A viral illness families dread is making the rounds.

Doctor Amy Lacroix in Midtown says Gastroenteritis occurs when the lining of the stomach becomes irritated. Children have vomiting, diarrhea, and possibly a fever.

Offer sips of Pedialyte to children under one. Sips of water are okay for older children. Do not try to feed children until they've gone at least six hours without vomiting. When they're ready to eat make sure it's something bland like toast, crackers, rice, or bananas.

In Papillion, all the recent near-drownings are prompting Doctor Carey Ertz to discuss water safety.

Never let children swim alone or without adult supervision. Make sure that adult can swim and knows CPR.

Teach your child to swim once he's ready, usually around age five.

Always wear a life jacket when boating or fishing. Inflatable tubes or water wings are not substitutes.

Only dive in designated areas, and do not run around the pool or deck.

If your home has a pool, a fence must be placed around it to prevent children from wandering or falling in, and don't forget to keep rescue equipment nearby.

In Bellevue, Doctor Steven Sindelar is treating a lot of Swimmer's Ear.

The main symptom is one-sided ear pain. There's no fever, but there is a history of recent swimming. Typically, parents can pull on the outer ear or press on the back of the ear and it will cause pain. Occasionally, there's redness, slight swelling, or even a white colored discharge.

Some families use over the counter drops, but Doctor Sindelar says they're not always effective.

Doctors can prescribe an antibiotic steroid drop to clear up the infection. It's used for five days, and there is no swimming during that time.

If a child has frequent swimmer's ear, parents can give their child three tiny drops of rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, or a 50/50 solution of the two in the child's ear before and after swimming.

The solution helps water evaporate and can help bad bacteria from growing.