How long with a fever before going to doctor child
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- An abnormal high body temperature
- Fever is the only symptom. Your child has a true fever if:
- Rectal (Bottom), Ear or Forehead temperature: 100.4° F (38.0° C) or higher
- Oral (Mouth) temperature: 100° F (37.8° C) or higher
- Under the arm (Armpit) temperature: 99° F (37.2° C) or higher
- Caution: Ear temperatures are not accurate before 6 months of age
- Caution: Forehead temperatures must be digital. Forehead strips are not accurate.
Causes of Fever
- Overview. Almost all fevers are caused by a new infection. Viruses cause 10 times more infections than bacteria. The number of germs that cause an infection are in the hundreds. Only a few common ones will be listed.
- Viral Infections. Colds, flu and other viral infections are the most common cause. Fever may be the only symptom for the first 24 hours. The start of viral symptoms (runny nose, cough, loose stools) is often delayed. Roseola is the most extreme example. Fever may be the only symptom for 3 to 5 days. Then a rash appears.
- Bacterial Infections. A bladder infection is the most common cause of silent fever in girls.
- Sinus Infection. This is a problem caused by a cold. The main symptom is the return of fever after it has been gone for a few days. The sinus congestion also changes to sinus pain. Color of nasal discharge is not very helpful for making this diagnosis.
- Vaccine Fever. Fever with most vaccines begins within 12 hours. It lasts 2 to 3 days. This is normal and harmless. It means the vaccine is working.
- Newborn Fever (Serious). Fever that occurs during the first 3 months of life can be serious.
All of these babies need to be seen as soon as possible. The fever may be due to sepsis (a bloodstream infection). Bacterial infections in this age group can get worse quickly. They need rapid treatment. - Meningitis (Very Serious). A bacterial infection of the membrane that covers the spinal cord and brain. The main symptoms are a stiff neck, headache and confusion. Younger children are lethargic or so irritable that they can't be consoled. If not treated early, can suffer brain damage.
- Overheated. The fever is usually low grade. Can occur during heat waves or from being overdressed. The temp becomes normal in a few hours after moving to a cooler place. Can also occur during hard exercise. Fever goes away quickly with rest and drinking extra fluids.
- Not Due to Teething. Research shows that "getting teeth" does not cause fevers.
Fever and Crying
- Fever on its own shouldn't cause much crying.
- Frequent crying in a child with fever is caused by pain until proven otherwise.
- Hidden causes can be ear infections, kidney infections, sore throats and meningitis.
Roseola: Classic Cause of Unexplained Fever in Young Children
- Most children get Roseola between 6 months and 3 years of age.
- Cause: human herpes virus 6
- Rash: pink, small, flat spots on the chest and stomach. Rash is the same on both sides of the body.
- Then spreads to the face.
- Classic feature: 2 or 3 days of high fever without a rash or other symptoms.
- The rash starts 12 to 24 hours after the fever goes away.
- The rash lasts 1 to 3 days.
- By the time the rash appears, the child feels fine.
Normal Temperature Range
- Rectal. A reading of 98.6° F (37° C) is just the average rectal temp. A normal low can be 96.8° F (36° C) in the morning. It can change to a high of 100.3° F (37.9° C) late in the day.
This is a normal range. - By mouth. A reading of 97.6° F (36.5° C) is just the average mouth temp. A normal low can be 95.8° F (35.5° C) in the morning. It can change to a high of 99.9° F (37.7° C) late in the day. This is a normal range.
Call 911 Now
- Not moving or too weak to stand
- Can't wake up
- Severe trouble breathing (struggling for each breath; can barely speak or cry)
- Purple or blood-colored spots or dots on skin
- You think your child has a life-threatening emergency
Go to ER Now
- Stiff neck (can't touch chin to the chest)
- Age less than 1 year and soft spot bulging or swollen
- Hard to wake up
- Had a seizure with the fever
- Not alert when awake ("out of it")
- Acts or talks confused
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
- Trouble breathing, but not severe
- Great trouble swallowing fluids or spit
- Fever in baby less than 12 weeks old. Caution: do NOT give your baby any fever medicine before being seen.
- Fever over 104° F (40° C)
- Shaking chills (shivering) lasting more than 30 minutes
- Nonstop crying or cries when touched or moved
- Won't move an arm or leg normally
- Dehydration suspected. No urine in more than 8 hours, dark urine, very dry mouth and no tears.
- Pain or burning when passing urine
- Weak immune system. Examples are: sickle cell disease, HIV, cancer, organ transplant, taking oral steroids.
- Your child looks or acts very sick
- You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent
Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
- Age 3-6 months old with fever
- Age 6-24 months old with fever that lasts more than 24 hours. There are no other symptoms (such as cough or diarrhea).
- Fever lasts more than 3 days
- Fever returns after being gone more than 24 hours
- Recent travel outside the country to high risk area
- You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
- You have other questions or concerns
Self Care at Home
- Fever with no other symptoms and your child acts mildly ill
Care Advice for Fever
- What You Should Know About Fever:
- Having a fever means your child has a new infection.
- It's most likely caused by a virus.
- You may not know the cause of the fever until other symptoms develop. This may take 24 hours.
- Most fevers are good for sick children. They help the body fight infection.
- Use the ranges below to help put your child's level of fever into perspective:
- 100° - 102° F (37.8° - 39° C) Low grade fever: helpful, good range. Don't treat.
- 102° - 104° F (39 - 40° C) Average fever: helpful. Treat if causes discomfort.
- Over 104° F (40° C) High fever: causes discomfort, but harmless. Always treat.
- Over 106° F (41.1° C) Very high fever: important to bring it down. Rare to go this high.
- Over 108° F (42.3° C) Dangerous fever: fever itself can be harmful.
- Having a fever means your child has a new infection.
- Treatment for All Fevers - Extra Fluids
- Fluids alone can lower the fever. Reason: being well-hydrated helps the body give off heat through the skin.
- Offer your child extra water or other fluids by mouth.
Cold fluids are better. Until 6 months old, only give extra formula or breastmilk. - For all children, dress in 1 layer of light weight clothing, unless shivering. Reason: also helps heat loss from the skin.
- For shivering (or the chills), give your child a blanket. Make them comfortable.
- Caution: if a baby under 1 year has a fever, never overdress or bundle up. Reason: babies can get over-heated more easily than older children.
- Fever Medicine:
- For fevers 100°-102° F (37.8° - 39°C), fever meds are not needed. Reason: fevers in this range help the body fight the infection. Fevers turn on the body's immune system. Fevers do not cause any discomfort.
- Fever meds are mainly needed for fevers higher than 102° F (39° C).
- Give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
- Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
- Goal of treatment: keep the fever at a helpful level. Most often, the fever meds lower the fever by 2° to 3° F (1 - 1.
5° C). They do not bring it down to normal. It takes 1 or 2 hours to see the effect. - Do not use aspirin. Reason: risk of Reye syndrome, a rare but serious brain disease.
- Do not use both acetaminophen and ibuprofen together. Reason: not needed and a risk of giving too much.
- Pain: fever does not cause pain. If your child also has pain, it's from the infection. It may be a sore throat or muscle pain. Treat the pain, if it's more than mild.
- Sponging with Lukewarm Water:
- Note: sponging is an option for high fevers, but not required. It is rarely needed.
- When to Use: fever above 104° F (40° C) AND doesn't come down with fever meds. Always give the fever medicine at least an hour to work before sponging.
- How to Sponge: use lukewarm water (85 - 90° F) (29.4 - 32.2° C). Sponge for 20-30 minutes.
- If your child shivers or becomes cold, stop sponging. Other option: you can also make the water warmer.
- Caution: do not use rubbing alcohol.
Reason: can cause a coma.
- Return to School:
- Your child can return to school after the fever is gone. Your child should feel well enough to join in normal activities.
- What to Expect:
- Most fevers with viral illnesses range between 101° and 104° F (38.4° and 40° C).
- They may last for 2 or 3 days.
- They are not harmful.
- Call Your Doctor If:
- Your child looks or acts very sick
- Any serious symptoms occur such as trouble breathing
- Fever goes above 104° F (40° C)
- Any fever occurs if less than 12 weeks old
- Fever without other symptoms lasts more than 24 hours (if age less than 2 years)
- Fever lasts more than 3 days (72 hours)
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Copyright 2000-2023. Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC.
Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only.
You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.
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When to Call the Doctor for Your Child’s Fever
Categories:
Health and Safety Tips, Essential Care
Nervous about your child’s fever? Here’s what you need to know.
By Katie Sweeney
What should you do if your child has a fever? When should you call the doctor? And how is fever related to COVID-19 and a new, rare condition in kids called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)?
Christopher Tolcher, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician with Agoura-West Valley Pediatrics—part of the CHLA Health Network—shares the facts on fever and what parents need to know.
What counts as a fever?
A normal body temperature for a child ranges from 97 to 100 degrees, with an average of around 98.6 F. When a person’s temperature reaches 100.4 or above, it’s a fever. (With an oral thermometer, anything over 99.5 is considered a fever.)
Fever is good
Fevers are common in children. And while a fever is never fun, in most cases it’s nothing to fear.
It’s part of the body’s way of fighting an infection.
“Fever helps the immune system,” Dr. Tolcher explains. “It slows down the spread of viruses and bacteria. It helps the body make more antibodies and chemicals that fight the infection, and it helps the immune system’s cells move around better in the body.”
How high is too high?
“Fevers are almost never dangerous, with the exception of ‘hyperthermia’, or a high body temperature from the body’s being unable to cool off in a very hot environment,” he says. “A fever has to reach 107 to cause damage to tissues. That’s extremely rare.”
That said, if your child’s fever reaches 105, call your doctor. “It doesn’t mean the child is in danger,” he adds, “but the child should be checked by the doctor that day to see what’s going on.”
When to call the doctor
Call your child’s doctor right away for:
- A fever that lasts more than four to five days
- A fever (over 100.4) in a newborn younger than 2 months old
- If you can’t reach your doctor, go to the emergency department.
- A fever of 105 or higher in a child of any age, including teens
- A fever in an infant (less than a year old) over 102 for more than two days—without a clear reason for the fever
If your child has a fever AND any of the following signs, call your doctor right away or go to the emergency department:
- Widespread, red or purple rash
- Stiff neck and bad headache
- Severe pain, including bad abdominal pain
- Shortness of breath
- Extreme weakness or altered mental state
- Dehydration (diapers are dry, child is not peeing much and urine is very dark)
Fever and seizures
Children under 5 can sometimes have a seizure during a fever. “Seizures are scary as heck to watch, but most of the time, you don’t need to go to the ER,” Dr. Tolcher says.
- If your child has a seizure that lasts less than two minutes, call your doctor.
- If a seizure lasts more than four to five minutes, call 911.
COVID-19, MIS-C and Kawasaki disease
- COVID-19. In children, COVID-19 symptoms can be similar to colds and flu and can include fever, runny nose and cough, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. If you think your child might have COVID-19, call your doctor.
- MIS-C. MIS-C is a new health condition seen in some children who have been infected with the novel coronavirus and recovered—but later had an immune response that caused high levels of inflammation in their body. The symptoms are very similar to Kawasaki disease. MIS-C and Kawasaki disease are not contagious, but can be life-threatening.
Call your doctor if your child has any fever for more than four or five days. Also call your doctor if your child has a high fever AND any of the following: cracked red lips, red tongue, red eyes, swollen hands and feet, rash, abdominal pain or enlarged lymph nodes.
“I want to reassure parents that MIS-C is rare,” he adds. “We need to watch for it, but don’t freak out.
”
Tips for treating a fever
- Treat the child, not the number. “Focus on how the child is doing, not the number on the thermometer,” Dr. Tolcher says. “If the fever is 100.5, but the child is crying from a headache or earache, give a pain reliever. But if they have a 104 and aren’t that bad, just give them fluids and keep them comfortable.”
- Don’t over-bundle. Too many layers and heavy blankets will raise the fever higher—and make your child more miserable. The child should dress comfortably. Lightweight pajamas and light blankets are fine.
- Give plenty of fluids. “The body burns through water a lot faster when it has a fever, which is why extra fluids are important,” Dr. Tolcher explains. “You don’t want your child to get dehydrated.”
Tip: Watch how much your child is peeing. If your child’s urine is dark, or your child is not peeing as often as normal, give more fluids. Good options: water, clear soups, electrolyte solution or popsicles.
- Focus on comfort. “You don’t have to get the fever down to 98.6,” Dr. Tolcher says. “If a child has a 104 and a lot of body aches, giving one medicine will bring it down two or three degrees. That’s enough. You just want to make the child more comfortable.
“If you aggressively try to keep it down to 98.6, you slow the immune response to the infection,” he notes.
- Be careful with dosing medicine. Keep track of what medicine you give and when. You don’t want the child to get extra doses. And don’t exceed the dosing intervals on the medicine label. If the directions say wait six hours, wait at least six hours.
The best medicines for fever are acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil). Never give aspirin. If COVID-19 is suspected or diagnosed, acetaminophen should be your first choice.
The bottom line? Keep your child comfortable, hydrated and at home. “We all need to rest when we’re sick,” Dr. Tolcher says. “That’s one of the benefits of fever.
It slows you down and gets you to take a break.”
Temperature in a child - what to do? — Stepan Beglaryan
If a child has a high body temperature, then many questions arise. Since the causes of fever can vary, the most common questions that can be answered before going to the doctor should be discussed.
🤒
What temperature should be reduced?
You definitely need to bring down the body temperature of 38.5 * C - at any age.
In children under 2-3 years old, you can bring down the temperature and 38.0 * C. However, if a small child behaves normally, is active at a temperature of about 38.2, you can expect an increase to 38.5 * C, and only then knock down. nine0003
On the other hand, if the body temperature around 37.7 C causes significant discomfort, it should also be normalized with drugs.
In the evening before going to bed, the temperature over 37.5-37.7 can also be brought down. Unless you wake up every couple of hours and measure the child's temperature, then yes, you can expect 38.
5 * C.
One more thing. If earlier a child had febrile convulsions against the background of a high fever of over 38.5, then until middle school age, the temperature should be reduced from 38.0 * C. nine0003
Antipyretics
Do not go far from ibuprofen and paracetamol at home.
💊 Paracetamol (aka acetaminophen):
- syrups for children - Panadol, Eferalgan, etc. (also available in candles for babies)
- tablets for children and adults - Paracetamol, Panadol, Eferalgan, etc. teenagers and adults as an option - different teas such as Fervex, Coldrex, Tylol, Coldflu, etc.
- dosage is better calculated not by age, but by body weight
- up to 50 kg: single dose 12-15 mg/kg
- over 50 kg: single dose 500 mg
- paracetamol taken regardless of meals
Ibufen-Forte and others (also available in suppositories for infants)
⏳
How long to wait for antipyretic effects
Paracetamol or ibuprofen is given 1 hour, during which the high temperature should drop. Of course, it's nice when the drug worked after 20 or 30 minutes. But 50-60 minutes is considered an equally good effect. And if the temperature returned to normal in an hour and a half - then it’s not very good, for the next appointment, if necessary, it is better to choose another drug from these two. nine0003
How many degrees should the temperature drop
The positive effect of an antipyretic means a drop of 2 degrees OR a drop below 37.5*C.
🌡️
Which thermometer is more accurate
Thermometers of all options can “lie”. But contactless and were not created to obtain accurate values can be wrong up to half a degree at best.
Mercury - dangerous to use, especially with children. Electronic contact - the problem here is that most people do not read the instructions, and it says that after the beep you need to wait another 3-4 minutes.
💊💊💊
How often to give ibuprofen or paracetamol
The single doses above can be given to the patient no more than once every 6 hours for one drug. That is, 5-6 hours should pass between two paracetamols. And there should be at least 6 hours between two ibuprofens.
If the temperature has gone down, and after 2-4 hours it rises again, these two drugs can be alternated, inserting in time between each other. nine0003
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The temperature does not go down
If both drugs cannot bring down the fever even temporarily, you should immediately consult a doctor. Call an ambulance at night.
💉
Other drugs
Giving your child analgin with Diphenhydramine is a bad idea, the damage from them can be much more than good.
If necessary, hormones can be used once or twice. But only with the consent of the doctor.
🧙
Ineffective remedies
There are homeopathic remedies - candles "vibur..l". All homeopathy is evidence-based ineffective. It is terrible when such a fake medicine is prescribed by “doctors” to a child with a real fever.
🧦
Cold palms and feet in a child
It is not worth fighting against this phenomenon against the background of fever, time is more expensive. Focus on dealing with the temperature itself and schedule a consultation with your doctor.
🐉
Causes of high fever
The most common causes of fever in children are infectious. nine0003
🦠
Viruses
Antibiotics do not work against viruses.
Antibiotics do not work against viruses.
SARS
Respiratory viruses usually cause fever already on the first or second day of illness. If a runny nose or cough does not start immediately, then fever may be the first symptom of the disease, and then nasal discharge will follow, and so on.
Coronavirus disease can give non-standard temperature fluctuations on “wrong” days of illness for ARVI. nine0003
Influenza almost always likes to bring the number on the thermometer closer to 39-40*C.
AII
Acute intestinal infection has the same risks of relatively high temperature as SARS. The difference is only in other points of the lesion, which is manifested by vomiting, diarrhea. But intestinal infections are also bacterial, so you should not relax with them.
In any case, the virus, if it can cause a fever in a particular patient, causes it already on the first or second day. nine0003
On the third or fourth day of illness, the body begins to produce antibodies against the antigens of the virus. And then, in the vast majority of cases, the fever begins to pass.
Baby roseola
Herpes type 6, sometimes type 7, are viruses that often cause parents of relatively young children to panic.
The majority of the world's population (90-95%) are asymptomatic carriers of these viruses. When the virus is passed on to a child through kisses from parents (or through the saliva of other children), the child's first contact with the virus can lead to infantile roseola. Or not bring. Considering that most people are carriers of herpes simplex type 6, most children between 6 months and 3-4 years of age will at one time have infantile roseola with significant temperature values. nine0003
Childhood roseola (other names: “sixth disease”, sudden exanthema) manifests itself in 3-5 days of fever up to 39-40*C, which, after knocking down with drugs, rises again and again. This is a very unfortunate situation. Apart from the fever during these first days, there are no other symptoms, which further frightens the parents. And after 3-5 days of daily fever, it disappears without a trace, but on the last day the child will develop a roseolous exanthema - a skin rash on most of the surface of the body.
The rash does not itch, and goes away on its own in a couple of days. That's all disease. Herpes viruses of types 6 and 7 cannot cause anything else, even being further in the body. In short, the exanthema (rash) is not very sudden, as one of the names of the disease suggests. nine0003
Infectious mononucleosis
A similar history of the child's first contact with herpes viruses applies to herpes types 4 and 5 (Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus, respectively). When it first enters the body, infectious mononucleosis can occur: fever, enlargement of the tonsils and all lymph nodes, sometimes enlargement of the liver, spleen. Infectious mononucleosis continues for 2-3 weeks, a doctor's consultation is necessary. However, unlike childhood roseola, infectious mononucleosis can occur at any age. nine0003
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Bacteria
Bacterial infections require antibiotic therapy.
Urinary tract infections
This is one of the causes of recurrent body temperature.
A urinary tract infection may show no other symptoms other than fever.
Therefore, when a child has only a fever without other symptoms, except for a blood test (total + for C-reactive protein), a urinalysis should also be taken.
Angina
Stretococcal pharyngotonsillitis (tonsillitis) - leads to inflammation of the throat, the gradual appearance of purulent deposits there. A fever with angina can occur both evenly and abruptly.
Stomatitis
Mouth ulcers, aphthous stomatitis, may also lead to fever.
Otitis
Otitis (inflammation of the ears), especially purulent, can also give a fairly high body temperature. Both sharply and with a gradual increase in the number on the thermometer. nine0003
😷
Other fevers
Non-serious
Temperature on the teeth is one of the myths of pediatrics, which I wrote about four years ago in the post 10 myths of childhood diseases (look for the last myth in the list).
Fever after vaccination , as one of the possible side effects of vaccines, does not happen very often, once in 9-12 vaccinations. The rise in temperature can be one or several times, both 1 day and up to 3 days. For most vaccines, this can occur in the first three days after vaccination, but for MMR or chickenpox vaccines, it can occur in the second week after administration. nine0003
For more information about post-vaccination reactions (and what to do about them), see a separate page - Reactions after vaccines.
Deceptive
Kawasaki disease – read a separate post about it.
Marshall's syndrome (PFAPA syndrome) is a recurrent causeless fever that occurs at relatively regular intervals (usually every few months). In this case, pharyngitis usually appears, and the indicators of the leukocyte blood formula change to the bacterial side, and inflammatory blood counts increase.
Although there is no bacterial infection at the same time. nine0003
Marshall's syndrome is a genetic defect that usually disappears by age 5 (give or take). Therefore, the syndrome is a relatively benign disease.
The next episode of exacerbation of Marshall's syndrome requires immediate administration, on the first day, of a hormonal preparation. Antibiotics are not needed, and overprescription of antibiotics is a major problem in children with PFAPA syndrome. Therefore, the main thing in this case is to find a doctor who has experience in managing children with Marshall syndrome. nine0003
Very serious fevers
Of course, sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, other bacterial and fungal diseases, viral hepatitis, surgical inflammation are serious things that should not be thought of in the first place when a child has a runny nose with temperature. But such possibilities should not be ruled out altogether.
👨⚕️
So when to go to the doctor
If what you read here, along with your common sense, indicates that you should take blood tests (general, C-rb) to differentiate between a bacterial and viral infection, and possibly also a urine test , and then go to the doctor - do so if the child's condition is not severely disturbed.
nine0003
However, some diseases require an examination by a doctor (pediatrician or otolaryngologist, infectious disease specialist), and then a decision on the need for tests.
The truth is in the middle, so a serious fever is indispensable without a doctor.
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Stepan Beglaryan , pediatrician, pediatric immunologist.
I consult at the reception (Kyiv), as well as online.
I develop information services.
Children from 0 to 5 years. When should you take your child to the doctor? (Sergiev Posad)
Children from 0 to 5 years old. When should you take your child to the doctor?
ATTENTION: Online consultations of doctors are available (more than 18 specialties).
The birth of a child in a family is a great joy, but its growth and development are not without illness. Parents do not always want to seek medical help from a doctor. The reasons for this may be different: confidence that self-treatment will help, on the advice of grandmothers, forums; hope that the disease itself will recede; fear of hospitalization.
This is irresponsible behavior, because the appearance of harmless symptoms can be a sign of a serious illness. nine0003
For example, cough, runny nose with fever occur with a common cold, and occur with a severe malignant disease - leukemia.
Therefore, listen to the good advice of a pharmacist or relatives, but at the same time make an appointment with a pediatrician. If any alarming symptoms appear, contact a pediatrician for diagnosis and treatment, and if the baby is under 28 days old, contact a neonatologist.
Children under 5 years of age are at risk. At this age, there are many serious diseases that are well studied by medicine, are treated easily, but require prompt medical intervention. nine0003
The pediatrician of the Medical Center "Paracelsus" Chernova Olga Ivanovna spoke about cases in which self-medication is dangerous - it threatens the health of the child. Let's talk about children from birth to five years.
High temperature (fever)
The temperature is considered high when it exceeds 37ºС.
Not always a high temperature is a negative sign, but still it is an occasion to play it safe for parents. It is not worth waiting for several days, “watching”, because infections under the age of three develop quickly - they can strike in a couple of hours. nine0003
When a fever occurs, other symptoms that may appear are important:
- The kid does not want to drink water.
- Lethargy and fatigue appear, it is difficult for him to sit and answer questions.
These are signs of intoxication, the faster the doctor conducts an examination, conducts instrumental diagnostics, the greater the likelihood of making a correct diagnosis.
When a rash appears on the skin, along with a temperature, you need to see a doctor very quickly. Before a visit to the doctor, do not treat the spots that appear with iodine or brilliant green. nine0003
An increase in body temperature to the mark of 39 about C is a reason to call an ambulance.
Cough in a child
Often, parents consider coughing to be a common occurrence that can be managed at home. But he is just a symptom, and the cause is hidden much deeper. The cough will not go away by itself, there is no need to hope and wait for it.
The appearance of a cough is not always a sign of a respiratory disease. It can appear with changes in the cardiovascular and digestive systems. It may appear with otitis media. Prolonged lack of treatment or self-treatment of cough without determining its causes will lead to complications. The more neglected the problem, the more difficult it will be for the doctor to understand the symptoms, and then prescribe the correct treatment. nine0003
Cough is dangerous in the following cases:
- Up to six months of age (even if body temperature is not elevated).
- If it appears at night during sleep.
- If accompanied by a gag reflex.
- Barking cough or noisy breathing afterwards.
- If it does not go away within twenty days or more.
Difficulty breathing
Breathing is an essential process for human life. His difficulty indicates a violation in the work of the respiratory system. Therefore, if your baby has symptoms of difficulty breathing, seek medical help quickly. nine0003
Difficulty breathing in an infant can be identified by a cavity in the abdomen that goes under the ribs. This is because he is trying to inhale as deeply as possible.
In older children, this symptom appears when they speak: they cannot say long phrases, sentences are abrupt. This symptom may appear in an asthmatic condition or may be a manifestation of obstructive bronchitis.
Breathing problems are often accompanied by wheezing, whistling in the chest, which indicates the presence of an obstruction in the airways. Her appearance threatens the life of the baby, so you need to quickly make an appointment with a doctor and examine the child.
nine0003
Vomiting, diarrhea (diarrhea, loose stools)
These symptoms indicate an intestinal infection and intoxication. Vomiting and loose stools are dangerous because they often cause rapid dehydration with electrolyte disturbances due to loss of water and salts. Medical care for dehydration is aimed at replenishing fluid loss.
Liquefied stools are not always dangerous. If he was, once, it's not scary. But if three times a day or more is a reason to worry, especially if symptoms of dehydration appear: nine0003
- decreased volume and frequency of urination;
- dryness of the skin and mucous membranes: there were few tears, saliva, the skin became dry and unusually flabby;
- the child often asks for a drink.
When you need to hurry to make an appointment with a doctor or call an ambulance:
- The child refuses to drink, although he shows signs of dehydration.
- If there was no urination for five hours or more.
- Lethargy, moodiness, lack of interest in toys (even if there is no temperature). nine0026
- "Sink" eyes or fontanel (this is rare, but it is a formidable symptom).
- There is blood in the stool (even if there is no diarrhea).
Skin rash (rash) in a child
If the rash appears for the first time, this is an occasion to make an appointment with a doctor. Of course, not all rashes appear with a serious illness. But there are such serious diseases that need to be identified and treated in the early stages (for example, meningococcal infection). A doctor's diagnosis will calm you down or give you the opportunity to quickly deal with the problem. nine0003
Do not cauterize the lesions with iodine, brilliant green or alcohol, as this will burn the tissue, which will make it difficult for the doctor to diagnose.
Pain
Pain is a typical reaction to danger. Usually pain is not the norm, except for that which appears from teething.
But even this pain speaks of pathology, if the body temperature rises above 37 about C along with it, or it is very strong.
The fact that the child is in pain can be understood by the fact that he often cries, cannot take a comfortable position, cannot fall asleep. nine0003
Intense and growing pain syndrome, a reason for contacting a pediatrician.
Head injuries and loss of consciousness
Head injuries - may cause serious physical impairment in children (eg epilepsy). Not every head injury is dangerous. But if it happened, you should not rule out possible internal damage. If a child falls (even if you did not see what hit him) or you know for sure that he hit his head, immediately contact a pediatric neurologist. nine0003
In case of loss of consciousness, "limpness" or convulsions, you need to make an appointment with a pediatric neurologist immediately or call an ambulance!
Danger of self-treatment and lack of treatment
Often parents spend hours on forums to understand the cause of their child's symptoms - it's a waste of time.
It is impossible to make a correct diagnosis, and even more so to independently prescribe the correct treatment, based only on visible symptoms!
Any disease has both visible signs and hidden ones. Several diseases can manifest with one symptom. An elevated temperature in a child can be with a common cold, or maybe with meningitis (inflammation of the membranes of the brain). Leukemia very often hides behind the symptoms of SARS. Mononucleosis is a contagious and very dangerous disease, at an early stage it is easy to confuse the disease with a sore throat due to similar symptoms. nine0003
Wrong treatment can develop a new disease and aggravate the old one!
Children's doctors, with experience, will deal with complex childhood diseases, using laboratory and instrumental diagnostics.
The complete lack of treatment of childhood diseases is dangerous for the development of irreversible complications, disability, and a threat to the life of the child.
Parents play an important role in the early diagnosis of children's diseases. From how closely the parents monitor the health of their child, how correctly they can describe his condition to the doctor, depends in which direction the preliminary examination will be carried out. nine0003
Advice to parents
- do not deny your child medical care - bring him to the doctor;
- be attentive to the health of children - observe and correctly describe all symptoms;
- do not be afraid to ask the doctor several times, if you do not understand something in his recommendations;
- Follow all recommendations, all doctor's prescriptions, this can be vital.
Diagnosis and treatment of children at the Paracelsus Medical Center
The task of the children's department of the Paracelsus Medical Center is to provide a full range of medical care from prevention to treatment of diseases from birth to 18 years.
In our children's department, the appointments are conducted by doctors who have received special training to identify health disorders in children and infants, taking into account all age characteristics.
