Common Childhood Infections
As a parent, you want to make sure your child is healthy and happy This page offers helpful tips and guidance for you!
A lot of common childhood infections can be treated at home. Visit the NHS website to check when you need to take your child to the GP.
Colds and Flu
Children do get colds more often. This is because there’s lots of different cold viruses and they need to build their immunity to them. As your child gets older, they will get fewer colds.
Here’s some things you can do to ease your child’s cold symptoms:
- Make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids.
- Use saline nose drops to loosen dried snot and relieve a stuffy nose. Ask a pharmacist, GP or health visitor about them.
- If your child has a high temperature and seems distressed or has pain or discomfort, children’s paracetamol or ibuprofen can help. Children with asthma may not be able to take ibuprofen, so check with a pharmacist, GP or health visitor first. Always follow the instructions on the packet.
- Encourage the whole family to wash their hands regularly to stop the cold spreading.
Ear Infections
Ear infections are common in children, and usually follow a cold or high temperature.
If your child has earache, try giving them children’s paracetamol or ibuprofen. If one of them doesn’t work, try the other. Do not give your child both at the same time unless told to by a health professional.
Do not put anything in your child’s ear unless your GP tells you to.
Ear infections should get better by themselves within a few days. Take your child to the GP if the infection lasts longer than this.
Stomach Flu (Gastroenteritis)
Stomach flu can be treated at home and usually stops within a few days.
Make sure your child:
- stays at home and gets plenty of rest
- drinks lots of fluids such as water or squash- they should take small sips if they feel sick. Avoid fruit juice and fizzy drinks, this will make them feel worse.
- give them food when they are able to eat, but avoid foods that are fatty or spicy.
- give them paracetamol if they are distressed
If you are breast or bottle feeding your baby, try giving small feeds more often than usual. If your baby is on formula or solid foods, give them small sips of water between feeds.
Chickenpox
Chickenpox is a common infection that spreads easily and most affects children. They usually get better in a couple of weeks without needing to see a GP.
The main symptom is an itchy, spotty rash. But you may also have the following symptoms before and after the rash:
- a high temperature
- aches and pains, and generally feel unwell
- loss of appetite
Here’s some things you can do to treat chickenpox at home without needing to see your GP:
- have them drink plenty of fluids (try ice lollies if your child is not drinking)
- give them paracetamol to help with any pain and discomfort
- cut your child’s fingernails and put socks on their hands at night to stop them scratching
- use cooling creams or gels from a pharmacy
- speak to a pharmacist about using antihistamine medicine to help itching
- bathe them in cool water and pat the skin dry (do not rub)
- dress them in loose clothes
Hand, foot and mouth Disease
This is common illness in children. It usually goes away by itself after 7-10 days.
The 1st stage of symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease can be:
- a sore throat
- a high temperature
- not wanting to eat
The 2nd stage usually starts a few days later and symptoms can include:
- mouth ulcers, which can be painful
- a raised rash of spots on the hands and feet, and sometimes the groin area and bottom
Here’s how you can help the symptoms at home:
- have your child drink cool fluids to soothe the mouth and prevent dehydration. But, avoid acidic drinks, such as fruit juice.
- give your child soft foods like yoghurt and avoid hot, salty and spicy foods
- have your child take paracetamol or ibuprofen to help ease a sore mouth or throat