Common Children's Health Issues in China

Around the world children are more susceptible to illness, with their young immune system. Learn about the the most common of illnesses for the little ones in China.

Thanks to proactive immunization and early detection initiatives implemented by the Chinese government over the past three decades, rates of childhood disease have been reduced drastically in modern times. Adding to these positive steps, public healthcare facilities are available throughout the country, and while it is usually not free, basic healthcare is relatively affordable and widely utilized.

In fact, this broad access to medical care, antibiotics, and pharmaceuticals is even blamed by some experts for creating an overly-medication-dependent general population, many of whom will rush to the hospital at the first sign of an illness, ultimately doing damage to efficiency of their immune system as a result of overuse of medications. This is partly due to the importance placed on children, since the majority of families since 1980 have had to abide by the “one child policy” and place a great amount of hope in the success of their progeny and want to protect him or her as best as possible, the way any good parent would.

Still, a few health problems do still exist in the country that you should be aware of if you plan on having your children in or taking them to China. For the most part, communicable disease is well contained within China though recent widespread cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) have been making headlines around the country. This disease is common throughout Asia and also occurs worldwide, including developed countries such as Australia and the USA. Another frequent health problem for children in China comes from respiratory irritations, primarily due to poor air quality.

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
HFMD is a viral infection and is common in tropical locales year round and can usually be found in temperate climates during the warmer months. The groups most susceptible to infection are young children from newborn to about 10 years of age as well as the elderly, but HFMD can be contracted by adults as well.

As the name implies, the disease is most common on, in and around the mouth, on the hands, and on the feet (though it can be present on other body parts as well, or it may only appear in one area) and usually shows up as painful pinkish-red sores or blisters that can last up to two weeks. HFMD is usually spread through contact with bodily fluids including saliva, blister secretions, mucus, and stool.

As it is a virus, there is no cure for HFMD, but symptoms can be treated with over the counter pain relievers (though aspirin should not be given to young children) and mouthwash or throat sprays to numb the sores that occur inside the mouth. It is also critical to keep the infected person hydrated, as this is the best way to support their immune system to fight off the infection.

The best treatment is to not get infected in the first place. Avoid exposure to HFMD by regularly disinfecting any surfaces touched by an infected person, limit bodily contact with the person (this can be difficult with small children, but may be necessary to prevent spreading it to others), avoid kissing an infected person, do not share beverages or eating utensils with them, wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water, and stay hydrated to make it easier for your system to flush any antibodies that it you may have ingested.

Children are most commonly exposed to HFMD at school or daycare, so if you discover that your child's center has had an outbreak you may need to take preventative measures. Unfortunately, some schools or care centers in China will not inform parents if only one or two kids have symptoms. This is often because they may fear that they will lose business or credibility by telling you about a problem (though this is actually quite counterproductive among most westerners, since they will often be more upset about not being informed than dealing with a common virus scare). It is usually best to tell your child's school or daycare early on that you want to know about any problems and then assure them that you will not hold any ill will if they do you the favor of letting you know in order to protect you child.

In general, most people recover naturally from HFMD after a week or two, but rare complications can occur. These can include meningitis which can cause flu-like symptoms or, more seriously, encephalitis which is a swelling of the brain and can prove fatal. If you notice an infected person with symptoms beyond red sores and mild fever, it is worthwhile to see a trusted doctor to ensure no other problems are developing.

To highlight the potential danger of HFMD, in China the Ministry of Health reported that 381,000 people were confirmed infected with the disease in June, 2012 resulting in 112 deaths. And just one month prior, in May, the numbers were even higher at 460,000 infections, killing 132 persons nationwide.

Respiratory Irritations

Air quality throughout China is poor, despite what the local air quality monitoring stations may report. As a result, parents of locals and expatriates alike have noted that their children who are prone to respiratory problems such as asthma may have difficulty breathing, experience watery or burning eyes and/or respiratory canals on days when pollution or air-suspended particulates are highest.

On days such as these, it is best to limit outdoor time for yourself and your child, especially during the hottest part of the day. Other protective measures that can be taken include wearing a dust mask (though it needs to fit snugly enough around the nose and mouth to prevent air gaps to actually be effective) and purchasing an in-home air purification machine or system.

Entirely avoiding pollutants and particulate matter is impossible, but it can be limited with planning, and of course if your child is asthmatic you should never leave home without adequate medication and/or their inhaler.