Your Baby Week Eight

By the time a baby is eight weeks old, he is likely to be out of the house more often and may even be in day care already. That means he may already be at risk for many common childhood infections.

Recognizing the symptoms of these illness can help prepare you if baby gets sick.

RSV

While RSV may just cause a cold in older children, it can cause a serious infection in younger children. These children, including premature babies, can develop bronchiolitis, which is associated with inflammation in the lungs, wheezing and difficulty breathing. { read more }

Croup

Infants with croup typically wake up in the middle of the night with a cough that sounds like a barking seal and have noisy breathing and a hoarse cry. { read more }

Roseola

Roseola is a common viral infection that causes a high fever for several days. After the fever breaks, a rash breaks out all over your baby's body.

Whooping Cough

Infants with whooping cough or pertussis can have coughing fits that can make it difficult for them to breath.

Unfortunately, infants are still at risk for whooping cough infections from adults who may have a lingering cough that could be caused by an undiagnosed case of pertussis. And while there is a pertussis vaccine, your baby isn't protected until after he gets his third dose when he is about six months old. { read more }

Rotavirus

Rotavirus is the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in children, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Your baby can get the new rotavirus vaccine, RotaTeq, when he is two, four, and six months old to help decrease his chances of getting sick with rotavirus.

Ear Infections

Common ear infection symptoms can include ear pain, fever, fussiness, tugging on the ears, ear drainage, all of which are usually accompanied by a cold. { read more }