{"id":465468,"date":"2025-12-23T00:32:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T00:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/465468\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T00:32:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T00:32:16","slug":"why-kids-are-getting-sick-outside-the-usual-season-what-parents-should-expect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/465468\/","title":{"rendered":"Why kids are getting sick outside the usual season & what parents should expect"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN ANTONIO<\/strong> \u2013 Pediatric doctors in San Antonio say 2025 brought a familiar post-COVID pattern: more childhood viruses emerging outside their usual seasons and some infections hitting harder than they used to.<\/p>\n

Dr. Mandie Tibble-Svatek, a pediatric hospitalist with University Health and UT Health San Antonio, said hospitals are seeing respiratory illnesses pop up at unexpected times of the year, keeping medical teams on guard for kids who need support.<\/p>\n

\u201cViruses such as like rhinovirus, enterovirus, even adenovirus, parainfluenza, and the flu have popped up during different times of the year,\u201d Tibble-Svatek said.<\/p>\n

That means parents may see the usual winter illnesses even in the summer months.<\/p>\n

Doctors are also still seeing plenty of respiratory illnesses, especially in the youngest patients.<\/p>\n

But one of the biggest trends Tibble-Svatek pointed to was Group A strep.<\/p>\n

Group A strep is best known as the bacterium that causes strep throat.<\/p>\n

But Tibble-Svatek said in the post-COVID period, doctors have seen cases become more aggressive, including infections that can lead to pneumonia and more severe complications.<\/p>\n

She also flagged orbital cellulitis, a serious infection of the tissues around the eye that can threaten vision if left untreated.<\/p>\n

Tibble-Svatek said the reason traces back to the pandemic because kids weren\u2019t getting exposed to all these viruses while isolating.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne, lack of immunity,\u201d she said. \u201cTwo is that the more virulent strains, the more aggressive strains, decided to hang out during this time period post-COVID.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also said more aggressive strains appear to be circulating, contributing to more severe illness in some children.<\/p>\n

What parents can expect in 2026<\/b><\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Tibble-Svatek said the winter months are still likely to bring a spike in cases, and it\u2019s hard to predict whether viruses will return to a normal seasonal rhythm in spring and summer.<\/p>\n

She said families should plan for continued waves of respiratory illness and keep an eye on strep symptoms that seem to escalate quickly.<\/p>\n

How parents can protect their children<\/b><\/p>\n

Doctors recommend families talk with their pediatrician about protection, including vaccines that reduce the risk of hospitalization.<\/p>\n

Tibble-Svatek emphasized that the flu vaccine can help prevent severe illness and hospitalization, even if it doesn\u2019t prevent every infection. She also encouraged parents to ask their doctor about RSV protection for eligible infants.<\/p>\n

When to go to the ER<\/b><\/p>\n

Tibble-Svatek said parents should seek medical care if a child is:<\/p>\n