Pediatric Clinic

Common symptoms in children and how to manage them at home

Fever

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Fever is a thermometer reading of 100.4 F (38 c) or higher.

Home care

If the child is comfortable and eating well

• Encourage extra fluids, such as plain water, juice mixed with water.
• Child with fever needs rest and sleep.

If the fever is over 102 F (38.9 C) and child is uncomfortable

• Give the child medicine for fever.

If the fever is 104 F (40 C) or higher

• Give medicines as directed by your Pediatrician. Wait 30 minutes. If the fever is not reduced, give a sponge bath.
• Use lukewarm water.
• Don't use cold water or ice.
• Do not use alcohol for rubbing.
• Continue sponging for 20 to 30 minutes.

Consult your Pediatrician if the child

• Is older than 3 months and has a fever over 104 F (40 C).
  
• Is less than 2 years old and has a fever for more than 36 to 48 hours with no clear cause or location of infection.
• Don't wait if child's condition seems to be getting worse.
  
• Has his or her first fever seizure (symptoms may include stiff and twitching body, rolled-back eye, and disturbed
• breathing, darker than usual skin).
  
• Is difficult to wake up.
  
• Has a stiff neck.
  
• Has a rash or purple spot on the skin. Is having trouble breathing even after you clear the nose of mucus (look for unusual chest movement).
  
• Has a fever and vomiting at the same time.
  
• Has burning or pain when urinating.
  
• Has a fever for more than 72 hours.
  
• Has a fever that went away for more than 24 hours and then returned.
  

Diarrhea

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Loose, mushy, or watery stools

Home care

Babies

• Continue breastfeeding the baby. If the baby is being fed formula, check with the healthcare provider first.
• Ask the healthcare provider about giving the baby a children's electrolyte solution.

Children

• If the child's stools are mushy, give clear drinks, children's electrolyte solution, and bland foods. If the child's stools are watery, give electrolyte solution and bland foods.

Consult your Pediatrician if the child

• Is less than 2 months old, is bottle-fed, and ha 3 or more watery stools in a row.
• Has water diarrhea and clear vomit.
• Has signs of dehydration (is not urinating, is not producing tears when crying, or has very dry mouth).
• Has blood in stool.
• Has stomach pain for more than 2 hours.
• Is moving very slowly or is hard to wake up.
• Has diarrhea 8 times in 8 hours.
• Can't control the bowels because of diarrhea.
• Has had contact with someone who has bacterial diarrhea or giardia.
• Has a fever over 104 F (40 C).

Role of zinc in diarrhea

• Supplementation with zinc improves diarrhea and helps children maintain a more adequate zinc status during the convalescent period.
• The combined recommendation of zinc and ORS is a safe, effective and inexpensive diarrhea treatment for children.

Prevention

• Wash your hands after changing diapers.
• Teach children to wash their hands after using the toilet.

Vomiting

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Throwing up stomach contents

Home care

• For the first 24 hours, keep the child off solid foods and give clear fluids like water, Shikanjavi and coconut water.
• When your child has not vomited for 12 to 24 hours, gradually return the child to his or her normal diet, along with plenty of clear fluids.
• Don't give the child any medicine or remedies unless instructed by the healthcare provider.

Consult your Pediatrician if the child:

• Is less than 2 months old and has vomited more than two times.
• Has clear vomit and watery diarrhea.
• Has signs of dehydration (is not urinating, is not producing tears when crying, or has very dry mouth).
• is unable to drink enough fluid.
• Has blood or bile (green-colored material) in the vomit.
• Has pain in the lower stomach on right side.
• Is moving very slowly or is hard to wake up.
• Has a stiff neck.
• May have ingested poison or spoiled food.
• Has been vomiting on and off for over 12 hours.
• May be vomiting due to a medication.
• Has a swollen stomach.
• Has convulsions.

Cold

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Runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red eyes

Sore throat, cough, hoarse voice

Headache, body ache

Fever

Home care

Babies

• Clear the baby's stuffy nose. Salt water nose drops can also be used

Children

• Clear the child's stuffy nose. If the child is 2 years or older, give decongestants.
• If streaks of mucus (thick, white liquid) appear on the back of the child's throat, have the child gargle with saltwater.

All ages

• Make sure the child is drinking plenty of liquids.
• Have the child get extra rest (but he or she doesn't need to stay home in bed).

Consult your Pediatrician if the child:

• Has a symptom of an ear infection.
• Has a very sore throat.
• Has mucus coming out of the nose for 10 days.
• Has not been hungry for more than 5 days and is moving very slowly.
• Has a fever for more than 3 days.

Prevention

• Teach children to wash their hands often.
• Don't let children touch their noses, eyes, and mouths.
• Make sure children eat well, get plenty of sleep, and exercise regularly.
• Try to keep children away from people with colds.

Cough & Croup

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Symptoms

Cough:

• Often occurs with a cold.
• Dry, tickly cough that may turn wet.

Croup:

• Tight, barking cough.
• Hoarse voice.
• Loud breathing.

Home Care

• Give the child cough suppressants only if he or she can't sleep due to cough. Also, give cough medication to the child only if he or she is 2 years or older.
• If the child has a dry cough, use a cool mist humidifier.
• Give the child plenty of fluids.
• Encourage the child to rest until he or she is well.
• Keep the child away from cigarette smoke.

Consult your Pediatrician immediately, if the child:

• Passes out or if the child's lips turn blue.
• Could have something caught in his or her windpipe.

Consult your Pediatrician if the child:

• Is less than 1 month old and has cough or croup symptoms
• Is breathing very fast or having trouble breathing (even after his or her nose is cleared).
• Coughs up blood.
• Has a cough for more than 72 hours and is not getting better.
• Nonstop cough for more than one hour.
• Vomits more than three times in 1 day because of coughing.

Ear ache

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• Ear pain.
• Ringing in ears
• Trouble hearing
• Headache
• Runny nose
• Fever
• Tugging on ears (for children who can't yet talk).

Home care

• To help ease pain, give the child acetaminophen
• Hold a warm cloth on the ear to help ease pain.
• Give the child plenty of fluids.
• Encourage the child to rest until he or she is well.

Consult your Pediatrician if the child:

• Has a stiff neck.
• Has an earache for more than 2 hours.
• Has drainage from an ear.

Prevention

• Feed babies upright. Don't let a baby fall asleep with a bottle in his or her mouth.
• Teach children to blow their noses gently with their mouths open.
• Keep children away from cigarette smoke.

Constipation

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Symptoms

• Discomfort while passing stools
• Difficulty in passing stools due to dry hard stools

Home care

• Give the child plenty of water, juice, fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread & salad.
• Give the child less dairy foods.
• Don't give the child bananas, rice or rice cereal.
• Encourage your child to be active.

Consult your Pediatrician if the child:

• Is in extreme pain or has been in constant pain for 4 hours or more.
• Does not have a bowel movement within 3 days after starting Homecare.
• Has anal sores that bleed or are deep and won't heal.

Prevention

• Feed babies upright. Don't let a baby fall asleep with a bottle in his or her mouth.
• Teach children to blow their noses gently with their mouths open.
• Keep children away from cigarette smoke.
• Leaks liquid stool in between infrequent hard, dry stools.
• Has cramps or pain repeatedly.
• Is often constipated.

Prevention

• Make sure the child eats high-fiber foods and drinks plenty of water.
• Teach the child to move his or her bowels regularly.