Most Common Infections Kids Pick Up at School

Your child comes home from school with a mysterious rash, a persistent cough, or worse—an itchy scalp. Sound familiar? Schools bring together hundreds of kids in close quarters, creating the perfect breeding ground for various infections. While you can’t wrap your little ones in bubble wrap, you can arm yourself with knowledge about the most common culprits.

Here’s your survival guide to the infections that love making the rounds in classrooms everywhere.

The Common Cold: The Ultimate Classroom Regular

The common cold wins the prize for the most common infection kids pick up at school. Kids catch colds six to eight times per year on average, and schools provide the ideal transmission highway. Runny noses, sneezing, and coughing spread those pesky rhinoviruses faster than gossip at a PTA meeting.

Your child will likely bring home this unwelcome guest multiple times throughout the school year. Stock up on tissues, encourage frequent hand washing, and remember that most colds resolve on their own within 10 days.

Head Lice: The Itchy Truth About These Unwanted Visitors

Though not considered an infection, head lice strike fear into the hearts of parents everywhere just the same as the others on this list. The good news is that these tiny insects aren’t actually dangerous—just incredibly annoying. Lice spread through direct head-to-head contact, making schools prime real estate for these unwelcome tenants.

Contrary to popular belief, lice prefer clean hair and have nothing to do with poor hygiene. They can’t jump or fly, but they crawl quickly from one head to another, even from sharing lockers at school.

Watch for persistent scratching, especially behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. If you spot tiny white or brown specks that don’t brush out easily, it’s time for a closer inspection. Thankfully, lice treatments work effectively, though they require patience and thoroughness.

Stomach Bugs: When Tummies Turn Troublesome

Norovirus and other stomach viruses love school environments. These infections spread through contaminated surfaces, shared snacks, and the inevitable poor hand hygiene that comes with excited kids focused on everything except washing their hands.

Stomach bugs typically announce themselves with sudden nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The silver lining? Most stomach viruses run their course within 24 to 48 hours. Keep your child hydrated and away from school until they’ve been symptom-free for 24 hours.

Pink Eye: More Than Just a Pretty Name

Conjunctivitis, commonly called pink eye, spreads easily in school settings. Kids touch their faces constantly, then touch everything else, making pink eye particularly contagious in classroom environments.

Bacterial pink eye requires antibiotic drops, while viral pink eye clears up on its own. Both types cause redness, discharge, and that telltale crusty morning wake-up that makes eyes difficult to open. Schools often require a doctor’s note before allowing kids to return, so plan accordingly.

Strep Throat: The Sneaky Sore Throat

Not every sore throat signals strep, but this bacterial infection loves making rounds through classrooms. Strep throat causes severe throat pain, fever, and sometimes a distinctive rash. Unlike viral sore throats, strep requires antibiotic treatment.

The tricky part? Kids can carry strep bacteria without showing symptoms, unknowingly spreading it to classmates. If your child complains of throat pain accompanied by fever, schedule a doctor’s visit for a quick strep test.

Building Your Defense Strategy

You can’t eliminate all infection risks, but you can stack the odds in your favor. Teach proper handwashing techniques, encourage kids not to share drinks or utensils, and maintain good nutrition and sleep habits to support strong immune systems.