10 Common Childhood Illnesses and Treatments

10 common childhood illnesses and treatments, including symptoms, prevention, and care tips to keep your child healthy. Every child deserves access to high-quality medical care. If you’re a parent, you need to know the latest treatment guidelines so you can be confident your child is receiving the best possible care.

But there could be reasons your pediatrician has different recommendations for you child, particularly if he or she has a chronic medical condition or an allergy. Your pediatrician will talk with you about any differences in treatment. If you have questions regarding your child’s appropriate care, please consult your pediatrician.

1. Sore Throat

Sore throats are often painful in children. But a viral sore throat has no use for antibiotics. And in those cases, no specific medicine is needed, and your child should improve in seven to 10 days. In other instances, sore throat may be the result of an infectious condition called streptococcal (strep throat).

2. Ear Pain

Ear pain is very common in kids and it can be from many causes — including ear infection (otitis media), swimmer’s ear (infection of the skin in the ear canal), pressure from a cold or sinus infection, teeth pain radiating up the jaw into the ear and others. Your pediatrician will need to take a look at your child’s ear to help tell what’s going on. All medical advice changes, however, and fact is an in-office exam remains the best way for your pediatrician to accurately diagnose you. If your child’s ear pain comes with a high fever, or it’s affecting both ears, or your child has other signs of illness, your pediatrician may conclude that an antibiotic is the best Ear treatment.

3. Urinary Tract Infection

Bacterial infections in the bladder, or urinary tract infections (UTIs), develop when bacteria accumulate in the urinary tract. Children from infancy through their teenage years, as well as adults, may have a UTI. Symptoms of a U.T.I. include pain or burning when you urinate, a need to urinate frequently or urgently, bedwetting or accidents in a child who is toilet trained, abdominal pain, or side or back pain.

4. Skin Infection

For the majority of kids with skin infections, you may need a skin test (culture or swab) to identify the most appropriate treatment. If your child has had MRSA, staph infection or other resistant bacteria in the past, or if your child has been exposed to resistant bacteria from other family members or contacts, tell your doctor meet our best dermatologist doctor.

5. Bronchitis

Chronic bronchitis refers to an infection of the larger, more central airways in the lungs and occurs more frequently in adults. The word “bronchitis” is often used to describe a chest virus and does not need antibiotics.”

6. Bronchiolitis

Bronchiolitis is very common in infants and young children during the cold and flu season. Your doctor might hear “wheezing” when your child breathes.

7. Pain

Acetaminophen or ibuprofen are the safest pain medications for children. Ask your pediatrician what doses are appropriate for your child, which should be determined based on your child’s weight.

8. Common Cold

Colds are viruses in the upper respiratory tract. Most young children — particularly those in child care — may have 6 to 8 colds a year. The symptoms of a cold (such as runny nose, congestion and cough) can linger for a week or more, up to 10 days.

9. Bacterial Sinusitis

Bacterial sinusitis occurs when the sinuses contain bacteria. Sinusitis is suspected when cold-like symptoms, such as nasal discharge, daytime cough or both, persist more than 10 days without improvement.

10. Cough

Cough medicine is not suggested for children age 4 and younger, or for children age 4 to 6 years of age unless your doctor tells you to. The use of cough medicines in children is well-supported by studies — they don’t work in the 4-years-and-younger age group and can carry the risk of serious side effects. Cough medicines that contain narcotics, including codeine, should not be used in a child.