Common Childhood Illnesses: Symptoms, Treatment, and When to Seek Medical Help

Germs and viruses surround children, making it easy for them to get sick. A child’s immune system is also not as strong as an adult's, making it even easier. Knowing about the symptoms and treatment of childhood illnesses and when to seek medical help can help. Dr. Jeffrey Cabotaje and Dr. Elizabeth Wollensak at Pediatrics Unlimited in Oak Park, IL, offer a full range of medical care for children, including diagnosis and treatment of common childhood illnesses.

What You Need To Know About Common Childhood Illnesses

One of the most common childhood symptoms of illness is a fever. A virus or bacterial infection can cause a fever. A fever may go away on its own as the illness resolves, but you should seek medical help if your child has a fever that is:

• Lasting longer than 2 days
• Higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit if your child is under 2 months
• At least 104 degrees Fahrenheit if your child is older

The pediatrician will determine what is causing the fever and prescribe medications to help your child recover.

Ear infections, eye infections like pink eye, and throat infections like strep throat are other common childhood illnesses, and they all need to be treated with antibiotics. You should seek medical help if your child is:

• Tugging at their ears
• Wiping their eyes
• Having difficulty swallowing

The pediatrician will determine the source of the infection and prescribe oral antibiotics to kill the bacteria causing the infection. Prescription eye drops may also be recommended for an eye infection.

Other common childhood concerns are asthma, allergies, and gastrointestinal upset. You should seek medical help if your child is experiencing:

• Difficulty breathing, especially while active
• Nausea and vomiting, which doesn’t resolve
• A skin rash which isn’t going away or is getting worse
• Chronic diarrhea or constipation that doesn’t resolve

The pediatrician can test your child for asthma and allergies and may recommend short- and long-term asthma medications, allergy shots, and sublingual immunotherapy.

If you are unsure what to do when your child is ill, your pediatrician is just a phone call away. Your pediatrician can give expert advice and treatment to help your child on the road to recovery.

Want To Know More About Common Childhood Illnesses? 

To learn more about the symptoms and treatment of common childhood illnesses and when to seek medical help, call Dr. Jeffrey Cabotaje and Dr. Elizabeth Wollensak at Pediatrics Unlimited in Oak Park, IL. You can reach them in the office by calling (708) 383-3010. Call today.