Have you ever heard of the “kissing disease”? If you said that it’s mono, you’re right! Infectious mononucleosis, called mono for short, is usually caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). EBV is one of the most common viruses around. Most people will get infected with it at some point in their life. Babies and young …
It feels like a fever. Or maybe a cold. But when you look in the mirror and see spots, you know it’s not a game of connect-the-dots. It’s chickenpox. And chickenpox sure do itch! Here’s why: After the red spots appear on your body, they fill up with a clear liquid. These liquid-filled blisters are called vesicles (say: VEH-sih-kulz). The …
Do you remember having an ear infection? Even if you don’t remember, you probably had one. Most kids have at least one middle ear infection before they are 2 years old. These infections can cause ear pain and a fever. What Is a Middle Ear Infection? Middle ear infections are one of the most common childhood problems. Let’s …
What Is Strep Throat? Strep throat is a disease caused by a tiny ball-shaped type of bacteria (say: bak-TEER-ee-uh) called group A streptococcus (say: strep-tuh-KAH-kus). If a kid has strep throat, the doctor will give him or her medicine called an antibiotic (say: an-tye-bye-AH-tik) to kill the strep bacteria. That’s good news because sometimes strep throat can …
What Is Ringworm? It sounds like the name of a creep-crawly bug. But ringworm isn’t an animal — it’s a contagious infection on the skin, scalp, or nails that’s caused by a type of germ called a fungus. It’s called ringworm because of how the rash looks — it’s shaped like a ring that is red and …
What Are Pinworms? Pinworms are a type of little worm that commonly infects the intestines, especially in kids. Many of the kids in your school have probably had pinworms at one time, and the worms are nothing to be afraid of. It’s gross to think about, but anybody can get pinworms. To learn how to …
You rub and rub your eyes, but they won’t stop itching. When you look in the mirror, they are red and puffy. What’s going on? Do you have a strange sickness? No — you have a common problem called conjunctivitis. Most people call it pinkeye. What Is Conjunctivitis? Conjunctivitis (say: kon-junk-tih-VY-tis) is the most common eye problem kids …
In the spring and summer, you might hear about something called Lyme disease. It has nothing to do with limes, but it does have something to do with ticks, those creepy, tiny bugs that like to drink human blood. Disgusting! Blame Lyme disease on those bloodsuckers because some of them carry around bacteria called spirochetes (say: SPY-ruh-keets). And if the …
What Is Jock Itch? Jock itch is a fungal infection of the skin that affects the groin, upper thighs, and buttocks. What Causes Jock Itch? Jock itch is a common skin infection that is caused by a fungus (say: FUN-guss). A fungus is a plant-like microorganism (say: my-kro-OR-guh-niz-um) too small to be seen by the naked eye. Who Gets …
Impi-what? Impetigo (say: im-pih-TIE-go) is a strange-sounding word that may be new to you. It’s an infection of the skin caused by bacteria. Impetigo is commonly found on the face, often around the nose and mouth. But it can show up anywhere the skin has been broken. If you have a cut or scrape or if you scratch …
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