Infectious Disease

The Penn State Health Children Hospital Approach to Infectious Disease Care

At Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, we help your child heal from serious or chronic infections, ranging from the simple to the complex.

Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment

We offer inpatient and outpatient treatment for infants, children, and adolescents with known or suspected infectious diseases. Symptoms of infectious diseases can manifest differently in every child, and our experts have the experience and knowledge to diagnose your child’s condition accurately.

Whether the infection or immunodeficiency is caused by a bacteria, virus, fungus or parasite, or your child was born with the disease, we can help you get the answers you need. We’re understand the unique needs of your child and are ready to support your family with knowledge and compassion as we fight infectious disease together.

International Adoptee Evaluation

Infectious disease can be carried and transmitted by people, pets, bugs, food, water, soil or by other means. If you adopt a child from an international location, you may not be aware of exposures your newest family member may have had before coming into your family. That’s where we come in – we offer infectious disease evaluations for your newly adopted child with a testing and evaluation plan specific to your child’s situation and needs.

Matches Found

Our Experts in Pediatric Infectious Disease Care

The Pediatric Infectious Disease team helps children heal from or manage serious infections. Children and their families get expert help to fight a wide range of infectious diseases and related problems.

Why Choose Penn State Health Children’s Hospital for Infectious Disease

The Pediatric Infectious Disease care team at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital is dedicated to improving children’s health. We collaborate with your primary care doctor and your referring physician to provide the best possible care for your child. We are a referral center for infectious disease in central Pennsylvania and treat children - from infants to teens - who have or may have infectious diseases. Symptoms may vary, but our experts know how to detect and treat them.

Specialized Treatment Program for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

If your child has HIV, we offer a Pediatric Comprehensive Care Program [link to page] that can help you deal with the complex medical, emotional and physical needs of living with HIV. The program is available to:

Children and teens who have or are affected by HIV
Babies who are exposed to or are at risk of HIV

We offer advanced evaluation, screening, testing and treatment for HIV and complications from the disease, counseling and social service support and referrals to community resources.

Expert, Team-Based Care Designed for You

We believe treating an infectious disease is a partnership between you, your child and our entire care team. We bring together a group of experts to ensure your child receives complete care and individual attention. Our team includes doctors who specialize in treating children with serious infections, clinical nurses, a social worker and outpatient support staff. Our team will work closely with your child’s primary care doctor and other specialists to treat and manage your child’s infectious disease.