Why Do People Get Sick?
Quick Answer
People get sick when tiny living things like germs, bacteria, or viruses get inside the body and start causing trouble. Your body has a defense system that fights these invaders, but sometimes it takes a few days to win the battle, which is why you feel sick for a while. Washing your hands, eating healthy food, and getting enough sleep all help your body stay strong and fight off sickness.
Explaining By Age Group
Ages 3-5 Simple Explanation
You know how sometimes you wake up and your nose is all stuffy, or your tummy feels yucky? That means you're sick! Getting sick happens when tiny, tiny things called germs get inside your body. Germs are so small you can't see them, but they can make you feel pretty bad.
Germs can sneak into your body in different ways. Sometimes they float through the air when someone sneezes or coughs. Sometimes they're hiding on things you touch, like doorknobs or toys. That's why washing your hands is so important — it washes those sneaky germs right down the drain!
Your body is really good at fighting germs. You have special helpers inside your blood that attack the germs and kick them out. That's why you usually feel better after a few days — your body won the fight! Sometimes a doctor can give you medicine to help your body fight even faster.
Everyone gets sick sometimes — grown-ups, kids, even your pets! It doesn't mean you did anything wrong. The best things you can do to stay healthy are washing your hands, eating your fruits and vegetables, drinking water, and getting lots of sleep so your body stays strong.
Ages 6-8 More Detail
Getting sick is something that happens to every person on the planet, and it usually happens because of germs. Germs are tiny living things that are too small to see with just your eyes. There are different kinds of germs — viruses cause things like colds and the flu, and bacteria can cause things like ear infections and strep throat.
Germs get into your body in a few main ways. You can breathe them in when a sick person coughs or sneezes near you. You can pick them up on your hands by touching something a sick person touched, and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes. You can also get some germs from food or water that isn't clean.
Once germs get inside you, they start making copies of themselves really fast. That's when you start to feel sick. A fever means your body is heating up to try to kill the germs. A runny nose means your body is trying to flush them out. Coughing pushes germs out of your lungs. So even though feeling sick is no fun, those symptoms mean your body is fighting back!
Your body has an amazing defense system called the immune system. It's like an army inside your body that hunts down and destroys germs. White blood cells are the soldiers, and they learn to recognize different germs so they can fight them faster next time. That's why you usually only get chicken pox once — your body remembers how to beat it.
You can help your body stay strong and fight off sickness by doing some simple things every day. Wash your hands with soap and water, especially before eating and after using the bathroom. Eat fruits and vegetables that give your body the tools it needs. Get plenty of sleep so your body has time to rest and repair. And cover your coughs and sneezes so you don't pass germs to others!
Ages 9-12 Full Explanation
People get sick when harmful germs enter the body and start causing damage. The main types of germs are viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Viruses are the tiniest — they can't even survive on their own, so they invade your cells and use them to make copies of themselves. Bacteria are small single-celled organisms, and while many bacteria are actually helpful, some can cause infections. Fungi cause things like athlete's foot and ringworm.
Germs spread in several ways. Airborne spread happens when someone sneezes or coughs and tiny droplets carry germs through the air. Contact spread happens when you touch a surface that has germs on it and then touch your face. Some illnesses spread through contaminated food or water. Understanding how germs travel is the first step in knowing how to avoid them.
When germs get into your body, your immune system kicks into action. Think of it as a multilayered defense. The first layer is physical barriers like your skin and the mucus in your nose that trap invaders. If germs get past that, white blood cells detect them and start fighting. Your body might raise its temperature to create a fever, since many germs can't survive at higher temperatures. All those miserable symptoms — fever, runny nose, coughing, swollen glands — are actually signs that your body is actively fighting the infection.
One of the coolest things about your immune system is that it has a memory. After your body fights off a specific germ, certain white blood cells remember exactly what that germ looks like. If the same germ tries to invade again, your body recognizes it immediately and fights it off so fast you might not even feel sick. This is the principle behind vaccines — they teach your immune system to recognize a germ without you actually having to get sick first.
Some things weaken your immune system and make you more likely to get sick. Not getting enough sleep is a big one — your body does a lot of its repair and defense work while you're sleeping. Eating poorly, not exercising, and being really stressed can all make your defenses weaker too. On the flip side, eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, staying active, sleeping 9 to 12 hours a night, and washing your hands regularly are the best ways to keep your immune system in top shape.
It's worth noting that not all sickness is caused by germs. Allergies make you sick because your body overreacts to harmless things like pollen. Some illnesses are genetic, meaning they're passed down through families. And things like diabetes or asthma are conditions where part of the body isn't working quite right. But for the everyday colds, flu, and stomach bugs that you're most likely to get, germs are usually the cause.
Want explanations personalized for YOUR child's exact age?
Download WhyBuddy free on the App Store. Get instant, age-appropriate answers to any question your child asks.
Tips for Parents
People get sick can be a challenging topic to discuss with your child. Here are some practical tips to help guide the conversation:
DO: Follow your child's lead. Let them ask questions at their own pace rather than overwhelming them with information they haven't asked for yet. If they seem satisfied with a simple answer, that's okay — they'll come back with more questions when they're ready.
DO: Use honest, age-appropriate language. You don't need to share every detail, but avoid making up stories or deflecting. Kids can sense when you're being evasive, and honesty builds trust.
DO: Validate their feelings. Whatever emotion your child has in response to learning about people get sick, acknowledge it. Say things like 'It makes sense that you'd feel that way' or 'That's a really good question.'
DON'T: Don't dismiss their curiosity. Responses like 'You're too young for that' or 'Don't worry about it' can make children feel like their questions are wrong or shameful. If you're not ready to answer, say 'That's an important question. Let me think about the best way to explain it, and we'll talk about it tonight.'
DO: Create an ongoing dialogue. One conversation usually isn't enough. Let your child know that they can always come back to you with more questions about people get sick. This makes them more likely to come to you rather than seeking potentially unreliable sources.
Common Follow-Up Questions Kids Ask
After discussing people get sick, your child might also ask:
Why do we get sick more often in winter?
It's not actually the cold weather that makes you sick — it's that people spend more time indoors and close together in winter, making it easier for germs to spread from person to person. Also, some viruses survive better in cold, dry air.
Why can't antibiotics cure a cold?
Colds are caused by viruses, and antibiotics only work against bacteria. They're two completely different types of germs. That's why doctors won't give you antibiotics for a cold — they simply wouldn't work. Your body's immune system handles viruses on its own.
Why do I get a fever when I'm sick?
A fever is your body's way of fighting germs. When your body raises its temperature, it makes it harder for many germs to survive and multiply. It also signals your immune system to work harder. So a mild fever is actually your body doing its job.
Can you get sick from being cold or wet?
Being cold or wet alone doesn't make you sick — you need to come in contact with germs. However, being very cold for a long time can weaken your immune system a little, which might make it easier for germs that are already around to make you ill.
How long does it take to get better from being sick?
It depends on what made you sick. A common cold usually lasts about 7 to 10 days. The flu can take 1 to 2 weeks. Stomach bugs often pass in 1 to 3 days. Your body needs time to find and destroy all the germs, so rest and fluids help speed things up.
You Might Also Want to Explain
Want explanations personalized for YOUR child's exact age?
Download WhyBuddy free on the App Store. Get instant, age-appropriate answers to any question your child asks.