When kids get sick, most of the time, viruses or bacteria cause their infections. While viral and bacterial infections can have similar symptoms, such as coughing, sore throat and fever, one big difference between the two is how they are treated.
In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Mayo Clinic's Children's Center, explains the differences between the two infections and why antibiotics won't help and why they may even hurt if taken to treat viral infections.
The most common circulating viruses for the fall and winter, such as colds and flus, rely on the immune system to fight them off. So don't expect your health care professional to prescribe an antibiotic.
