One of the most important things you need to know when seeking answers for unknown medical conditions is basic health information. Being able to determine what are common childhood viruses and bacterial infections is important. It’s important to learn to distinguish between infection and chronic disease.

Knowing this difference is where we started. It’s how we were able to start tracking symptoms correctly. Parker was exhibiting high fevers for five days in a row. He had no other signs of common illness.

What’s Common Illness?
• Viral infections – these are the things that doctors are referring to when they tell you “it’s just a virus.” These are infections caused inside the body by a germ called a virus. They are not treatable with antibiotic medications. They will be left to naturally heal.

• Bacterial Infections – these are infections caused by bacteria germs. These are treated with antibiotics on some occasions. You can heal a bacterial infection naturally. However, if the infection has been going on for a long time, it is generally treated with medication.

• Fungal infections – these are not as common as bacterial or viral infections, but can occur. These are more difficult to treat. These require anti-fungal medications specific to the type of infection.

Signs & Symptoms of Typical Illness
When we were ruling out signs and symptoms we looked for running nose, cough, congestion, stomach upset or rashes. We associated a fever, combined with any of these symptoms as an infection. These were not primary characteristics of his illness. His fever would also be lower.

There are exceptions to any rule of thumb. And just because your child may be exhibiting signs and symptoms of “common illness” doesn’t mean they don’t need a physician. You should always seek a doctor if your child shows signs of illness that do not subside.

How can we tell what is important and what is not?
In my How To Get a Diagnosis book, I go in depth about this topic. I provide you with tools to track your child’s condition. There is resource information to help guide you. It will help you determine what is part of your child’s condition and what is not.

Our research hub also has information about body systems and conditions affecting those systems. With the tools and resources on this site, you should be able to determine what is common illness and what is part of your child’s condition.

Learning about common and uncommon childhood conditions is critical in your search for answers.

Coming soon! PFAPA and Other Periodic Fever Conditions. A resource for parents of PFAPA and periodic fever kids.

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