Fevers
Mild fevers help the body to kill the germs and dont need treating . If the temp goes above 40c or 100f , then take the clothes off , give paracetamol or ibuprofen syrup , and start a fan . If the child looks ill and listless and not eating call the doctor .

Coughs and Colds , sore throats and earaches
Most are due to viruses and will settle in a day or two. If there is high fever , severe pain or it lasts more than a few days take to the doctor . It is likely to have become a bacterial infection and antibiotics may need to be given. Children do not get 'immune' to antibiotics and many with chronic have been on daily antibiotics for years at at time without any ill effects .

Vomiting and diarrhoea
This also is often due to a stomach virus called rotavirus and short lasting . Give orange juice etc. A useful remedy is to boil together two pints of water ( one litre) , eight teaspoons of sugar and one teaspoonful of salt and let the child drink this after it has cooled down. It doesnt do any harm to go without solid food for a day or so , half strength milk can then be tried. If the child looks ill , pinch up a bit of the skin over the stomach , if it stays pinched up phone the doctor as the child may be becoming dehydrated .

Tummy pains
If the child is running round its not likely to be serious . However vomiting , loss of appetite and so much pain that the child is doubled up and has a coated tongue and wont let anyone touch his tummy suggests appendictis and needs hospital advice.

Many cases of headaches and tummy pains are often due to stress and most children grow out of them , but do seek medical advice.

Meninigitis
This is quite rare .
Children often look very ill , lie listlessly , complain of headache and cannot tolerate the light . The neck may be quite stiff and the child wont put the head on the chest. A bluish rash can come which when pressed with the finger of the hand does not fade . The condition needs antibiotics and hospital admission at once .

Measles ( Rubeola)
Becoming very rare and hardly seen nowadays .The child is ill with high fever and has a confluent red rash

Its a virus so treatment is for any secondary bacterial infection.

Rubella (german measles)
Again becoming very rare due to the MMR ( Measles , mumps , rubella ) vaccine . The child is less ill and the rash is less red and angry looking
. Most women are immunised as teenagers against Rubella and dont need to worry if they are pregnant and come in contact with rubella .

Chickenpox
Tiny red spots which become pus filled .
Calamine lotion helps . If they get infected with surrounding redness antibiotics are useful .