Parents
Infections
All kids get sick from time to time. When your child isn't feeling well, you'll want to know how to recognize the symptoms, how to help, and when to call the doctor. Here's what you need to know about common and not-so-common infections.
- A to Z: Cat Scratch Disease
- A to Z: Otitis Media (Ear Infection)
- A to Z: Yeast Infection
- Adenovirus
- Babesiosis
- Booster Shots
- Bronchiolitis
- Bronchitis
- COVID-19
- COVID-19 Tests: Which One Is Best?
- COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Ages 6 Months to 5 Years
- COVID-19 and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)
- COVID-19: Antibody Testing
- COVID-19: Getting Tested
- COVID-19: Home Care & Precautions
- COVID-19: How to Isolate at Home
- COVID-19: How to Protect Babies
- COVID-19: Kids & Medical Care During the Pandemic
- COVID-19: Kids and Masks
- COVID-19: Pregnancy FAQs
- COVID-19: Questions & Answers About Vaccines
- COVID-19: Understanding COVID-19 Vaccines
- COVID-19: Viral Testing
- COVID-19: What Are Variants?
- COVID-19: What Do Quarantine and Isolation Mean?
- COVID-19: What to Do if Your Child Is Sick
- Campylobacter Infections
- Can Kids Get a COVID-19 Vaccine Along With the Flu Vaccine?
- Cat Scratch Disease
- Cellulitis
- Chickenpox
- Chlamydia
- Cold Sores
- Colds
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Being Ready to Quarantine
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Enjoying Holidays, Celebrations, and Gatherings Safely
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): How Wearing a Mask Helps Protect Against Infection
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): How YOU Can Stop the Spread (Video)
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Social Distancing With Children
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Sports & Activities
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Staying Safe in School During the Pandemic
- Coxsackievirus Infections
- Croup
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- Dengue Fever
- Diphtheria
- E. Coli Infections: Diarrhea
- Ebola
- Encephalitis
- Enterovirus Infections
- Fever (High Temperature) In Kids
- Fifth Disease
- Fighting Germs
- First Aid: Chickenpox
- Food Poisoning
- Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu)
- Genital Herpes
- Genital Warts (HPV)
- Germs: Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, and Protozoa
- Gonorrhea
- Group A Strep Infections
- Group B Strep and Pregnancy
- HIV and AIDS
- Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
- Helicobacter pylori Infections
- Hepatitis
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Hib Disease (Haemophilus Influenzae Type b)
- How to Take a Rectal Temperature
- How to Take an Axillary (Armpit) Temperature
- How to Take an Oral Temperature
- How to Talk to Kids About COVID-19
- Impetigo
- Infant Botulism
- Infections That Pets Can Spread
- Inflammation
- Is It a Cold, the Flu, or COVID-19?
- Is it Safe to Breastfeed if I Have Coronavirus (COVID-19)?
- Listeria Infections
- Lyme Disease
- MRSA
- Measles
- Measles: What You Need to Know
- Meningitis in Kids
- Middle Ear Infections (Otitis Media)
- Mononucleosis (Mono)
- Mosquito-Borne Diseases
- Mpox (Monkeypox)
- Mumps
- Norovirus
- Osteomyelitis
- PANDAS and PANS
- Parechovirus
- Peritonsillar Abscess
- Pinkeye (Conjunctivitis) In Kids
- Polio
- Powassan Virus Disease
- PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis)
- Rabies
- Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and Related Conditions
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
- Retropharyngeal Abscess
- Reye Syndrome
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
- Roseola
- Rotavirus
- Rubella (German Measles)
- Salmonella Infections
- Scarlet Fever
- Shigella Infections (Shigellosis)
- Shingles
- Sinusitis (Sinus Infection)
- Smallpox
- Staph Infections
- Strep Throat In Kids and Teens
- Swimmer's Ear (Otitis Externa)
- Syphilis
- Talking to Your Kids About STDs
- Tetanus
- The COVID-19 Vaccine (Topic Center)
- The Danger of Antibiotic Overuse
- The Flu (Influenza)
- Tick Removal: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Tonsillitis
- Toxic Shock Syndrome
- Toxic Synovitis
- Tuberculosis
- Understanding COVID-19
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
- Using Insect Repellents Safely
- Walking Pneumonia
- Warts
- West Nile Virus
- What Is Herd Immunity?
- When Is an Illness Contagious?
- Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
- Yersiniosis
- Zika Virus
- Bronchitis
- Colds
- Coughing
- Does My Child Need an Antibiotic? (Video)
- Enterovirus Infections
- Flu (Topic Center)
- How Many Doses of Flu Vaccine Does My Child Need?
- How to Handle a Cough
- How to Safely Give Acetaminophen
- Is It a Cold, the Flu, or COVID-19?
- Is it Safe to Breastfeed if I Have the Flu?
- Too Late for the Flu Vaccine?
- What Should I Do if I Can’t Find Cold & Flu Medicines for My Child?
- When Is an Illness Contagious?
- Who Should Get the Flu Vaccine?
- A to Z: Otitis Media (Ear Infection)
- Bronchitis
- Chickenpox
- Cold Sores
- Colds
- Diarrhea
- Enterovirus Infections
- Fever (High Temperature) In Kids
- Germs: Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, and Protozoa
- Head Lice
- How to Take a Rectal Temperature
- How to Take an Axillary (Armpit) Temperature
- How to Take an Oral Temperature
- Is It a Cold, the Flu, or COVID-19?
- Middle Ear Infections (Otitis Media)
- Mononucleosis (Mono)
- Pinkeye (Conjunctivitis) In Kids
- Taking Your Child's Temperature
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
- A to Z: Otitis Media (Ear Infection)
- Can I Prevent Ear Infections When My Child Swims?
- Ear Tube Surgery
- Ears
- How to Give Your Child Ear Drops
- Middle Ear Infections (Otitis Media)
- Swimmer's Ear (Otitis Externa)
- Pinkeye (Conjunctivitis) In Kids
- Styes
- What's Tear Duct Massage (Treating Tear-Duct Blockage)? (Video)
- What's a Tear Duct Probe (Treating Tear-Duct Blockage)? (Video)
- Athlete's Foot
- Diaper Rash
- Fighting Germs
- Germs: Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, and Protozoa
- Infections That Pets Can Spread
- Jock Itch
- Oral Thrush
- Pneumocystis Pneumonia
- Ringworm
- Tinea Versicolor
- Vaginal Yeast Infections
- Vaginitis in Children
- Booster Shots
- COVID-19: Questions & Answers About Vaccines
- Common Questions About Vaccines
- Do Kids Need Vaccines Before Traveling?
- How Can I Comfort My Baby During Shots?
- Is There a Connection Between Vaccines and Autism?
- Too Late for the Flu Vaccine?
- Vaccine Schedule
- Vaccines & Antibiotics: A Safe Combo?
- Vaccines and IBD
- What Is Herd Immunity?
- Who Should Get the Flu Vaccine?
- Your Child's Vaccines
- Your Child's Vaccines: Chickenpox Vaccine
- Your Child's Vaccines: Diphtheria, Tetanus & Pertussis Vaccine (DTaP)
- Your Child's Vaccines: Hepatitis A Vaccine (HepA)
- Your Child's Vaccines: Hepatitis B Vaccine (HepB)
- Your Child's Vaccines: Hib Vaccine
- Your Child's Vaccines: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine
- Your Child's Vaccines: Influenza Vaccine (Flu Shot)
- Your Child's Vaccines: Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR)
- Your Child's Vaccines: Meningococcal Vaccines
- Your Child's Vaccines: Pneumococcal Vaccines (PCV, PPSV)
- Your Child's Vaccines: Polio Vaccine (IPV)
- Your Child's Vaccines: Rotavirus Vaccine (RV)
- Adenovirus
- Bronchiolitis
- Bronchitis
- Croup
- Diphtheria
- Measles
- Measles: What You Need to Know
- Meningitis in Kids
- Pneumocystis Pneumonia
- Pneumonia
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
- Scarlet Fever
- Sinusitis (Sinus Infection)
- Strep Throat In Kids and Teens
- The Flu (Influenza)
- Tuberculosis
- Walking Pneumonia
- Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
- Basic Blood Chemistry Tests
- Blood Culture
- Blood Test: Complete Blood Count
- Getting a Urine Test
- Measles: What You Need to Know
- Stool Tests
- Strep Test: Throat Culture
- Urine Tests
- 5 Things to Know About Zika and Pregnancy
- Amebiasis
- Ascariasis
- Bedbugs
- Chigger Bites
- Fighting Germs
- Germs: Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, and Protozoa
- Giardiasis
- Head Lice
- Infections That Pets Can Spread
- Malaria
- Mosquito-Borne Diseases
- Pinworm Infections
- Pubic Lice (Crabs)
- Toxocariasis
- Toxoplasmosis
- Trichomoniasis
- Using Insect Repellents Safely
- Zika Virus
- Acanthosis Nigricans
- Cellulitis
- Chickenpox
- Cold Sores
- Cradle Cap (Seborrheic Dermatitis) in Infants
- Dandruff
- Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)
- Erythema Multiforme
- Fifth Disease
- Genital Herpes
- Group A Strep Infections
- Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
- Hives (Urticaria)
- Impetigo
- Infections That Pets Can Spread
- Inflammation
- Lyme Disease
- Measles
- Measles: What You Need to Know
- Molluscum Contagiosum
- Oral Thrush
- Paronychia
- Pilonidal Cyst
- Pityriasis Rosea
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
- Roseola
- Rubella (German Measles)
- Scabies
- Scarlet Fever
- Skin Abscesses
- Tinea Versicolor
- Toxic Shock Syndrome
- Vaginitis in Children
- Vitiligo
- Warts
- Wound Healing and Care
- Chlamydia
- Fighting Germs
- Genital Herpes
- Genital Warts (HPV)
- Germs: Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, and Protozoa
- Gonorrhea
- HIV and AIDS
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis)
- Pubic Lice (Crabs)
- STDs
- Syphilis
- Talking to Your Kids About STDs
- Trichomoniasis
- Appendicitis In Kids and Teens
- Ascariasis
- Campylobacter Infections
- Cholera
- Dengue Fever
- Diarrhea
- Fighting Germs
- Food Poisoning
- Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu)
- Germs: Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, and Protozoa
- Giardiasis
- Helicobacter pylori Infections
- Norovirus
- Pinworm Infections
- Rotavirus
- Salmonella Infections
- Shigella Infections (Shigellosis)
- Stomachaches
- Tapeworm
- Treating Appendicitis: Comparing Surgery With Antibiotic Treatment
- Typhoid Fever
- Yersiniosis
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995- The Nemours Foundation. KidsHealth® is a registered trademark of The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.
Images sourced by The Nemours Foundation and Getty Images.
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