Two kinds of illness
Show on a big screenA cold spreads through a class. Asthma, an illness that makes breathing hard, does not. Why not?
- Two rows of four. One person is ill in each row.
- Measles passes to the next person.
- It passes on again. Asthma stays with one person.
- Measles is communicable. Asthma is not.
A cold is caused by a germ that spreads to other people. Asthma is not spread that way.
A disease upsets how the body or mind works.
The rule
A communicable disease is caused by a pathogen. It can spread to other people. A non-communicable disease is usually not caused by a pathogen. It does not spread from person to person. The body, habits, food and surroundings can all play a part.
| Kind | Spreads to others? | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Communicable | It can | Cholera, measles, tuberculosis |
| Non-communicable | It does not | High blood pressure, asthma, diabetes |
A chronic disease lasts a long time. Many non-communicable diseases are chronic.
Watch out!
Some diseases spread fast. Some spread slowly. A disease you cannot catch can still be serious. Nobody is to blame for any illness. A doctor can help.
This bench is made up. A real worry goes to a parent, a teacher or a doctor.
Tap an illness. Label it. Then watch four days.
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Try the lab to finish this lesson.