Which childhood illnesses have you had?

[Pandora II]

Only rare in countries that vaccinate - it's everywhere here.

Mumps can be very dangerous - especially in adolescent men where it can cause sterility. My BIL is deaf in one ear as a result of mumps. I had it when I was 11 and it was one of the nastiest illnesses I've had - my 17 year-old uncle was supposed to come on holiday with us and had to cancel because he hadn't had it and there was the fertility risk.

In the area of London where I live, 10 kids have died of measles in the last couple of years (8 of whom were totally healthy beforehand) due to ignorant parents deciding not to vaccinate.

Mayerling, talking of Old World versus New World diseases... I was reading a book on infectious diseases and their effect on history the other week and it seems that Europe gave the Americas measles and smallpox and they gave us... syphilis!

 

[Pandora II]

Are scarlet fever and appendicitis considered childhood illnesses?

Scarlet fever - yes, appendicitis - no.

The other joy is Hand, Foot and Mouth disease - that takes down whole nursery classes at a time!

 

[mayerling]

Only rare in countries that vaccinate - it's everywhere here.

Mumps can be very dangerous - especially in adolescent men where it can cause sterility. My BIL is deaf in one ear as a result of mumps. I had it when I was 11 and it was one of the nastiest illnesses I've had - my 17 year-old uncle was supposed to come on holiday with us and had to cancel because he hadn't had it and there was the fertility risk.

In the area of London where I live, 10 kids have died of measles in the last couple of years (8 of whom were totally healthy beforehand) due to ignorant parents deciding not to vaccinate.

Mayerling, talking of Old World versus New World diseases... I was reading a book on infectious diseases and their effect on history the other week and it seems that Europe gave the Americas measles and smallpox and they gave us... syphilis!

Haha, you and I must be on the same wavelength, because I spent yesterday reading on these and that's how I got the bit about how the percentage of infection is more rare in the US than in Europe!

 

[gemgirl]

I had everything except for mumps. I had measles, German measles, chicken pox, and scarlet fever (which I almost died from). It became Glomerulonephritis and it wasn't identified correctly for a couple of months before I got the right meds.

 

[packrat]

Nothing. Mom insists I had *A* chicken pock, on my nose when I was super little, but she never took me anywhere to be diagnosed so I can't go by that. She used to take us to anyone's house who had chicken pox so we'd get it and be done w/it and I never got it.

 

[TristanC]

I used to be regularly gullible (santa claus), hyperactive and inquisitive.

These days I'm jaded, mobility challenged and I've learned to mind my own D*** business.

 

[that_someone_special]

Are scarlet fever and appendicitis considered childhood illnesses?

Scarlet fever - yes, appendicitis - no.

The other joy is Hand, Foot and Mouth disease - that takes down whole nursery classes at a time!

I had appendicitis when I was 12, and I almost died. But since I was so young, I consider it a childhood disease!
Being in the hospital and sick for almost an entire month over "christmas break" (as they used to call it) was not fun.
I had multiple cat-scans and could barely walk from the pain/ inflammation after the surgery (or prior for that matter).
The night of my surgery I starting puking green. Couldn't hold water down or any meds. After surgery I had a tube in my abdomen for a week to drain all of the bile after it ruptured. My white blood count was so low I was on some type of IV consistently. Doctor told me that I was lucky I let my mom bring me in when she did because I basically was going straight downhill and fast. I did NOT want to go to the doctor. I begged not to go. Good thing mom didn't listen.

Now, if I ever have a pain on my right side... I know what it isn't!

 

[centralsquare]

Are scarlet fever and appendicitis considered childhood illnesses?

Scarlet fever - yes, appendicitis - no.

The other joy is Hand, Foot and Mouth disease - that takes down whole nursery classes at a time!

I had appendicitis when I was 12, and I almost died. But since I was so young, I consider it a childhood disease!
Being in the hospital and sick for almost an entire month over "christmas break" (as they used to call it) was not fun.
I had multiple cat-scans and could barely walk from the pain/ inflammation after the surgery (or prior for that matter).
The night of my surgery I starting puking green. Couldn't hold water down or any meds. After surgery I had a tube in my abdomen for a week to drain all of the bile after it ruptured. My white blood count was so low I was on some type of IV consistently. Doctor told me that I was lucky I let my mom bring me in when she did because I basically was going straight downhill and fast. I did NOT want to go to the doctor. I begged not to go. Good thing mom didn't listen.

Now, if I ever have a pain on my right side... I know what it isn't!

wow, what a horrifying experience to have at such a young age. you're a fighter!

 

[jstarfireb]

Chicken pox for me too. My measles immunity had also worn off. They checked antibody titers when I started my current job, and I had to get an adult MMR booster because of that.