Does It Feel Like Your Child Is Always Sick? Here’s Some Help

When it feels like kids are always sick, you’re not imagining it. Between daycare, school, and all the viruses that seem to cycle through, many families feel like someone is constantly under the weather. And on top of caring for a sick child, there’s the stress of figuring out what’s normal, what’s concerning, and what can be managed at home.

That’s why this newsletter pulls everything together in one place. From fevers and coughs to ear infections and stomach bugs, you’ll find practical advice and resources to help you through the long nights, tough days, and endless tissues. Most of the links here are YouTube videos, where each topic is explained in more detail.

Consider this something to bookmark and return to whenever the next bug shows up.

The big picture: What to monitor

When your child is sick, it helps to zoom out. Instead of focusing on every single symptom in isolation, these five areas give you the best sense of whether things are staying on track or if a doctor’s visit might be needed.

• Hydration: Sick kids often drink less, and fluid loss from fever, vomiting, or diarrhea adds up quickly. Fewer wet diapers (less than 4 per day in infants), a dry mouth, or no tears when crying are some of the signs of dehydration.

• Breathing: Fevers alone can make kids breathe faster, but labored breathing is different. Watch for chest pulling in at the ribs or collarbone, wheezing, or grunting.

• Fever trends: In babies under 3 months, any fever over 100.4°F needs evaluation. For older kids, keep an eye on how long a fever lasts and whether it responds to medicine.

• Rashes: Viral rashes are common and often harmless, but sudden or spreading rashes,  especially with fever, deserve a closer look.

• Overall behavior: This one matters most. Even sick kids should have some moments of comfort and interaction. A child who just doesn’t seem like themselves is always worth paying attention to.

These five areas are the foundation for thinking through sick days. They don’t cover every illness, but they help you focus on what matters most when deciding whether to manage at home or check in with your pediatrician.

📄 The Top 5 Things to Monitor When Your Child is Sick. Explains how to use these five signs to guide whether to keep monitoring at home or check in with your pediatrician.

Fevers and related concerns

Fevers are one of the most common reasons parents worry, and also one of the most common signs that a child’s immune system is doing its job. What matters most isn’t always the exact number on the thermometer, but how your child looks and feels.

For babies under 3 months, any fever over 100.4°F needs immediate medical attention. In older children, it helps to watch how long the fever lasts, whether it responds to medicine, and whether your child is still interactive and consolable in between. Most fevers can be safely managed at home, but sometimes they bring other questions: What if it gets really high? When should I see the doctor? What if there’s a febrile seizure? Am I dosing medication correctly?

🎥Fever in Kids: When to Worry, Medications, and Comfort Tips From a Pediatrician. Step-by-step guidance on managing fevers: how to check temperature, when to medicate, comfort measures beyond medicine, and clear signs for when to call the doctor.

🎥 When is Your Child’s Fever Too High? Doctor Explains. Tackles fever phobia with clear explanations: why fevers happen often in kids, how to take a temperature correctly, when to treat, common myths, and the signs that mean it’s time to seek care.

🎥 Febrile Seizures in Babies: Causes, What to Do, and Long-Term Effects. Explains the difference between simple and complex febrile seizures, what causes them, what they look like, and the immediate steps to take if one happens.

Coughs, colds, and breathing

Coughs and colds are tough on kids, and they can be tough on parents too. Add in RSV season, croup, or the possibility of pneumonia, and suddenly every cough sounds scarier than the last. The key is knowing what’s typical, what can be managed with comfort measures at home, and what might need a closer look.

Some coughs drag on longer than expected, and certain breathing patterns signal extra effort that isn’t normal. And while most cold viruses are uncomfortable but self-limiting, infections like pneumonia or severe RSV can require medical attention. These videos walk through the most common respiratory issues, and how to know when your child’s cough or breathing deserves more than watchful waiting.

🎥 Persistent Cough in Kids: 5 Causes and When to Worry. Breaks down the most common reasons coughs linger, including back-to-back viruses, asthma, allergies, habit cough, and reflux.

🎥 Respiratory Distress in Kids: Causes, Warning Signs, and What to Do. Explains what can cause breathing trouble, how to count respiratory rates, how to recognize signs of distress, and the steps to take if you see them.

🎥 Croup in Kids: Symptoms, Home Treatment, and When to See a Doctor. Covers what causes croup, how to recognize the barky cough and stridor, ways to help at home, and when to seek medical care.

🎥 Pneumonia in Kids: Viral, Bacterial, and Mycoplasma. Breaks down the different types of pneumonia, how to tell them apart from a simple cold, what symptoms to watch for, how pneumonia is diagnosed, and treatment options, including why antibiotics aren’t always prescribed.

🎥 RSV Symptoms, Home Care, and When to See a Doctor. Dives into what bronchiolitis is, how RSV causes it, typical symptoms, when it’s more concerning in young babies, what to monitor at home, and when to seek medical care.

Viruses and Infections

From the flu to strep throat, ear infections to stomach bugs, kids encounter a wide range of illnesses once they’re around other children. Some are viral and just need time, while others may require a doctor’s visit or antibiotics. Knowing the classic signs can help you feel more confident about what’s going on and when to reach out for care.

🎥 Flu in Kids: Symptoms, Treatment and How to Protect Your Child This Season. Covers how flu spreads, the key symptoms, ways to reduce risk, what to expect from the flu vaccine, and what to monitor if your child does get the flu.

🎥 Strep Throat in Kids: Symptoms, Treatment, and When to See a Doctor. Reviews the hallmark symptoms of strep (and how they’re different in toddlers), how it spreads, when testing and antibiotics are needed, possible complications, and what it means if your child is a strep carrier.

🎥 Ear Infection in Kids: Symptoms, Treatment, and When Antibiotics Are Needed. Breaks down the different types of ear infections, why kids are more prone to them, common symptoms, when ear pain needs to be checked, why “watchful waiting” is often recommended, and when antibiotics or ear tubes may be necessary.

🎥 Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease in Kids: Symptoms, Treatment and Home Care Tips. Dives into what causes HFMD, how it spreads, the classic symptoms to watch for, how to manage it at home, when a doctor’s visit is needed, and simple ways to limit its spread.

🎥 Pink Eye in Kids: What Parents Need to Know. Explains the different types of conjunctivitis (viral, bacterial, allergic), how to manage each at home, when treatment may be needed, and when it’s best to see a doctor.

🎥 Stomach Viruses in Kids: Vomiting, Diarrhea, Home Care, and When to Worry. Covers how to tell the difference between stomach viruses and food poisoning, what gastroenteritis is, how to manage vomiting and diarrhea at home, hydration tips, what to avoid, when kids can return to school, and when medical care may be needed.

🎥 Viral Rashes in Kids: Fifth Disease (Slapped Cheek) and Roseola Explained. Breaks down what viral exanthems are, the hallmark symptoms of Fifth disease and roseola, how they spread, what care at home looksl ike, and when kids can return to school or childcare.

🎥 Viral Rashes in Kids: Causes and Treatment (Part 2). Focuses on measles and chickenpox, including how they spread, symptoms, possible complications, treatment, and when to see a doctor or keep kids home from school.

Comfort and medications

Sometimes the hardest part of sick days isn’t figuring out what illness your child has, but knowing how to keep them comfortable while they recover. Safe use of medicines, simple home remedies, and practical tools like humidifiers can go a long way in helping kids feel better. These resources walk through the most common comfort measures, from dosing Tylenol and Motrin to tried-and-true remedies like turmeric milk, so you can support your child while their body fights off infection.

🎥 Acetaminophen for Kids: What Parents Should Know. Clears up myths about Tylenol safety, when and how kids can take it, risks of overuse, and how to avoid dosing errors.

🎥 Tylenol and Motrin for Kids: Safe Dosing, Timing and Tips. Walks through when to use each medication, brand vs. generic options, contraindications, dosing calculations, and why aspirin isn’t recommended for children.

🎥 Humidifier Tips for Kids: Safety and Benefits. Highlights how humidifiers support breathing, skin, and sleep, plus safe use, product options, and cleaning tips to keep them effective.

🎥 Quick Cold Relief Tricks Every Parent Should Know. Shares safe cough and cold remedies by age, including what works for infants under one, why honey helps after age one, the benefits of turmeric milk, and when a doctor’s visit is needed.

📄 Turmeric Milk AKA Golden Milk. Includes the recipe for this traditional home remedy with important safety considerations for kids and families.

📄 What’s in a Pediatrician Mom’s Medicine Cabinet? A free resource with the essentials to keep stocked for common illnesses and minor injuries, so you’re prepared before the next sick day, not scrambling during one.

Everyday sick-day decisions

Even after you’ve managed the symptoms, the trickiest part can be deciding on next steps. Is this urgent? Should I wait it out? Do they need to stay home from school another day? These everyday choices can feel stressful in the moment, especially when kids bounce between looking fine one minute and miserable the next.

These resources offer clear guidance for the common “what now?” questions parents face, helping you feel more confident in making those calls.

🎥 5 Signs Your Sick Child Needs a Doctor (and What to Do at Home). Highlights the key areas to watch, with guidance on when to seek care and how to manage at home in the meantime.

🎥 When to Take Your Child to Urgent Care or ER. Clarifies which situations are best for the pediatrician’s office, urgent care, or the ER, with real examples of when each is the right choice.

🎥 Sick Kids: When Can They Go Back to School? Outlines when children can return to school or activities after common illnesses like fever, vomiting, diarrhea, HFMD, pink eye, and strep throat. So you know when it’s safe to send kids back. 

Final thoughts

Sometimes it feels like the moment one symptom clears up, another one shows up, the runny nose finally stops, and suddenly the cough starts. Sick days can feel never-ending, and it’s normal to feel worn down or second-guess yourself in the middle of it all.

You don’t need to memorize every detail here. Just bookmark this newsletter and come back to it when the next illness rolls through. For even easier access, check out the complete YouTube playlist with all of these videos in one place.

It’s also worth remembering: this isn’t your fault. Germs are everywhere, and kids get sick. 

As a pediatrician and a mom, one of the hardest parts of having a sick child is all the unknowns. You don’t know how long it will last, if it’s going to get worse before it gets better, or if this is the night you’re headed to the ER. On top of that, life doesn’t stop, with work, school drop-offs, other kids at home, and suddenly you’re juggling it all on little sleep. When my kids were younger, what made it even harder was their inability to explain what hurt. You’re left reading body language, cries, or fevers that don’t tell the full story. That helpless feeling of wanting to fix it but not being able to? That’s the part that hurts us as parents just as much as the illness hurts them.

Parents often have health anxiety about their children getting sick. There is no need to feel guilt and blame when your child is sick. You are doing your best to keep your child healthy. In fact, getting sick is how their immune system learns and builds defenses. Over time, illnesses become less frequent and often less severe.

The best you can do is focus on what you can control, offering fluids, keeping an eye on those big-picture signs, and supporting their comfort. You can’t protect your child from every germ, and giving yourself permission to accept that can take a huge weight off your shoulders.

On The Podcast

Sensory processing isn’t always easy to spot, but it affects how kids experience the world in a big way. From clothing struggles to party meltdowns, what looks like “behavior” can often be a child’s nervous system asking for help. That’s why I sat down with occupational therapist Laura Petix, who specializes in sensory processing and works with families online to support kids with unique sensory needs.

We talk about what sensory processing really means, sensory processing differences, how parents can recognize differences, and why shifting from “disorder” to “differences” matters for kids’ self-esteem and support. Laura shares her own parenting experiences as a neurodivergent mom raising a neurodivergent child, and we break down myths that leave parents feeling judged or confused.

When my son had a stroke and seizures as a newborn, every moment felt uncertain. Once things stabilized, that deep anxiety finally eased until the first time he got sick again. I remember walking into his room and feeling that old fear rush back.

If you’ve ever felt your heart race when your child spikes a fever or starts coughing, you’re not alone. Even if your child’s never been seriously ill, that drop in your stomach is real. Health anxiety is something many parents carry, especially after the pandemic reminded us how fragile health can feel.

In this episode, I share what helped me work through that anxiety—both as a pediatrician and as a mom who’s lived it. I talk about the mindset shifts that changed everything.

On YouTube

Choosing formula can feel overwhelming, but most babies do just fine starting with a standard cow’s milk formula, whether it’s a name brand or store brand. In this video, I walk you through the different types of formulas, like gentle, sensitive, hypoallergenic, soy, goat’s milk, and more, explaining when they’re useful, what’s just marketing, and what really matters for your baby’s health. My bottom line: the best formula is the one that keeps your baby fed, growing, and comfortable, and every parent deserves to feel confident making that choice. This video includes:

• What do these formula types actually mean?

• Where to start with choosing a formula

• How to adjust formula for my baby’s needs

Ask Dr. Mona

An opportunity for YOU to ask Dr. Mona your parenting questions!

Dr. Mona will answer these questions in a future Sunday Morning Q&A email. Chances are if you have a parenting concern or question, another parent can relate. So let's figure this out together!