Pediatric Infectious Diseases

About Us

The Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Weill Cornell Medicine is committed to providing comprehensive and specialized medical care to infants, children, and adolescents with acute and chronic infectious diseases. We integrate basic pediatric care services with state-of-the-art treatment to meet the challenges posed by pediatric infectious diseases. This rapidly changing field requires specialized, innovative approaches to both common infections and more serious infectious diseases.

Services & Programs

Our practice provides primary and consultative care for infants and children with illnesses known or suspected to be caused by infections with viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites, in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, as required.

Diagnosis and therapy are provided for infections in all major organ systems, including the brain and spinal cord, bloodstream, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, pancreas, intestines, kidneys and bladder, skin, joints, and bones, as well as infections that involve multiple body systems.

Patients with unusual or severe infections and patients who have infections related to abnormal or weakened immune systems, are also cared for by our Infectious Disease subspecialists. Complex immunization schedules or management of antibiotic treatments are addressed. Members of the division have expertise in the following areas:

• Asplenia associated infections
• Atypical mycobacterial diseases
• Bone, joint and soft tissue infections (including MRSA infections)
• congenital Infections (e.g. CMV, Toxoplasmosis, Zika, Syphilis)
• COVID-19
• Encephalitis
• Fever of unknown origin
• Fungal infections
• Herpes virus infections
• HIV infection and AIDS
• Infections in immunocompromised children
• Infectious mononucleosis and other EBV infections
• Kawasaki Disease
• Lyme Disease
• Meningitis
• Multidrug resistant organisms
• Periodic fevers, PFAPA
• Post-surgical infections
• Recurrent infections
• Respiratory infections, complicated pneumonia
• Sepsis in the newborn infant
• Tuberculosis
• Vaccine counseling in immunocompromised children
• Viral infections

Pediatric COVID-19 Clinic

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in severe health and social disruption for many families, including children and adolescents, around the world. Our clinic team will help evaluating children of all ages with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 infection and can provide advice and counseling on COVID-19 vaccine safety, effectiveness and risks/benefits in children

Diagnosis & Treatment

The evaluation and diagnosis of infectious diseases and related diseases relies heavily on a thorough history and physical. We will take a comprehensive health history, with special attention to past infections, symptoms, previous travel, animal exposures, and relevant family history.

Blood tests are often employed in the diagnosis of infectious diseases and can be drawn on site in our outpatient clinic.

At times, radiologic exams such as X-rays or ultrasounds are necessary, and can readily be obtained in our pediatric radiology department.

Resources

COVID-19

• Myocarditis FAQ

Government Resources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• New York State Department of Health

Vaccines

• Immunizations Info Page: American Academy of Pediatrics
• Vaccines Info Page: Department of Health and Human Services

Flu

• CDC Guide to Influenza (Flu)
• CDC Guide: Children, the Flu and the Flu Vaccine
• 8 Questions to Consider for the 2021-2022 Flu 
  
  

Tick Bites

• Ticks Info Page: CDC
• Tick Bites: MedlinePlus