Raccoons might look adorable with their masked faces and fluffy tails, but these clever animals can carry several diseases that pose serious risks to children. As a parent, understanding these health dangers and knowing how to protect your little ones is essential for keeping your family safe.
Why Are Children More At Risk?
Children face higher risks from raccoon-related diseases for several important reasons. Young kids, especially those under five years old, naturally explore the world by touching everything and sometimes putting their hands or objects in their mouths. Their developing immune systems are not as strong as adults, making them more vulnerable to infections. Additionally, children often play in areas where raccoons might visit, like backyards, parks, and playgrounds, increasing their chances of contact with contaminated surfaces or materials.
1. Raccoon Roundworm (Baylisascaris)
This is the most dangerous disease that raccoons can pass to children and deserves special attention from every parent.
What Is Raccoon Roundworm?
Raccoon roundworm, scientifically called Baylisascaris procyonis, is a parasite that lives in the intestines of raccoons. The raccoon does not get sick from having these worms, but when the parasite eggs get into a human body, especially a child, they can cause severe illness. A single raccoon can release millions of microscopic eggs in its droppings every day.
How Do Children Get Infected?
Children become infected by accidentally swallowing the roundworm eggs. This happens when they touch soil, sand, or objects contaminated with raccoon droppings and then put their hands in their mouths. Raccoons often create bathroom areas called latrines, usually at the base of trees, on rooftops, in attics, or in other elevated places. These areas become highly contaminated with eggs that can stay alive in the environment for years.
Young children playing in sandboxes, yards, or wooded areas are especially at risk because they frequently put their hands and toys in their mouths. The eggs are so tiny that you cannot see them, and just a few eggs can cause serious disease.
Symptoms in Children
- Extreme tiredness and weakness
- Loss of coordination and balance
- Difficulty controlling muscles
- Vision problems or blindness
- Enlarged liver
- Confusion or behavioral changes
- In severe cases, seizures or coma
Treatment
Early treatment is critical and can prevent severe complications. If you suspect your child may have eaten soil or been near raccoon droppings, contact your doctor immediately, even before symptoms appear. Treatment typically involves a medication called albendazole and corticosteroids to reduce inflammation. The sooner treatment begins, the better the outcome.
2. Rabies
Rabies is a deadly viral disease that affects the brain and nervous system. While raccoons in some areas carry rabies more than others, any raccoon bite or scratch should be treated as a medical emergency.
How It Spreads
The rabies virus lives in the saliva of infected animals. Children can get rabies if a raccoon bites them, scratches them with saliva on its claws, or if the raccoon's saliva gets into an open wound or the mouth, nose, or eyes.
Warning Signs in Raccoons
A raccoon with rabies might act strangely. It may be active during the daytime when raccoons are normally nocturnal, appear disoriented or aggressive, make unusual sounds, have paralysis in the hind legs, or seem unafraid of people. However, some infected raccoons show no obvious signs, which is why all raccoon contact should be avoided.
Symptoms in Children
- Fever and headache
- Muscle pain and weakness
- Tingling or burning at the bite site
- Unusual tiredness
- Loss of appetite
- Anxiety or confusion
- As the disease progresses: extreme fear of water, excessive drooling, seizures, and paralysis
3. Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection spread through the urine of infected animals, including raccoons.
How Children Get Infected
Children can catch leptospirosis when raccoon urine contaminates water, soil, or surfaces. The bacteria enter the body through small cuts in the skin, the mouth, nose, or eyes. Playing in puddles, streams, or areas where raccoons have urinated can expose children to this bacteria.
Symptoms
- High fever and chills
- Severe headache
- Muscle aches, especially in the legs and back
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Red eyes
- Yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice)
- In serious cases: kidney or liver problems
Treatment
Doctors treat leptospirosis with antibiotics. Early treatment usually leads to complete recovery, but severe cases may require hospitalization for supportive care, especially if organs are affected.
4. Giardiasis
Giardiasis is an intestinal infection caused by a tiny parasite called Giardia. While less serious than raccoon roundworm, it can make children quite uncomfortable.
How It Spreads
The Giardia parasite lives in the intestines of infected animals and is passed in their droppings. Children get infected by swallowing the parasite, usually from contaminated water, food, or surfaces touched by raccoon waste.
Symptoms
- Watery, bad-smelling diarrhea
- Stomach cramps and bloating
- Gas and nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Weight loss if the infection lasts long
Treatment
Many cases of giardiasis get better on their own, but doctors may prescribe antiparasitic medication to speed recovery. Keeping children well-hydrated during illness is very important, especially if they have diarrhea.
5. Salmonellosis
Salmonella bacteria can live in the intestines of raccoons and be passed to children through contaminated droppings.
How Children Get Infected
Children get salmonellosis by swallowing Salmonella bacteria, usually after touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then putting their hands in their mouths. Raccoons can contaminate gardens, play areas, and outdoor surfaces with their droppings.
Symptoms
- Diarrhea (sometimes with blood)
- Stomach cramps
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headache
Treatment
Most children recover within a week without antibiotics. The main treatment focuses on preventing dehydration by giving plenty of fluids. However, very young infants or children with weakened immune systems might need antibiotics and sometimes hospital care.
Quick Comparison of Raccoon Diseases
| Disease | How It Spreads | Severity | Time to Symptoms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raccoon Roundworm | Swallowing eggs from contaminated soil or surfaces | Very Serious - Can cause brain damage or blindness | 1 to 4 weeks |
| Rabies | Bites or scratches from infected raccoons | Fatal if not treated before symptoms appear | Few weeks to months |
| Leptospirosis | Contact with urine-contaminated water or soil | Moderate - Can affect kidneys and liver | 2 days to 4 weeks |
| Giardiasis | Swallowing parasites from contaminated sources | Mild to Moderate - Uncomfortable but treatable | 1 to 3 weeks |
| Salmonellosis | Swallowing bacteria from contaminated surfaces | Mild to Moderate - Usually self-limiting | 12 to 72 hours |
How to Protect Your Children
Always watch young children when they play outside, especially in areas where raccoons might visit. Teach them never to approach or touch raccoons or any wild animals.
Make sure children wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after playing outside, before eating, and after touching anything that might have been outdoors. This simple habit prevents most infections.
Keep garbage in tightly sealed bins, do not leave pet food outside, and seal any openings in sheds, attics, or under porches where raccoons might make their homes.
Before children play, check sandboxes, play equipment, and yards for signs of raccoon droppings. Cover sandboxes when not in use to prevent animals from using them as bathrooms.
If you find raccoon droppings, do not let children near the area. Adults should wear gloves and a mask, avoid sweeping or vacuuming which spreads eggs into the air, and use boiling water or professional cleaning services for thorough decontamination.
Explain to children that wild animals are not pets. Teach them to immediately tell an adult if they see a raccoon, especially during daytime or if the animal seems sick or unafraid.
When to See a Doctor
Contact your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately if:
- Your child is bitten, scratched, or has any direct contact with a raccoon
- You suspect your child has eaten soil or touched raccoon droppings
- Your child develops unexplained fever, headache, or behavioral changes
- Vision problems or loss of coordination appears
- Severe diarrhea lasting more than a day, especially with dehydration signs
- Any unusual symptoms after potential raccoon exposure
Always mention to your doctor if there has been any possible contact with raccoons or their waste. Early treatment can prevent serious complications and save your child from lasting health problems.
Regional Variations
The risk of certain diseases varies by location. For example, rabies in raccoons is more common in the eastern and southeastern parts of the United States, while some regions have no documented raccoon rabies cases. However, regardless of where you live, all raccoons should be considered potentially dangerous and avoided. Local health departments can provide information about specific risks in your area.
Final Thoughts for Parents
While learning about these diseases might seem scary, remember that most infections are preventable with simple precautions. Teaching children good hygiene, supervising outdoor activities, and keeping raccoons away from your property will significantly reduce risks. Raccoons are wild animals that deserve our respect and distance. By being informed and taking protective steps, you can keep your children safe while still allowing them to enjoy outdoor play.
The key is awareness and action. Know the signs of raccoon presence around your home, understand the health risks, and teach your children to stay safe around wildlife. With these measures in place, your family can live safely even in areas where raccoons are common.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website
- World Health Organization resources on zoonotic diseases
- Your local health department for region-specific information
- Textbooks: Red Book - Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases by American Academy of Pediatrics
- Control of Communicable Diseases Manual by American Public Health Association
Labels: Animals-Birds