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KidsCare Online

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.

20 Most Common Symptoms

Colds – 5-10 times per year
Coughs – 4-5 times per year
Croup – 1-2 times per year
Sore throat – 4-5 times per year, mostly with colds, occasionally with strep
Eyes with pus or drainage – 1-2 times per year
Earache – 1-2 times per year
Diarrhea – 3-4 times per year
Vomiting – 1-2 times per year
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.
Fever – 5-10 times per year with the above symptoms/infections; 1-2 times per year without any other symptoms
Skin Injury – bruises, cuts or scrapes
Head injuries
Arm or leg injuries
Stomachache – Abdominal Pain
Headache
Constipation
Crying, unexplained – Crying Baby younger than 3 months or Crying Child older than 3 months
Immunization reactions
Hives
Rashes, unexplained – Rashes, Localized & Cause Unknown or Rashes, Widespread & Cause Unknown