Adenovirus (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth

Adenoviruses are a group of viruses that can cause infections. Adenovirus (add-eh-noe-VY-rus) infections can happen in kids of any age, but are more common ... [SkiptoContent] FindcareatNemoursChildren'sHealthDoctorsLocations SharetoFacebook SharetoTwitter SharetoPinterest KidsHealth/ Parents/ Adenovirus Adenovirus Reviewedby:MelanieL.Pitone,MD PrimaryCarePediatricsatNemoursChildren'sHealth Listen Play Stop   Volume   mp3 Settings ClosePlayer LargertextsizeLargetextsizeRegulartextsize Print enespañol Adenovirus WhatAreAdenoviruses? Adenovirusesareagroupofvirusesthatcancauseinfections. Adenovirus(add-eh-noe-VY-rus)infectionscanhappeninkidsofanyage,butaremorecommoninbabiesandyoungchildren.Mostkidshavehadatleastoneadenovirusinfectionbeforeage10. Therearemanydifferenttypesofadenoviruses,sopeoplecangetinfectedmorethanonce.Thesevirusesdon’thavea“season”likeotherviruses(theflu,forexample),soinfectionscanhappenatanytimeoftheyear. WhatIllnessesDoAdenovirusesCauseinKids? Adenovirusesarecommoncausesoffeverandillnessessuchas: colds pinkeye croup bronchiolitis pneumonia gastroenteritis bladderinfection meningitis and encephalitis Mostinfectionsaremild,butseriousinfectionscanhappen,especiallyininfantsandpeoplewithweakimmunesystems.Sometypesofthevirusarelinkedtomoreseveredisease. WhatAretheSigns&SymptomsofAdenovirus? Thesymptomsofadenovirusinfectionsdependonthetypeofadenovirusandthepartofthebodyaffected.Symptomssimilartoacommoncoldhappenmostoften,suchasafever, sorethroat; acongested,runnynose;anda cough. Adenovirusescanalsocause: eyerednessandpain diarrhea vomiting bellypain frequentpeeing,burningpainwhilepeeing,bloodintheurine headache IsAdenovirusContagious? Adenovirusishighlycontagious.Infectionsarecommoninclose-contactsettings,suchaschildcarecenters,schools,hospitals,andsummercamps. Adenoviruscanspreadthroughdropletswhensomeonewithaninfectioncoughsorsneezes.Fecalmaterial(poop)canspreadtheinfectionviacontaminatedwater,dirtydiapers,andpoorhandwashing.Outbreaksofadenovirusatsummercampsarelinkedtocontaminatedwaterinswimmingpoolsandlakes. Achildmightalsopickupthevirusbytouchingsomeonewhohasit.Adenovirusescansurviveonsurfacesforalongtime.Sotheycanspreadoncontaminatedtoys,towels,andotherobjects. Symptomsusuallystart2daysto2weeksaftercontactwithadenovirus. HowAreAdenovirusInfectionsDiagnosed? Adenovirusinfectionsymptomsarealotlikethosecausedbyotherinfections.Usually,testsaren’tneededifsomeonehasmildsymptoms.Butifapersonhasaseriousinfection,doctorscantestrespiratoryorconjunctival(eye)secretions,astoolsample,orabloodorurinesampletoconfirmthediagnosis. Doctorswillalsotestforadenovirusduringsuspectedoutbreaks.(Anoutbreakiswhenmanypeoplecomedownwiththesamesymptoms.) HowAreAdenovirusInfectionsTreated? Mostadenovirusinfectionsgetbetterwithtreatmentathome,including: gettingplentyofrest drinkingenoughliquids givingacetaminopheniffeversaremakingyourchilduncomfortable  usingahumidifierorsaltwaternosedropstohelpkidswithcongestion Babiesandchildrenwithvomitinganddiarrheawhocan'tdrinkenoughliquidsmayneedtreatmentfordehydration. Infants(especiallynewbornsandprematurebabies),peoplewithweakimmunesystems,andhealthychildrenandadultswithsevereadenovirusinfectionsmayneedantiviralmedicineandtreatmentinahospitalthatcouldincludeIVfluids,oxygen,andbreathingtreatments. HowLongDoAdenovirusInfectionsLast? Mostadenovirusinfectionslastfromafewdaystoaweekortwo.Severeinfectionsmaylastlongerandcauselingeringsymptoms,suchasacough. CanAdenovirusInfectionsBePrevented? Tohelppreventthespreadofadenovirusinfections,parentsandothercaregiversshould: makesurekidsandcaregiverswashtheirhandswellandoften keepsharedsurfaces(suchascountertopsandtoys)clean keepkidswithinfectionsoutofdaycareandschooluntilsymptomsaregone teachkidstosneezeandcoughintoshirtsleevesortissues—nottheirhands WhenShouldICalltheDoctor? Callyourdoctorifyourchildissickand: hasahighfeveroronethatlastsmorethanafewdays hasbreathingproblems isunder3monthsoldorhasaweakimmunesystem hasredeyes,eyepain,orachangeinvision hasseverediarrhea,vomiting,orsignsofdehydration,suchaspeeinglessorhavingfewerwetdiapers,adrymouth,sunkeneyes,actingtiredandlistless Youknowyourchildbest.Iftheyseemveryill,callyourdoctorrightaway. Reviewedby:MelanieL.Pitone,MD Datereviewed:April2022 Moreonthistopicfor: Parents Kids Teens FightingGerms FirstAid:Pinkeye Pinkeye(Conjunctivitis) HandWashing:WhyIt'sSoImportant RecurrentUrinaryTractInfectionsandRelatedConditions WhatIsanEarInfection? Pinkeye UrinaryTractInfections Pinkeye(Conjunctivitis) HandWashing:WhyIt'sSoImportant Viewmore /content/kidshealth/misc/medicalcodes/parents/articles/adenovirus