Seasonal Childhood Illnesses
When do kids get sick most? A month-by-month guide to RSV, flu, hand-foot-and-mouth, strep, pink eye, stomach bugs, and the other common childhood illnesses going around schools and daycares.
Jun activity, ranked
Going Around in Jun
Rising into Jul
Early warning signs to watch for
Top 3 in JunThese are common early signs, not a diagnosis. Call your pediatrician if symptoms worsen or you are unsure.
Childhood illnesses follow predictable seasonal patterns. Knowing when each one peaks, what the early symptoms look like, and which age groups are most affected helps parents prepare and respond faster. Below is a plain-language guide to nine of the most common illnesses that go around US schools, daycares, and homes.
December through February, with cases rising in October and tapering by April.
Sudden high fever (often over 101 F), body aches, chills, dry cough, sore throat, and unusual fatigue.
All ages, but young children, kids with asthma, and those under 5 are at higher risk of complications.
Late fall through winter, typically November to February.
Runny nose, congestion, wheezing or fast breathing, persistent wet cough, and poor feeding in babies.
Infants and children under 2 are most vulnerable to severe RSV. Most older kids experience it as a bad cold.
Year-round, but worse September through April when kids are indoors together.
Runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, mild cough, scratchy throat, and a low-grade fever.
Preschool and elementary-age kids average 6 to 10 colds per year. Daycare-age kids can get more.
The school year, with the biggest spikes in late winter and early spring.
Sudden sore throat without a cough, painful swallowing, fever over 100.4 F, swollen neck glands, and white patches on the tonsils.
Kids ages 5 to 15. Strep is uncommon in children under 3.
November through April for norovirus, with year-round daycare outbreaks.
Sudden vomiting, watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, and a low-grade fever or chills.
All ages, but dehydration is the biggest concern for babies and toddlers.
Summer and early fall, June through September.
Mild fever and fussiness, painful mouth sores, red spots or blisters on hands and feet, drooling, or refusing to eat.
Children under 5, especially in daycares and summer camps.
Back-to-school months (September and October) with smaller waves through winter.
Red or pink eye whites, itchy or gritty feeling, watery or yellow discharge, and crusty lashes after sleep.
Preschool and elementary kids, where it spreads quickly through shared toys and contact.
Tree pollen in March to May, grass pollen in May to July, ragweed in August to October.
Sneezing fits, itchy or watery eyes, clear runny nose, and no fever (which helps distinguish allergies from a cold).
Kids 3 and older. Many children develop seasonal allergies in early elementary years.
Back-to-school weeks (August through October) and again after winter break.
Persistent scalp itching, a tickling feeling in the hair, tiny white eggs (nits) near the scalp, and red bumps on the neck or behind the ears.
Elementary-age children, most often ages 3 to 11.
"Nine illnesses. Twelve months." Know what's going around, before it gets to your kid.
