Three Symptoms In Children You Should Never Ignore
Whether you are a new parent or have a few kids, you are well aware that children don't come with instruction manuals. Having one would definitely come in handy, especially when they get sick. It can be hard to know if certain symptoms warrant a visit to pediatric urgent care. However, there are certain symptoms that might mean your child is very sick and needs immediate medical attention.
Here are three symptoms in children you should never ignore.
1. High Fever
When your child's body temperature gets too high, it results in having a fever. A fever is a sign of either a viral or bacterial infection in the body. While it's usually safe to let a fever run its course, a fever of 104 degrees or higher may warrant a trip to pediatric urgent care.
Besides a high fever, your child should be seen by a doctor if they have a fever of any temperature for more than 3 days, or if the fever is accompanied by a rash, ear pain, sore throat, or unresponsiveness.
2. Dehydration
Just like adults, your child's body is made up of 75% water. This is one reason that certain complications could ensue if the body doesn't get enough water or becomes dehydrated. If your child has any of these symptoms associated with dehydration, you should take them to a doctor:
- Cracked lips and dry mouth
- Low energy levels
- Lack of tears when crying
- Decreased urine output
Besides not getting enough fluids, some of the most common causes of dehydration include diarrhea, vomiting, excessive sweating, and health conditions, such as diabetes.
3. Headaches
As with adults, some children are more prone to getting headaches than others. In fact, one in five children that are school-aged get headaches on a regular basis. About 5% of children even get migraines.
While headaches can be normal for your child, there are certain instances where headaches require urgent care. This is especially true if your child's headache isn't responding to pain relievers and the pain in their head is interfering with their activities, such as sleeping, watching television, eating, or playing.
You should also take your child to urgent care if their headache is accompanied by any of the following symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Confusion
- Blurred vision
- Stiff neck
If your child has a headache as a result of a fall and is vomiting, your child may have a concussion and needs to be examined by a medical professional.
For more information about specific symptoms, contact your doctor or a local urgent care.
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