Infectious Diseases
If your child has a recurring or persistent disease caused by an infectious agent such as bacteria, a fungus, a parasite, or other rare infection, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist has the experience and qualifications to help your pediatrician diagnose and treat your child. Pediatric infectious diseases specialists treat children from birth through the teen years.
Pediatric infectious diseases specialists treat a wide range of infectious and immunologic diseases such as those caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.
Other pediatric infectious diseases specialists are consulted for diseases that are complicated or atypical, including
- Illnesses that are of unclear cause, have prolonged fever, or are recurrent
- Respiratory infections
- Bone and joint infections
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
- Hepatitis
- Meningitis
Children are not just small adults. Their bodies are growing and have unique medical needs. They usually express their concerns differently than adults do. They cannot always answer medical questions, and are not always able to be patient and cooperative. Pediatric infectious diseases specialists know how to examine and treat children in a way that makes them relaxed and cooperative. They also understand the unique signs, symptoms, treatments, and outcomes/prognoses associated with infectious diseases in children, which can be quite different from those of adults with such infections.
