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Childhood Infections

Childhood Infections

By , About.com Guide

Updated December 19, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Childhood infections, whether they cause a fever, rash, or cough, are often a cause for a visit to the pediatrician.

Classic Childhood Infections

Among the most classic childhood infections are those that are associated with a rash and fever.

Fifth disease (erythema infectiosum) is one of the most well-known of these types of infections. Interestingly, it got its name because it was the fifth childhood infection that was known to produce a rash and fever. The others were:

  1. Measles or Rubeola
  2. Scarlet Fever
  3. Rubella or German Measles
  4. Filatov-Dukes disease (similar to scarlet fever)
  5. Erythema Infectiosum (Fifth disease)
  6. Roseola Infantum (Sixth disease)

You can also think of common childhood infections by the type of infection, such as:

It can be even more helpful to think of childhood infections by the part of the body the infection affects, such as: 

Respiratory Infections

Many childhood infections cause respiratory symptoms, such as a runny nose, sneezing, cough, or wheezing. These infections include:

Skin Infections

Childhood infections often affect the skin. In addition to having a rash as one of the many symptoms of the infection, such as chickenpox, many infections cause a skin rash as their primary symptom, including:

Intestinal Infections

Most parents are all too familiar with intestinal infections that usually cause diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and other gastrointestinal symptoms.

These intestinal infections include:

Infections of the Head, Ears, Nose, and Throat

Some of the most common infections in childhood affect parts of the head. Ear infections are one of the most common infections seen by pediatricians. 

Urinary Tract Infections

Infections of the urinary tract can be relatively minor or more serious. They can affect the bladder or the kidneys.

  • Cystitis (This is an infection of the bladder and is what is usually meant when someone has a urinary tract infection.
  • Pyelonephritis (This is an infection of the kidneys themselves and is often more serious)

The major types of infectious agents are bacteria, fungi, and viruses. One can also group infections according to these types as follows:

Viral Infections

Kids commonly get viral infections. Unfortunately, as most parents know, there are usually no treatments or cures for most viral infections.

Although antibiotics don't treat viral infections, most children do get better fairly quickly on their own from most viral infections. Viral infections include:

Bacterial Infections

In addition to bacteria that commonly cause ear infections, urinary tract infections, meningitis, and pneumonia, bacterial infections can include:

Fungal Infections

Yeast and fungal infections usually infect a child's skin, hair, or nails. More serious fungal infections can sometimes occur in those with immune system problems.

Parasitic Infections

Parasites are a common cause of infection around the world. They can cause diarrheal diseases, blood diseases, and skin diseases.  Some of the more common include:

Vaccine Preventable Infections

In addition to the major infections that vaccines have conquered or gotten under good control in the United States, vaccines are available to help get some others under better control. Vaccines are currently available for the following vaccine preventable infections:

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