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Illnesses & Infections

The 2024-25 flu season was the deadliest flu season for U.S. children in more than a decade, according to September 2025 reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One report included data on the 280 U.S. children who died, and while the authors say that it’s unclear why there were more pediatric deaths than in previous seasons, the best way to protect children from flu is to get them vaccinated. Based on their findings, of the 208 children with vaccine information available, 89% had not been fully vaccinated against flu. Overall, only about half of children in the U.S. got their flu shot last year. Here are some things to know about flu shots and how this year’s flu vaccines are more convenient — and important — for families than ever. When is flu season? The official flu season in the United States typically runs from October […]

Does your child keep getting colds? Runny noses? A cough that just won’t go away? How can you tell if it’s COVID-19, the flu, or RSV? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, even healthy kids get about 6–10 colds each year.  There are a number of different viruses that make the rounds, especially during fall and winter months, and here are some things to watch for when it comes to making decisions about diagnosis, home care, and potential visits to the doctor. What are flu symptoms, COVID symptoms, and RSV symptoms? There is a lot of overlap between symptoms. This means some of the symptoms of flu, COVID, and RSV can appear similar to other respiratory illnesses, up to and including the common cold. It would require a test to confirm a diagnosis for flu, COVID, or RSV. Plus, it’s also possible to have more than one of the […]

Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-ul) virus (or “RSV”) is the leading cause of infant hospitalization in the United States. Is RSV contagious? Yes, it’s considered highly contagious because it spreads similarly to the common cold. For example, RSV can spread when someone with the virus coughs or sneezes near you or your baby. It can also spread when you or your baby touch surfaces contaminated with RSV droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze, and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without washing your hands. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anyone can get RSV, but most people are infected for the first time as infants or toddlers. Protecting children from RSV involves exploring new immunization options for moms and babies. What Is RSV? RSV is a common and widespread virus. In most regions of the United States, RSV season starts during fall and peaks in the […]

It’s that time of year again: flu season. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to help you and your kids avoid spending the winter feeling terrible and curled up with a box of tissues. Just ask your child to follow these five tips from our medical experts: Wash Your Hands Washing your hands is the single most effective method of preventing respiratory illnesses, including the flu. Keep in mind, when washing your hands, make sure to scrub for at least 20 seconds. (Just tell your kids that’s about the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.) Always make sure to wash your hands before and after eating food, after contact with frequently touched surfaces, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If you don’t have access to soap and water, make sure to use hand sanitizer. Cover Your Coughs (and Sneezes) When you cough or sneeze, […]

Between colds, the flu, and other viruses, lots of kids get sick in the fall. This year it could be due to a lung infection called walking pneumonia that’s becoming more common, especially in young children. It’s also known as mycoplasma pneumonia since it’s often caused by the bacteria mycoplasma pneumoniae. While usually mild, it can still make kids uncomfortable and cause breathing problems. Here’s what you need to know about this rising health issue. What is walking pneumonia? Walking pneumonia is a kind of bacterial infection that affects the lungs. It tends to cause milder symptoms than other forms of pneumonia, so children who have it feel well enough to walk around instead of staying in bed. This is why it’s called “walking pneumonia.” How common is walking pneumonia in kids? Each year, about 2 million people get walking pneumonia. Since spring, the infection has been more common than […]

This blog was originally published by The Philadelphia Inquirer  A 15-year-old girl was brought to the emergency department because she was not acting like herself at lacrosse practice. The coach called her mother to pick her up early from practice because she was having trouble walking and could not answer such simple questions as “What is your name?” and “Where are you?”  When they arrived at the emergency department, the teen’s skin was red, hot, and dry. She was leaning on her mother for support. She looked so ill that the nurse brought her into the triage room before other waiting patients. She had an extremely high fever of 104.6 degrees and a fast heart rate (tachycardia) of 130 beats per minute, and appeared to be going in and out of consciousness. She was rushed to a treatment room, where doctors and nurses began resuscitation.  Our patient exhibited altered mental […]