Malaria is an extremely common infection that occurs in tropical, hot climates. The condition is often life-threatening and is considered very serious. It results from a parasite known as Plasmodium. The infection is transmitted to people through bites from mosquitoes that are infected. Malaria also very frequently occurs in children. There are some malaria symptoms that are often associated with children who get the disease.
Early Signs
Children who have malaria might display some early symptoms of the infection, such as drowsiness, irritability, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping. These are generally considered to be the initial warning signs that a child has malaria.
Secondary Symptoms
After a child experiences the initial malaria symptoms, they often have chills, and that develops into a fever. One of the main characteristics of this type of fever is extremely fast breathing. The fever usually gets higher over a period of one or two days. In many cases, the fever suddenly and quickly rises up to 105 degrees fahrenheit and possibly even higher. When the fever subsides, the temperature of the body very rapidly returns to normal, and the child experiences an extreme period of sweating.
Repetition of Symptoms
The same symptoms (like sweating, fever and chills) often go into a pattern and repeat themselves at intervals, usually of approximately two or three days at a time. This depends on the exact malaria parasite species that originated the infection, however.
Other Signs
Other common signs of malaria in children include nausea, headache, and pains and aches that are all over the body (particularly in the abdomen and on the back). An enlarged spleen is another common symptom of malaria for kids.
Brain and Kidneys Effects
When malaria has an effect on the brain, a child might loss their consciousness or experience convulsions. When it affects the kidneys, the child might produce an unusual low amount of urine.
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