Patient information · Paediatrics
Viral infections in children
what helps, and what to watch for
Your child has been diagnosed with a viral infection. These are extremely common — most children have several a year — and they get better on their own. Your job at home is to keep your child comfortable and hydrated, and to know the handful of signs that mean they need seeing again.
Bring your child back or call 999 if they
- develop a rash that does not fade when you press a glass firmly against it;
- become drowsy, very difficult to wake, floppy or unusually irritable;
- are breathing fast, working hard to breathe, grunting, or sucking in below the ribs;
- stop drinking or feeding, or have far fewer wet nappies than usual;
- have a fit or seizure;
- have a temperature lasting more than five days, or are getting worse rather than better;
- have skin that looks pale, blue, grey or blotchy.
Trust your judgement — you know your child. If they seem more unwell than the illness explains, seek help rather than waiting. Tower Bridge Hospital London is not an emergency service. The nearest emergency department is the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel Road, London E1 1FR.
Why antibiotics have not been prescribed
Antibiotics kill bacteria. They have no effect at all on viruses, so they will not shorten your child's illness or bring the temperature down any sooner. Giving them unnecessarily causes side effects such as diarrhoea and rash, and makes antibiotics less likely to work when your child genuinely needs them one day.
Most viral illnesses in children improve within a few days, though a cough or runny nose can linger for two to three weeks afterwards. That trailing cough is not a sign that something was missed.
Looking after your child at home
Do
- Offer drinks little and often — fluids matter far more than food.
- Let them rest and sleep as much as they want.
- Give paracetamol or ibuprofen if they are distressed or uncomfortable, at the dose on the packet for their age and weight.
- Check on them during the night.
- Keep them off nursery or school while they are feverish and unwell.
Do not
- Do not worry about them eating very little for a few days.
- Do not sponge them with cool water or undress them to cool down.
- Do not give both paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time — use one, and only try the other if the first has not helped.
- Do not give aspirin to any child under 16.
- Do not use cough and cold remedies in children under six.
Watch for dehydration
A dry mouth or tongue, no tears when crying, sunken eyes, a sunken soft spot on a baby's head, fewer wet nappies, dark urine or unusual sleepiness all suggest your child needs more fluid. Small sips or spoonfuls every few minutes work better than asking them to drink a whole cup. Breast milk is ideal if you are breastfeeding.
What to expect day by day. Temperature and misery are usually worst in the first two to three days, then settle. Improvement is rarely a straight line — children often perk up in the afternoon and dip again in the evening. What matters is the overall direction of travel over a couple of days, not any single hour.
Book an appointment with us if
- the fever lasts more than five days;
- your child is no better after a week, or is getting worse;
- new symptoms appear — ear pain, a sore throat with difficulty swallowing, a rash, or a cough that is worsening;
- your child has an underlying condition, or you would simply like them examined.
We see children seven days a week, usually the same day, with unhurried appointments and a written summary to take away.
Stopping it spreading
- Wash hands often, especially after wiping noses and before preparing food.
- Catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue, throw it away, then wash hands.
- Do not share cups, cutlery, flannels or towels while anyone is unwell.
- Keep your child away from newborn babies, pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system while they are infectious.
Seen today, not next week
Same-day appointments most days, seven days a week, 9am–7pm, on Whitechapel Road.
Tower Bridge Hospital London
97–99 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1DT
WhatsApp 07903 284 189
info@mhwclinic.co.uk
Open Mon–Sat, 9am–7pm (closed Sundays until September)
In an emergency
Call 999, or go to the Royal London Hospital Emergency Department, Whitechapel Road, London E1 1FR.
When we are closed and it is not an emergency
Call NHS 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk.
Also able to advise
Your own GP · Your local pharmacist