment includes using an OTC cream rinse, shampoo, prescribed medicine, combing out nits, checking all household members, and washing all bedding, and clothing in hot water,
A Leading Pediatric Doctor in Maryland
If you seek a quality pediatrician medical doctor, call the Maryland Children's Health Center in Glenn Dale and Oxen Hill, MD to schedule your child's visit. Call (301) 218-0398 for our Glenn Dale office or (301) 567-1767 for the Oxon Hill location.