Children get sick — a lot. According to the University of Utah, babies, toddlers and preschoolers catch colds seven to eight times a year. There are also ear infections to look out for, as well as throat infections and much more.
That’s why the American Medical Association’s “What Doctors Wish Patients Knew” series asked pediatricians from across the country for tips you could use to keep safe children safer and reduce the risk of sickness.
Measles
According to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 15 measles outbreaks in 2024, nearly four times as many as the year before. It’s an extremely infectious illness that can often be warded off by just two shots.
“The measles vaccine is given as part of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, so we call it MMR. It’s also given as part of MMRV, which adds in varicella for chickenpox,” Permanente Medical Group pediatrician Dr. Kate Land said. “It’s typically given to (a) child at age 1.”
She added: “We give it at 12 months, but it can be given at 12 or 15 months — it can be given as either MMR or MMRV — and then again at 4 to 5 years old. The measles vaccine is probably the most successful vaccine that we have.”
After receiving both vaccinations, a child is typically 97% immune for life, according to the doctor. A single dose grants 93% protection.
Swimmer’s ear
More common in children than adults, swimmer’s ear is an infection of the ear canal that often causes discomfort.
“The most common age range of people affected is from 5 years old to 14 years old,” Confluence Health pediatrician Dr. Douglas Eisert said. “Younger children have smaller, shorter ear canals, and this is the age range when children spend hours of their summer days in the pool.”
While the condition is often associated with swimmers, it doesn’t always originate in the pool. Any unwanted moisture, even from a bath, can cause an infection. Whatever the cause, it’s best to get it checked out right away.
“Without medical care once the symptoms begin, it is not going to get better on its own,” Eisert said, as “ignoring this can lead to significant pain and complications.”
Step throat
A bacterial infection that can affect the tonsils, strep throat affects around 10% of adults and 30% of children. Why is it seen more in children? It’s quite contagious.
“What that means is that if someone … is not very good at washing their hands … or covering their mouth whenever they are coughing or sneezing, anything like that releases some of the particles that might be at the back of our throat,” Ochsner Health pediatrician Dr. Nikita Patel said, explaining the infection spreads through respiratory droplets. “In doing that, they can spread droplets that way, too, so it can live temporarily on surfaces.”
An important tip for parents is that children can still get strep throat after they have their tonsils removed.
“A very common misconception is that once you have your tonsils removed that you can’t get strep throat,” Patel said. “However, strep throat is just one form of having the strep A bacteria present, so you can still get a strep throat infection.”
“You can still get it in different parts of your throat,” she added, and “you can also have it present as a skin rash or other infections as well.”
Cold medicine
Cold medicines can come with some significant side effects, so parents should keep them from children.
“In pediatrics, we don’t really recommend cold medicines,” Certainly not for kids under 6 anyway,” Texas Children’s Dr. Brittany Chan said. That’s “because they’re younger and they’re more susceptible to side effects.”
“Nasal saline is effective and safe for all ages, and you can find this over the counter,” she added. “You can get the ones that are little drops for infants, or you can get the ones that are more like sprays for the older kids. Saline is just salt water, so it is drug free.”
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