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What Is Valley Fever in Children?

Valley fever, also know as coccidioidomycosis, is a fungal infection with flu-like symptoms. The fungus is found naturally in the soil in the semi-arid areas of the southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Central and South America. Breathing in the spores in the soil causes the infection.

  1. Symptoms of Valley Fever

    • Valley fever develops one to four weeks following exposure, according to Diagnose-Me. The symptoms are wide-ranging. They may include wheezing, shortness of breath, cough, blood-colored phlegm, chest pain, fever, chills, night sweats, excessive sweating, headache, muscle stiffness and aches, rash on legs, loss of appetite, weight loss, change in mental status, confusion and a sensitivity to light.
      MedinceNet points out that women are more likely than men to suffer the leg rashes.

    Diagnosing Valley Fever

    • A combination of various tests will diagnose valley fever. These can include skin tests, blood tests, and sputum cultures (saliva or spit), according to Diagnose-Me.

    Treatment

    • In mild cases, valley fever will go away untreated. You can also treat it at home like the flu.
      Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen are common treatments for valley fever in children, according to Free MD. Acetaminophen will bring the fever down and reduce the pain but it is not an anti-inflammatory drug. Free MD warns that children with liver disease or an allergy to acetaminophen should not take acetaminophen. Ibuprohen and naproxen will reduce the fever and any inflammation. Free MD warns again that children with liver, kidney, stomach or bleeding problems should not use ibuprofen or naproxen.
      Approximately one in 1,000 cases will progress to the disseminated form, according to Diagnose-Me. This advanced stage leads to lesions in the lungs as well as abscesses throughout the body as the disease spreads.

    Who Is At Risk?

    • Certain groups are at a higher risk for developing valley fever than others. According to WebMD, those groups include African-Americans and Asians, pregnant women in the third trimester, smokers, the elderly, diabetics and people with an impaired immune system. Diagnose-Me also states African-Americans are at a higher risk than whites but they state that Filipinos suffer an even higher risk, "about 10 to 170 times the risk of whites."
      Infants are at a special risk. According to Diagnose-Me, the mortality rates in newborns and infants are much higher than those in children, adolescents and adults.

    Also Known As ...

    • Valley fever is known by several names. WebMD lists desert fever, Posadas disease, San Joaquin fever, San Joaquin Valley disease, and San Joaquin Valley fever.

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