Valley Fever in Children: Symptoms, Exposure, and When to Seek Care

A California family guide to coccidioidomycosis

MEDICALLY REVIEWED - APPROVED FOR WEBSITE PUBLICATION

This page is for general education only and does not replace individualized medical advice. This resource does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. For questions about your own child, contact your child's current healthcare professional.

Magnolia Pediatrics, Valley Children's Healthcare
2497 E. Herndon Avenue, Suite 101, Clovis, CA 93611 | 559-538-3070

Valley fever, also called coccidioidomycosis or cocci, is an infection caused by a fungus that lives in soil in parts of the Southwest, including areas of California. People become infected by breathing in tiny fungal spores carried in dust. It does not spread from person to person. Many infections are mild or cause no symptoms, but a longer-lasting respiratory illness deserves a clinician's attention in an area where valley fever occurs.

Urgent warning signs - check this first

Call 911 now for severe trouble breathing, blue or gray lips or face, a seizure, a child who is limp or unresponsive, or another life-threatening emergency.

Seek urgent medical evaluation now for significant breathing difficulty, chest pain with trouble breathing, confusion, inability to stay awake, dehydration, a child who looks very ill, or symptoms that are rapidly worsening.

Symptoms families may notice

Symptoms often begin 1 to 3 weeks after breathing in spores, although many children will not know of a specific dust exposure.
Possible symptoms include cough, fever, tiredness, headache, chills or night sweats, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, poor appetite, or muscle and joint aches.
Some children develop a rash. Symptoms can resemble a cold, influenza, pneumonia, or another respiratory illness, so symptoms alone cannot diagnose valley fever.
Fatigue or cough may last longer than families expect after an ordinary cold. This does not confirm valley fever, but it is a reason to tell the clinician about where the child lives, travels, and plays.

When to contact your child's healthcare professional

Cough, fever, chest discomfort, unusual fatigue, or shortness of breath is not improving, lasts longer than expected, or returns after seeming to improve.
The child has had substantial dust exposure, outdoor activity in an area where valley fever occurs, or lives in or recently traveled through such an area and then develops compatible symptoms.
The child has severe or ongoing headache, joint pain, rash, weight loss, poor appetite, or fatigue that is interfering with school, play, sleep, or usual activities.
The child has a weakened immune system, is receiving cancer treatment or long-term immune-suppressing medicine, or has another medical condition that may raise concern for a more serious infection.

How a clinician evaluates valley fever

A clinician considers the child's symptoms, examination, location and travel, and possible dust exposure. Testing may include blood tests and sometimes chest imaging or other evaluation. The right test and follow-up plan depend on the child's symptoms and medical history. Do not assume a prolonged cough is valley fever, but do mention the possibility when it is relevant.

What families can do while arranging care

Offer fluids, rest, and simple foods as tolerated. Follow your clinician's advice for fever or discomfort medicine.
Keep notes about the start of symptoms, fever pattern, cough, energy level, activities, travel, dust exposure, and medicines already tried.
Avoid sharing a diagnosis on social media or relying on a home remedy as a substitute for medical evaluation when symptoms are persistent or worsening.
Routine dust avoidance can be reasonable on very dusty days, especially for children with chronic lung disease or another condition affecting breathing, but it cannot eliminate all exposure.

Sources and medical review

Sources checked: August 15, 2026 | Medical review completed: August 15, 2026