Bronchiolitis is a very common lung infection that happens in young children, typically those under 2 years old, and is caused by a virus. The bronchioles are small airways in the lungs, branching off the two main bronchi, and the ‘itis’ part of bronchiolitis means inflammation, so bronchiolitis is inflammation and congestion of these small airways.  Symptoms of bronchiolitis start off similarly to a cold with a blocked and runny nose, cough, and possibly fever. Children can also sound quite wheezy.  Bronchiolitis is most commonly caused by a virus called RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) during the winter months and often it gets better by itself. In about 20% of cases of all ages, hospital admission may be required and it’s thought that up to 1 in 3 young children get bronchiolitis at some time.

It’s really common for babies to suffer from dry skin and eczema, and can first emerge before or around 6 months. It affects about a quarter of children and up to 60% of people with eczema develop it during their first year of life. The exact cause of eczema is unknown but genetics are thought to play a big role so it’s more common if someone in your family has eczema, allergies, or asthma, or if they have light skin and hair. It may also be triggered by environmental factors such as central heating, hard water and the use of soaps. The good news is that even though children may develop eczema in childhood, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will have it forever as many of them grow out of it by 5-6 years old. And - with the right attention to triggers, moisturising routine and recognising flare-ups - it can be treated more quickly.

As a parent, it can be a tough job to work out whether your child has an anxiety disorder or they’re just dealing with the challenges of growing up. As a paediatrician, I face this dilemma daily in my clinic. I’ll try to help you decide the difference between a healthy state of anxiety and an unhealthy one, and where to go next.

Nappy rash is a really common skin infection that occurs in young children as a reaction to urine or poo. A fungal infection called candida is often involved in the inflamed skin, leaving a very bright red notable rash around the genitals. The skin can also become hot, sore and blister-filled. Rarely, it is caused by other skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.

Ear infections are very common in children and most likely comes with a viral cold. Your child might feel unwell with a fever, sickness, and feeling of their food. Ear infections usually affect the middle ear, which we call otitis media. The pain comes as products of infection and inflammation build up behind the eardrum, pushing it. They may complain that hearing comes and goes, or they may feel pain on the cheek side of the ear or under it, which might be worse when eating. It’s usually just one ear affected. Sometimes infections affect the outer part of the ear. This may be the case if you have symptoms of wetness with white or yellow discharge, and the ear may feel itchy or sore just inside. This points more towards otitis externa, where the ear canal leading to the eardrum is infected.

Foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a condition which occurs as a consequence of women drinking alcohol during their pregnancy. It covers a wide range of symptoms and affects each baby differently. Examples include facial changes and learning disabilities, trouble with coordination or attention and hyperactivity. It can also affect the kidneys, bones, and the heart, and cause growth problems. The term foetal alcohol spectrum disorder is often used interchangeably, but more specifically describes certain collections of symptoms related to damage by alcohol during pregnancy, of which FAS is the most severe end of the spectrum. Symptoms may be subtle and there may be no physical signs, but it’s thought to be underdiagnosed, and numbers have risen in recent years along with alcohol abuse.

Roseola is a very common illness that affects babies and young children. It is caused by two strains of the herpes virus (6 and 7). There is a full range of signs and symptoms affecting children to varying degrees but for the majority, it isn’t usually serious and most people get it only once. Adults can become infected with the disease if they have never been exposed to it as a child but unlike the chickenpox infection, it is usually milder in healthy adults.

Most sore throats are caused by viruses, and will not respond to antibiotics. They need good self-care, pain relief, fluids and time to get better. Some sore throats are caused by bacteria, and these will tend to need a course of antibiotics to get better. ‘Strep throat’ is a colloquial term used to describe a bacterial throat infection caused by streptococcus bacteria. Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) is one of the causes of bacterial sore throat, and it usually produces more severe symptoms than a viral sore throat. You may have severe pain, fever, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, an absence of other viral symptoms such as cough, and symptoms that last longer than a viral infection would be expected to last. If your doctor suspects a bacterial throat infection, they may take a swab to check the bacteria. Or if they are confident, may start a course of antibiotics immediately.

Whooping cough is a common bacterial infection that affects the airways and lungs, usually in toddlers and children. It’s spread from one child to another by coughs and sneezes and is highly contagious. There are many different types of coughs in children, so it is important to be able to differentiate. It causes a persistent cough that can last for several months. For this reason, it is also referred to as the 100-day cough. As doctors, we call it pertussis. Hand hygiene, coughing and sneezing into tissues which are immediately disposed of, and staying away from others while they are infectious are paramount to reduce the spread. It forms one part of the usual childhood immunisations.

Tonsillitis occurs when a viral or bacterial infection causes the tonsils – immune-fighting glands at the back of the mouth – to become inflamed. You get a sore throat causing pain on swallowing and possibly earache, and you may be able to see or feel that one side of the throat is larger from the outside. Your tonsils will likely look red, possibly with some white dots (pus) on them. You might have a high temperature and headache and feel generally pretty unwell. Children and young adults are more likely to suffer tonsilitis. Most infections are viral and therefore don’t respond to antibiotics – they get better on their own after about a week. Viral tonsilitis can often go with general symptoms of a cold, such as a runny or blocked nose and a cough. Some things make a sore throat or tonsillitis more likely to be bacterial, which may need antibiotics to help your body recover. If you have no symptoms of a cold such as a cough, if you have a fever higher than 38 degrees, swollen lymph nodes in your neck, white spots on a very large tonsil, or symptoms have developed quickly, within 24 hours, this makes a bacterial infection more likely. When your doctor is deciding whether the cause is viral or bacterial, they will sometimes use evidence-based scores that help to decide the likelihood of bacterial infections. If the cause is likely viral, antibiotics won’t help - the infection will get better on its own. The majority of tonsillitis cases will improve on their own however it is important to stay hydrated and rest to help your body fight the infection. You can take over-the-counter pain relief to help with any pain and your pharmacist can advise you on this. Your pharmacist can also advise you on lozenges and throat sprays to help with a sore throat.

A frenulum is a piece of tissue in the baby’s mouth attaching the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. They occur elsewhere in the mouth and body, but this one is called the lingual frenulum. It's usually loose enough to allow the tongue to move freely, but some babies are born with a tight attachment. This can restrict movement of the tongue, and is graded according to severity. This can have a knock-on effect on a good latch and good feeding, and later on with speech, if very tight and left uncorrected. A minor surgical operation is sometimes recommended to release the frenulum and this corrects the tongue-tie.

Toddler’s diarrhoea is a common condition that doesn’t usually mean anything serious, so long as your child is growing well, keeping up with their developmental milestones and doesn’t have other symptoms. As the name implies, it affects those aged 1 to 5. Children usually pass loose stool at least twice a day, but sometimes up to 10 times, and it might appear a bit paler and more smelly than usual, possibly with some undigested food. It's thought to be a combination of their developing gut and a less-than-ideal diet. It's more common in boys, although it's not clear why.