Viral infections are caused by viruses, which are a type of germ. Kids with a viral infection may have a fever, stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, cough, ear pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. 

Kids can feel pretty sick from a viral infection, but most start to feel better in a few days.

• Follow your health care provider's instructions for giving any prescribed medicines.
• Give acetaminophen (Tylenol® or a store brand) or ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand) for fever, sore throat, or body aches. Read the package label and follow the instructions on how much to give and how often to give it.
• Do not give ibuprofen to babies under 6 months old.
• Do not give aspirin to your child or teen, as it has been linked to a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome.
• Do not give cough or cold medicines to children under 6 years old because they can cause bad reactions. Only give these medicines to children over 6 years old if your health care provider says it's OK.
• Let your child rest as needed.
• Offer your child plenty of liquids. Babies can continue to breastfeed or take formula. 
• To soothe your child's cough:
  • Run a cool-mist humidifier in your child's bedroom. Clean after each use.
  • If your child is older than 12 months, it's OK to give 1–2 teaspoons of honey at night. If your child is under 12 months old, do not give honey.
• To help with a runny or stuffy nose:
  • Run a cool-mist humidifier in your child's bedroom. Clean after each use.
  • For babies: Put a few drops of saline (saltwater) into the nose, then gently suction the mucus out with a bulb syringe. Do this no more than 2–3 times a day so that the inside of your baby's nose does not get swollen or sore.
  • For older kids: Give 2 sprays of saline nose spray 3 times a day.
• Your child can return to school and activities when they:
  • feel better
  and
  • haven't had a fever for 24 hours without using a fever-reducing medicine (like acetaminophen or ibuprofen). Some kids may need to stay home longer. Check with your health care provider if you're not sure if your child is ready to return to school and activities.

Your child:

• has symptoms that are getting worse (such as a cough or headache)
• has new symptoms (such as ear pain)
• does not feel better in 3–4 days or is getting sicker
• has a fever that returns after being fever-free for 24 hours
• appears dehydrated; signs include dizziness, drowsiness, a dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, crying with few or no tears, or peeing less often/having fewer wet diapers

Your child:

• has trouble breathing. Signs include fast breathing, the muscles pulling in between the ribs, or the nose puffing out with each breath.
• gets a stiff neck
• seems very sleepy or confused

How do viral infections spread? Viruses spread from person to person. They can spread when a person with an infection coughs and/or sneezes the virus into the air and someone else breathes it in. They also can spread when someone touches the virus on another person or a hard surface (such as a doorknob), and then touches their own eyes, nose, or mouth. 

To help reduce the spread of viruses, teach kids to:

• Sneeze into a tissue, if possible, then throw the tissue away and wash their hands well. If a tissue is not available, they should sneeze into their upper sleeve or inner elbow, not their hands.
• Wash hands well and often with soap and water and scrub for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important after coughing or sneezing, or after having a bowel movement. If soap and water are not available, they can use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

During the coronavirus pandemic, experts found that wearing masks can help protect the community from the spread of germs.

Is there treatment for a viral infection? Antiviral medicines are available to treat some types of viruses. Antibiotics can’t treat a viral infection because they only work against bacteria, not viruses.

Should my child still get the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine? Yes, all children ages 6 months and up should still get both the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine.