The purpose of this chapter is to help the reader understand why children are more susceptible than adults to infections, along with the factors, both intrinsic and extrinsic, that may increase this risk even further. The challenges and differences within pediatric infectious disease surveillance are discussed. Vaccine-preventable diseases, respiratory infections, and gastrointestinal infections that have a significant impact on healthcare-associated infection rates are reviewed. The chapter emphasizes strategies for the prevention and control of spread of infectious diseases including differences seen in pediatric and adult populations. Finally, the impact of broad-spectrum antibiotic use and the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance in the pediatric population are reviewed.