• Some wild animals, such as raccoons, may carry the rabies virus.raccoon image by antoine perroud from Fotolia.com
  
  Rabies is a virus that infects warm-blooded animals and is transmitted through a bite or scratch. Kids who play outside, especially in wooded areas, often run the risk of being bitten by an animal infected with rabies. Rabies incubates for about three to eight weeks before symptoms appear, but once the symptoms do appear, it's usually too late to seek treatment and death will eventually occur. If your child is bitten by an animal, take her to the doctor immediately for a rabies vaccine.
  
  

Stage One

• The first stage of rabies is known as the prodromal period, and the symptoms are typically mild and mimic less serious illnesses. Children may experience headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, itching and pain near the wound, and numbness. The first stage of rabies lasts from two to ten days.
  
  

Stage Two

• In the second stage of rabies, the child displays symptoms of brain inflammation. Some children may have a fever up to 105 degrees fahrenheit, along with confusion, irritability, agitation, muscle spams, aggression, hallucinations, a sensitivity to loud or bright stimuli, convulsions and paralysis.
  
  

Stage Three

• In the third and last stage of rabies, the nervous system becomes affected. Children may be unable to swallow because of throat pain and may even become scared at the sight of water. Children may also have trouble breathing, a loss of facial control and double vision. Soon afterward, the child will slip into a coma and death will soon follow. Death usually occurs anywhere from four to 20 days after the manifestation of initial symptoms.