Health Resources

Pediatric Illnesses: 20 Most Common Symptoms

The following symptoms are the top 20 reasons parents call their child’s doctor from birth through 5 years. Reviewing this list may help you put your child’s illness in perspective.

Normal toddlers and preschoolers are afflicted with infections 10 to 15 times per year. Some of them also have a sensitive thermostat and develop high fevers with each cold. The attack rate decreases with age because with each new infection your child builds up antibodies against future similar infections. During the teen years your child will finally reach an adult level of 3-4 colds per year.

1. Colds 5-10 times per year
2. Coughs 4-5 times per year
3. Croup 1-2 times per year
4. Sore throat 4-5 times per year, mostly with colds, occasionally with Strep
5. Eyes with pus or drainage 1-2 times per year
6. Earache 1-2 times per year
7. Diarrhea 3-4 times per year
8. Vomiting 1-2 times per year
9. Wheezing: 50% of infants experience wheezing during a viral respiratory infection (called bronchiolitis). Of these, 1/3 wheeze once, 1/3 have 1 or 2 recurrences, and 1/3 go on to develop asthma.
10. Fever 5-10 times per year with the above symptoms/infections
                1-2 times per year without any other symptoms
11. Skin injuries (bruises, cuts or scrapes) (Skin Trauma) 
12. Head injuries (Head Trauma) 
13. Arm or leg injuries (Arm or Leg Trauma) 
14. Stomachache (Abdominal Pain) 
15. Headache 
16. Constipation 
17. Crying, unexplained (Crying Baby < 3 mo or Crying Child > 3 mo)
18. Immunization reactions 
19. Hives 
20. Rashes, unexplained (Rashes, Localized and Cause Unknown or Rashes, Widespread and Cause Unknown)
21. Asthma attack 

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