10 Common Childhood Illnesses: How to Treat at Home & When to Call the Doctor

Content medically reviewed by April Rohrer, APRN, CNP

If you have a child in daycare or school, it may seem like they’re always coming home with a runny nose or a rash. Thanks to their developing immune systems, which aren’t as robust as those of adults, children more easily pick up common childhood illnesses.

Trying to decipher when your child’s illness can be safely treated at home and when they need to be seen by their provider can be hard. Read on as we share some facts about 10 common childhood illnesses.

Why Your Child Gets Ill So Often

“During childhood, children are exposed to germs their bodies have never encountered before,” said April Rohrer, a certified family medicine nurse practitioner at Essentia Health. “When they develop a new infection, the immune system revs up and responds to the infection. It also learns how to defend the body against that infection in the future.”

It can take many years for a child’s body and immune system to develop immunity against common illnesses, particularly those that spread easily when around others.

A Parent’s Guide to the Most Common Childhood Illnesses

The American Academy of Pediatrics identifies these as 10 of the most common childhood illnesses –

1. Bacterial Sinusitis

Sinusitis, or a sinus infection, is inflammation of the nose and the sinuses. This infection causes cold-like symptoms, including nasal discharge and a daytime cough, but the symptoms linger for longer than 10 days.

See your child’s family medicine or pediatrics provider if your child has a cold or allergies with symptoms that continue for more than 10 days or include a fever. Bacterial sinusitis is treated with antibiotics.

2. Bronchiolitis

Bronchiolitis is a respiratory infection that affects the bronchioles, which are tiny airways in the lungs.

This infection develops as the result of another respiratory infection, such as the flu or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Bronchiolitis usually causes cold-like symptoms but can cause breathing difficulties or dehydration, both reasons to call or schedule an appointment with their provider.

3. Bronchitis

While bronchiolitis affects small airways in the lungs, bronchitis affects the main airways in the lungs. Acute bronchitis, also called a “chest cold,” causes those airways to swell and produce mucus, often leading to a cough and chest congestion.

Bronchitis symptoms can usually be treated at home unless your child develops a high fever, shortness of breath, or bloody mucus.

4. Common Cold

The common cold is an upper respiratory infection that’s very common among young children. It’s not unusual for kids to develop up to eight colds in a single year, causing symptoms such as a runny nose, a cough, and congestion.

Colds can be treated using basic at-home care, including rest and fluids. Call, message or schedule an appointment with your child’s provider if symptoms linger for longer than 10 days or if your child has a fever of 102 degrees or higher.

5. Cough

Coughs, while pesky, are usually caused by a virus, so they aren’t treated using antibiotics. Cough medication isn’t recommended for children younger than 4, so try easing your child’s cough with rest, fluids, icy treats, and a humidifier to add moisture to the air.

6. Ear Pain

Ear pain is common in children, but it isn’t always caused by an ear infection. Pain in the ears can also be caused by sinus pressure or even tooth pain. 

See a pediatrician or family medicine provider when your child experiences ear pain. Your child’s provider can look inside the ear to determine the problem. An antibiotic may be needed to treat a middle ear infection, while other medications can be prescribed to treat swimmer’s ear, another common condition that can cause pain.

7. Pain

If your little one has aches and pains, such as a headache, you can try to ease the discomfort using over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. It’s time for a doctor’s visit when your child complains of pain for several days or over-the-counter medications don’t ease their pain.

8. Skin Infection

Rashes and other skin infections often appear unexpectedly in children. Some of them will disappear just as quickly. Over-the-counter products may reduce discomfort as rashes or skin infections clear up. Ask your child’s care provider if an over-the-counter triple antibiotic ointment or antifungal cream can help.

Check in with a provider for skin infections that seem severe, cause pain or excessive itchiness, or don’t go away quickly. If the infection spreads rapidly—you can circle an area around the area with a pen or marker to see how much it spreads from day to day or even hour to hour—call, message, or schedule an appointment with your child’s care provider. While most skin infections are mild, some can require antibiotic treatment.

9. Sore Throat

Most sore throats are caused by viruses, meaning they can’t be treated with antibiotics. Sore throats that occur with other symptoms, such as a runny nose or a cough, are likely caused by a virus.

On the other hand, a sore throat accompanied by a fever of 102 degrees or higher, swollen glands in the neck, or pus-covered tonsils may be caused by strep throat, which a provider can diagnose with a strep test. Strep throat is a bacterial infection that can become serious if not treated with an antibiotic.

10. Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can develop in any part of the urinary tract and cause urination-related symptoms, including pain or burning during urination and more frequent urination. It’s also not uncommon for children with a UTI to wet the bed or have accidents.

If you think your child has a urinary tract infection, see their provider for a diagnosis and treatment. Your child may need an antibiotic.