# Childhood Illnesses: Symptoms & When to Worry (NHS-Sourced) | Clever Mum

> A quick-reference guide to 8 common childhood illnesses — croup, hand-foot-mouth disease, ear infections, chickenpox, tonsillitis, conjunctivitis

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# Common childhood illnesses

 
A quick-reference guide to 8 common childhood illnesses — croup, hand-foot-mouth disease, ear infections, chickenpox, tonsillitis, conjunctivitis, bronchiolitis and slapped cheek syndrome. Symptoms, home care and when to worry, sourced from the NHS.

    
 
Quick answer — How do I know if my child's illness needs urgent care? 

 

Most common childhood illnesses — colds, mild coughs, average temperatures — settle at home with
        rest, fluids and paracetamol or ibuprofen if needed. A smaller number, including croup,
        tonsillitis and bronchiolitis, have genuine NHS "call 999" red flags around breathing difficulty
        or unresponsiveness. If you're ever seriously worried about your child, trust that instinct and
        call NHS 111 or 999 rather than waiting.

    [    Croup  Mainly babies and young children 
Has 999 red flags
  ](/health/childhood-illnesses/croup/)[ 
       Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease  A common childhood illness — can affect adults too   ](/health/childhood-illnesses/hand-foot-and-mouth-disease/)[        Ear Infections (Otitis Media)  Very common in children, especially under 12 months   ](/health/childhood-illnesses/ear-infections/)[        Chickenpox  Mostly affects children   ](/health/childhood-illnesses/chickenpox/)[        Tonsillitis  A common childhood illness — teenagers and adults can get it too 
Has 999 red flags
  ](/health/childhood-illnesses/tonsillitis/)[        Conjunctivitis  Common at any age; babies under 30 days need urgent review   ](/health/childhood-illnesses/conjunctivitis/)[    Bronchiolitis  Babies and children under 2 
Has 999 red flags
  ](/health/childhood-illnesses/bronchiolitis/)[        Slapped Cheek Syndrome  Common in children; rarer but can be more serious in adults   ](/health/childhood-illnesses/slapped-cheek-syndrome/)  
This is general information sourced from NHS.uk condition pages, not medical advice or a
      diagnostic tool. If you're worried about your child, contact your GP, call NHS 111, or in an
      emergency call 999 — don't rely on this page instead.