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Common Illnesses

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, RSV symptoms, and COVID 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 […]

As the sun shines brighter and outdoor adventures continue to beckon, summer’s extreme heat can turn into a health hazard if we’re not careful. While the season offers endless opportunities for fun in the sun, it’s not just the sunburns we need to watch out for — hidden dangers like poison ivy lurking in the underbrush can also put an itchy damper on our plans. By recognizing these risks and taking a few simple precautions, we can make the most of the warm days still ahead. Learn to identify, prevent, and treat summer ailments like sunburn, heat illness, dehydration, and poison ivy to keep your family healthy this summer. Sunburn When kids are outdoors, it’s important to protect their skin from too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays (UV rays), which can put an immediate stop to summer (and winter) fun with painful sunburn and skin damage, as well […]

Ticks might look like insects, but they’re not. They’re part of the arachnid family, which includes spiders. When a tick bites, it attaches itself to the skin and sucks blood. Most tick bites are harmless and don’t need medical treatment. But some ticks (like the deer tick) can carry harmful germs that cause illnesses like Lyme disease. How can I prevent tick bites and Lyme disease? While enjoying the outdoors, it’s important to remember that there are hundreds of kinds of ticks, and not all ticks carry Lyme disease. Here are some tips to help protect your family from the risk of a tick bite before heading out, and what to do after a day of exploring nature: Ticks removed within 36 hours are less likely to spread diseases. So, if you pluck the tick off right away, your child can’t be infected. Because ticks (especially deer ticks) are tiny, they may be hard to […]

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 […]

You’ve probably heard about respiratory syncytial virus or RSV a lot lately. That’s because cases of this illness have increased since last year. RSV mainly causes cold symptoms, and most people who get it get better on their own. But when babies or toddlers get RSV, it can turn into something more serious called bronchiolitis. Bronchiolitis causes the lung’s tiny airways (bronchioles) to swell and fill with mucus. This makes it hard to breathe. Bronchiolitis usually gets better on its own, but sometimes kids need treatment in the hospital. With the winter season upon us, it’s good to know what to look for — and when to get help — the next time your child comes down with a nasty cold. Why are RSV cases on the rise?  Doctors aren’t exactly sure why, but it may be because fewer people are wearing masks now. RSV is a common childhood illness, […]