Symptoms of Childhood Illness

Asthma - Asthma causes a person's airways to constrict, leading to shortness of breath and coughing.  Respiratory tract infections and allergies are the most common triggers of asthma.  The mucus membranes swell and make too much mucus and the muscles around the bronchioles spasm. 

An asthma attack can be mild and easily handled at home to very serious cases which require hospitalization.  Call 911 if your child is obviously having difficulty breathing, is exhausted from trying to breath, has passed out, is pale, has blue lips or skin, cannot talk in complete sentences, or if the asthma medication is not helping.

Call your doctor if your child may have asthma or has problems breathing on several occasions, if the child has a dry cough only at night and lasts for several days or if they are using they asthma medication and are still having symptoms.

Remain calm and keep the child in an upright position and give them fluids until their breathing eases.

Bronchiolitis - An inflammation of the smallest airways in the lungs.  Bronchiolitis is usually triggered by a cold.  The child will have a fever and a cough.  They will begin making wheezing sounds and breathe rapidly with the breaths making a whistling sound.

Make sure the child has plenty of liquids.  Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen will reduce the fever.  Use a humidifier or vaporizer to ease the breathing. If you don't have one of these, you can close the bathroom door and turn on the shower and sit in the steam for about 10 minutes.  Saline drops for the nose can also help.  Be mindful that if the breathing gets too difficult or their lips or fingernails turn blue, you should call the doctor immediately.

Cough - With children, always check the throat to make sure there is not something lodged in the throat causing the problem. (i.e. Lego's or food!  If there is, call 911 and commence the Heimlich maneuver.)  You may also need to call 911 if the child obviously cannot breath, passes out, acts lethargic, their lips or fingernails begin to turn blue, coughs up blood, or has a seizure. Call the doctor if the child appears to have asthma or an allergic reaction to a drug or food, a sinus infection, is vomiting, has chest pains, has had a fever over 100º for 3 days, is less than 3 months old and has been coughing for 3 days, or if the coughing, in an older child, has lasted for more than 3 weeks.

The coughing is caused by irritation to the throat and is usually caused by an illness or excess mucus in the throat.  Coughing can remove the mucus allowing the child to get air more easily into the lungs.  A cough often worsens at night or when they lay down due to the mucus settling at the back of the throat and irritating it.  If the child swallows too much of the mucus, it can lead to an upset stomach or vomiting.  Coughing is usually a symptom of a respiratory infection

A dry, hacking cough is usually an upper respiratory infection in the throat or nose which is usually from a cold or flu.  But, a dry cough can be the early stages of a lower respiratory tract infection such as bronchiolitis.  Asthma can also cause a dry cough that usually begins at night or after exposure to cigarette smoke.

A dry, harsh, barking cough can mean a child has an infection in the throat.  This is usually from a viral infection.  The throat swells below the vocal cords and causes the barking cough.  Croup can cause a high-pitched sound when the child breathes in.

A wet cough comes from fluid in the windpipe and lungs and is usually caused by infection or asthma.  The cough helps remove the fluids from the lower respiratory tract.

To treat a cough, make sure that your child gets enough fluids.  Hot drinks or soups will ease the sore throat and loosen the mucus and help reduce the irritation.  A humidifier or warm shower also loosens the mucus.  Try not to exercise as the cough usually gets worse with activity.  Expectorants can help loosen the mucus.  Cough suppressants should only be given in order to help the child to sleep if the coughing is interfering with the sleep pattern.  The cough is necessary to remove the mucus from the tract.

Croup - Croup is a respiratory infection that causes inflammation of the mucus membranes under the vocal chords and reducing the size of the airways. 

Keep the child's head up to ease the breathing.  Cool air is better, because it soothes the airways.  You can set them in front of the refrigerator for a few minutes or open the window to let in cool air (if they are not bothered by allergies).  Letting the child inhale humid air helps too.  Use a humidifier or turn on the shower with the bathroom door shut and steam up the bathroom.

Diarrhea - Diarrhea is loose or too watery bowel movements that come with frequency.  There are many reasons for diarrhea including intolerance to foods such as milk, an allergic reaction, side effects of medications, viral infections and food poisoning. 

If a child suddenly develops diarrhea, they probably have an infection of the intestines or stomach and it may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and/or fever.  This is known as gastroenteritis and it is caused virus or bacteria.  Viral nfections in the intestines are not as severe as bacterial infections, but it may be accompanied by respiratory problems such as a sore throat, earache or congestion.  Bacterial infections are often found when traveling to a foreign country.

Gastroenteritis does not usually require treatment and runs it's course in a few days.  Just make sure the child drinks plenty of fluids, and eats foods to replace what they have lost.  Try to stay away from fruit juice or soft drinks due to the fact that the sugar can make the diarrhea worse.

Dehydration - Gastroenteritis and other illnesses can make a child have diarrhea or to vomit.  If they lose too many fluids and salt, they can become dehydrated and, without replacement, they can become seriously ill.  Dehydration may only take a few hours to occur in young children.  A fever also causes fluid loss through the skin and increase dehydration risks.

Children become lethargic and pale, their lips and mouth will look dried out, dark circles may appear under their eyes, and they will not urinate as often or as much.  They may begin panting and have a fast pulse if it becomes to severe.

Make sure your child gets enough to drink.  It is best to wait 30 minutes after vomiting before pressing them to drink.  If they don't show improvement, call your doctor.

Earache - Earaches are normally caused by an infection of the upper respiratory tract, cold or fever.  The mucus membranes in the Eustachian tube swell, putting pressure on the ear drum.  This causes fluids to accumulate causing an infection.  If the ear drum ruptures, pus will drain out into the ear.

In young children watch for irritability, crying and pulling at the ear.  Severe earaches can cause dizziness.

Children should lay down with their head elevated.  A warm compress can be placed on the ear for about 20 minutes to ease the pain.  Decongestant nose drops can reduce the stuffy nose that often accompanies an earache.  Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can also help reduce the pain.

Fever - A fever is consider to be a temperature of 100.4º or more.  The fever is not usually serious, but the cause of the fever can be.  A fever is the body's way of trying to kill the germs that are attacking it.

Make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids and gets rest.  Acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be used to bring the fever down. 

Call the doctor immediately if the fever is 105º or higher, if the child has trouble breathing, if they cannot swallow their saliva and begin drooling, has severe pain, a seizure, or becomes lethargic and anti-fever medicines aren't working.

Watch carefully for signs of a severe headache, neck stiffness and back stiffness.  These are symptoms of meningitis.  Meningitis is a serious infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. 

Skin bleedings are also a sign of meningitis or of sepsis.  Sepsis is an infection in the bloodstream.  Purple patches or red spots on the skin that do not fade when pressed.  If you see these signs, seek medical treatment immediately!

Headache - Headaches are normally caused by fatigue, fever, sinus congestion, infections, poor eyesight, or low blood sugar if the child has skipped a meal.

Migraines can be hereditary and may be accompanied by vomiting, nausea and changes in their vision.

Stress and anxiety can also cause headaches in children, but not as often as in adults.

Headaches alone are rarely serious, but watch for a fever, vomiting and a stiff neck or back.  These could be symptoms of meningitis.  A headache along with vomiting, changes in the personality, or trouble walking and talking could be a sign of a brain tumor or a hemorrhage.   These are caused by the increased pressure placed on the brain.  If you child becomes lethargic, call the doctor.  If the child repeatedly has headaches, you should consult your physician.  Watch to see if you can find a pattern that might be causing the headaches. 

Headaches can be treated with acetaminophen or ibuprofen.  Do not use aspirin due to the risk of developing Reye's syndrome which can effect the liver and brain.  A darkened room can help with the pain of a migraine as will eating regular meals and sleep.

If the child does not improve, contact your doctor.  Acupuncture might also be a viable solution to their migraines.

Muscle & Skeletal Pain - Muscle or skeletal pain is usually due to stress or an injury. 

Bacterial infections can also be a cause and can be serious if located in the joints which can cause damage to the cartilage.  The bacteria spreads through the body in the blood and can land in a joint or in bone usually because it has been weakened by an injury.  An infection in the joint will swell, feel hot and be sore.  The child usually has a fever with this.

Call your doctor if this occurs to avoid damage to the cartilage.

Pneumonia - Pneumonia is an infection that causes inflammation of the lung's alveoli or the air sacs.  It usually comes after an upper respiratory infection like a sore throat or cold.

Children with pneumonia will have a fever, be cold, be weak, be nauseous, have a wet cough, take rapid breath, lack an appetite and have chest or abdominal pain. 

Make sure the child has plenty of fluids, but do not make them eat.  A vaporizer can help them breathe easier.  Do not give cough suppressants, because coughing is necessary to remove the mucus from the lungs.  Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be give to reduce the fever and pain.  You doctor will normally prescribe antibiotics to treat the disease.

Call the doctor immediately if the child's lips or fingernails turn blue, becomes too lethargic or has a high fever and trouble breathing.

Rash - Rashes are common in small children and are not normally serious.

If there are no other symptoms, it may just disappear in a few days.  But, if the child has a fever, vomiting, or high fever, call your doctor.  The doctor will need to see the rash to know the cause.

Scrotal Pain - Boys may experience pain the groin.  Usually this is caused by an injury, but there could be other causes such as an inflammation of the testicle, testicular torsion, an incarcerated hernia or inflammation of the epididymis which is a tube that stores the sperm. 

Testicular torsion occurs when a testicle twists around the cord that connects the testicle to the body.  Usually this happens after being hit in the groin, but it can just happen for no known reason.  The twisting cuts off the blood supply to the testicle and can cause permanent damage.  The scrotum will swell, turn red and become very painful.  They may have a stomachache, nausea or vomiting.  Surgery must be done within a few hours to prevent irreparable damage.

A hernia usually occurs in infant boys and can occur on either side of the scrotum or in both.  It occurs when a small piece of the intestines enters into the inguinal canal or scrotum.  It is usually not painful.  An incarcerated hernia is hard, red, hurts and may feel hot.  This is serious as the blood supply to the affected intestines is being cut off.  Immediate surgery may be needed to prevent damage to the intestines.

Inflammation of the testicle or the epididymis happens due to a bacterial infection. This rarely happens prior to puberty.  The boy will have a swollen scrotum and may have pus in his urine.  Both require antibiotics to treat. 

Shortness of Breath - Breathing problems should be observed and attention given to what may have caused the shortness of breath.  Take note of whether the child was doing something that might have caused it, did it occur quickly, are there other symptoms, does the family have a history of asthma and does the child appear to be sick.  Make sure there is nothing choking the child or blocking their windpipe.

Sore Throat - There are many illnesses that can cause a sore throat, but an infection is the usual culprit.  Smaller children may not know how to tell you that it hurts to swallow and may cry or refuse to eat.  Infections of the mouth, pharynx or tonsils are normally caused by a virus or bacteria and are easily spread by coughing or sneezing.  Streptococcus bacteria causes tonsillitis and strep throat.  With most sore throats, they usually have symptoms of a cold such as congestion, cough, fever, and runny nose, but because of the sore throat, it may be hard to get them to drink.

Bacterial tonsillitis usually does not cause cold symptoms, but it will be accompanied by a fever and possibly an earache, stomachache, nausea, and vomiting.  The lymph nodes in the neck may also become sore to the touch.  This is a symptom of mononucleosis.

Try to get liquids into them.  Popsicles are an easier way since they are fun and melt easily.  Hot drinks are also good such as tea, hot chocolate or even Jell-O.  Soups, fruit, oatmeal and Jell-O are easy to swallow.  Acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help bring down a fever and reduce the pain.

Stomachache - Stomachaches or pains in the abdomen are a common ailment in children.  It can be caused by colic, overeating, gas, constipation, a urinary tract infection or a viral infection.  Watch for other symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting or blood in the child's stool.  These could be symptoms of celiac disease, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

Stress and anxiety can trigger a stomachache.

See your doctor if recurring stomachaches last longer than 1 day, it is accompanied by diarrhea, fever, trouble urinating, weight loss or difficulty swallowing.

Appendicitis starts under the belly button and moves to the right side of the body and lower down.  The appendix becomes inflamed and an infection sets in.  If the appendix bursts, it must be removed immediately.

Urination Pain - In girls, painful urination is usually caused by an irritation in the lining of the vagina and is brought on by soaps, wearing wet clothes or by not wiping properly.  It could be caused by a yeast infection in an older girl.  Boys can have pain while urinating after an injury to the penis.  Kidney stones or a swollen bladder can be reasons in either sex.  A urinary tract infection is a swelling of the urinary tract and is usually caused by bacteria.  Boys commonly get these as infants while girls get them later.  Symptoms of a urinary tract infection are the pain while urinating , fever and being less active.  Bladder infection do not normally cause a fever.  A kidney infection will cause a fever and they may have a stomachache, vomit or have back pain.

The child needs to drink plenty of liquids, avoid bubble baths, make sure they wipe thoroughly, and treat the pain with acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Vomiting - There are many infections that can cause vomiting and diarrhea such as ear infections, urinary tract infections, intestinal viruses and more.  Migraine headaches can lead to vomiting.  Be mindful of head injuries.  If vomiting occurs after a head injury, there could be a concussion or hemorrhage.  Seek medical attention immediately if this happens.  Poisons can cause vomiting and you should call 911 immediately if you think this has occurred.  Motion sickness is a common reason for children to vomit.  Rarely, children who vomit and have recurring headaches may have a brain tumor.

Sudden vomiting usually is a sign of gastroenteritis which is an infection of the stomach and intestines.  It is usually accompanied by diarrhea and fever.  It is caused by a virus or bacterial infection.

Be sure that the child drinks enough liquids and avoid solid foods.