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 …
If you get headaches, you’re not alone. Lots of kids have headaches from time to time. Let’s find out more about headaches and how you can feel better. What Is a Headache? Although it may feel like it, a headache is not a pain in your brain. Your brain tells you when other parts of your …
What Are Tonsils? Your tonsils are two lumps of tissue in the back of your throat that work as germ fighters for your body. The trouble is that sometimes germs like to hang out there, where they cause infections. In other words, instead of fighting infections, the tonsils become infected. What Is a Tonsillectomy? Have you ever …
Food poisoning can be mild and last just a short time or can be more serious. Let’s find out how to avoid it. What Is Food Poisoning? Food poisoning comes from eating foods that contain germs like bad bacteria or toxins. Bacteria are all around us, so mild cases of food poisoning are common. These can cause …
“Hey, do you want some?” your friend asks as he offers you a mouthwatering homemade brownie. You’re tempted by the delicious dessert, but then you see the crushed peanuts on top. Darn! You’re allergic to peanuts. Maybe just one little bite? Nope. If you have a food allergy, even a very tiny bit of that …
What Is Constipation? Constipation (say: con-stuh-PAY-shun) is not having a bowel movement (pooping) as often as you usually do or having a tough time going because the poop is hard and dry. Normal poop is sort of soft and easy to pass, so it shouldn’t be too hard to have a bowel movement. Some people …
You wake up in a cranky mood. Your head hurts. You don’t have the energy to even get out of bed. And you can’t breathe out of your nose. What’s wrong? You may have a cold! What Is a Cold? A cold is an infection of the upper respiratory system. This just means it can …
What Is Chickenpox? Chickenpox is caused by a virus called varicella zoster. People who get the virus have: a fever a rash of spots that look like blisters They also might get a runny nose, cough, and stomachache. Thanks to the chickenpox vaccine, kids don’t get chickenpox as much as they once did. What Are the Signs of Chickenpox? Chickenpox …
Adenoids and tonsils are often talked about together. You can see your tonsils in the back of your throat, but where are your adenoids? For that matter, what are your adenoids? Let’s find out. What Are Adenoids? The adenoids (say: AD-eh-noyds) are a patch of tissue that sit in the back of the nasal cavity. Like tonsils, …
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