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Which symptoms warrant a call to your child's
doctor?
When a child gets sick, parents are understandably concerned. Many parents
aren't sure whether or not to call the doctor when their child is showing
signs of illness. Some symptoms can be harmless, but some need to be reported
to a doctor immediately. Here's a list of symptoms that warrant a call
to your child's pediatrician.
High fever
Any child less than 90 days old with a fever should be examined by a physician
right away, to rule out a serious infection (unless there was a DPT shot
in the previous 24 hours).
Children under 6 months of age with a fever should be examined by a physician
within 24 hours.
Children under age 2 should be seen if the fever lasts more than 48 hours.
Children of any age who have a fever over 105 degrees should be seen immediately.
Chills that make the child shake all over
Loss of consciousness
Extreme sleepiness or unexplained lethargy
Unusual excitement or hysterical crying
Sudden weakness or paralysis of any part of the body
Seizures (convulsions) or uncontrollable shaking of an arm or leg
Severe headache
Pain, heaviness, or stuffiness around the nose, eyes, or forehead
Nasal fluid that is discoloured, bad-smelling, or bloody
Sudden hearing loss
Earache
Fluid discharge from the ear
Sudden decrease in vision
Eyes that are red, swollen, and watery
Eyes that are extremely sensitive to light, especially if your child also
has a fever, headache, or stiff neck
A yellow color in the whites of the eyes or in the skin, especially with
pain in the abdomen or dark or tea-colored urine
Stiffness or pain in the neck, especially with fever or headache
Severe sore throat, especially with trouble swallowing or speaking
Uncontrolled drooling because of painful swallowing
Difficulty breathing, especially with pale or bluish color of the lips
or nails
Unusually rapid breathing
Severe or persistent cough, especially if it brings up bloody or discoloured
mucus
Vomiting for 12 hours or more
Vomiting of blood
Intense or unusual abdominal pain
Swollen or abnormally large abdomen
Diarrhea that is streaked with blood or mucus
Pain in the middle of the back, especially with fever or with discomfort
while urinating
Painful or unusually frequent urination
Urine that is discolored, bloody, cloudy, or has an unusual smell
Discharge from the penis
Vaginal discharge that is thick and white, brown or discolored, or smells
bad
Pain, redness, or swelling of a joint that can't be explained by exercise
or injury
A cut or scrape that oozes pus or becomes hot, red, tender, or swollen
A sudden rash, or sudden crop of blotches or blisters, especially over
a large area of the body
Source: American Medical Association; Alan Greene,
MD
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