This chapter examines care for children with acute and –to some extent– chronic conditions. Care for children with chronic conditions is covered more extensively in Chapter Seven. Ambulatory preventive services are covered in Chapter Six.

There has been little change in the incidence of acute illness among U.S. children over the past four decades. On average, children and youth experience 2 to 3 acute illnesses in a given year, about 20 percent fewer illnesses than in 1962.^{1, 2} However, the impact of these illnesses, as measured by how many days children stay in bed due to the illness, has decreased 40 percent in the last forty years. Children receive care for acute conditions in a variety of ambulatory and inpatient settings. This chapter includes information on the conditions for which children receive care in the ambulatory and inpatient setting. It also presents indicators suggestive of opportunities to improve care for children, both in the ambulatory and inpatient settings.