When the first-born appears for young parents, everything is new: the first smile, the first laugh, the first teething, the first attempt of the baby to pick up a toy. But if the baby has any symptoms of diseases, for example, the mother noticed spots or redness on the body, or the child had a fever, or, even worse, the chin started to shake, then the parents start to have a terrible panic. Inexperienced mothers are ready to raise all the doctors of the city, grandparents, and closest friends to their feet. In some cases, this is really necessary, but most often the panic is unreasonable, and all because of ignorance of the basic subtleties of the development of the child. How to distinguish physiological phenomena (symptoms), natural for children, from cases when urgent medical care is required?
Symptom number 1. A six-month-old baby has a fever
Possible Cause - Teething
Asymptomatic fever is very scary for parents. Outwardly healthy baby begins to temperature. The main reason at this age is teething. At this time, the child may become restless, sleep poorly, be mean and capricious. The kid is constantly pulling everything in his mouth, salivation increases. A slight runny nose, cough, and loose stools may appear. When such symptoms appear, it is necessary to carefully examine the baby's oral cavity. When teething gums whiten and swell, a swelling or small tubercle appears in the area of the anterior incisors.
First aid
If the baby has a temperature above 38 ° C, give the child an antipyretic appropriate for age based on paracetamol or ibuprofen. To be sure, it is best to consult with your pediatrician. Regardless of temperature, give first aid to the baby.Massage the swollen places of the gums with a clean finger (you can buy a special fingertip for massaging the gums), smear with an anesthetic gel for teething. Refrigerate the dummy or teether toy in the refrigerator and give it to the baby. You can also use carrots for these purposes, let the child chew on it. If after the done procedures the baby becomes calmer, then the appearance of the tooth fairy is very close.
We also read: how to relieve teething pain
When to see a doctor
Contact your doctor if your child has the following symptoms:
- The child has weakness;
- The baby feels more than three days;
- The temperature rises to 39 ° C and higher, normalizes and rises again in a day or two.
Perhaps the child is developing a viral or bacterial infection.
- A rash appeared on the baby's body;
- The child has a strong cough and a runny nose;
- The baby vomits and frequent loose stools appear (more than 5 times a day).
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REMEMBER! If the baby is not yet three months old and the temperature has risen above 38 degrees, without hesitation, call a doctor. At this age, the body's resistance is lower and the infection develops rapidly. It’s better to be safe again.
Symptom number 2. Vaginal discharge in a newborn girl
Possible Cause - Natural Sex Crisis
In the girl of the first month of life, mucous discharge from the vagina may appear, sometimes even with blood, a swelling of the mammary glands is observed, yellowish discharge from the nipples appears. Do not panic, this is normal. A hormonal surge occurs, transmitted from the mother. The body is an imbalance of hormones estrogen, which is completely safe.
First aid
In this case, help is not needed, in a few days everything will go away by itself. Follow the hygiene of the genitals, wash the baby after each bowel movement, let the body check without a diaper. Wash the girl correctly, front to back, so as not to introduce infection into the vagina.
When to see a doctor
- Allocations appeared in a girl older than one and a half months;
- Duration more than 5 days. This may indicate a more serious hormonal failure;
- The discharge smells sharply and unpleasantly, has a purulent character and a greenish color. All this is accompanied by reddening of the vagina. Most likely, the inflammatory process has begun.
Symptom number 3. Cramps in a baby at elevated temperature (above 38 ° C)
Possible Cause - Febrile Cramps
Cramp is an unpleasant symptom that terrifies most mothers. A sharp increase in temperature leads to the fact that the child suddenly throws his head back, arms and legs begin to twitch convulsively, the whole body tenses up, his eyes roll up, sometimes there is a delay in breathing, possibly involuntary urination or excrement. The duration of the attack is from several minutes to a quarter of an hour. Convulsions appear against a background of elevated temperature (more than 38 ° C) in children from 6 months. up to 3 years (less than 5 years). A similar symptom occurs in 5% of children and occurs due to malfunctioning of the central nervous system. Doctors call this phenomenon febrile seizures. As a rule, this symptom does not require treatment and will pass when the child grows up.
First aid
When the first symptoms appear, the baby must be put on its side on a hard surface. Lower your chin down so that the baby does not choke when saliva or vomiting is released. Remove nearby objects that may damage the baby. During an attack, do not give your child a drink and do not need to hold him in his arms. When the condition returns to normal, give an antipyretic.
When to see a doctor
- For the first time, convulsions occurred at the age of a child older than 5 years;
- The attack lasts more than 5 minutes;
- Seizures occurred without fever.
- There was a short stop in breathing;
All this can be a sign of epilepsy. Call an ambulance so that the doctor examines the child.
REMEMBER! After the first attack, be sure to consult a doctor for advice, he will tell you how to prevent an attack in the future. You will also need to consult a neurologist to undergo an examination for epilepsy and prevent this disease.
Symptom number 4. The chin and arms of the newborn are trembling
Possible Cause - Newborn Tremor
In infancy, the nervous system has increased excitability and small trembling of the chin and fingers on the hands and feet is considered the norm. This happens, as a rule, in children of the first month, sometimes it can last up to three months. Trembling begins when the baby is in an excited state, cries, begins to get nervous. Pediatricians call this phenomenon tremor of newborns. The main cause of trembling is problems during pregnancy or childbirth. The cause of tremor may be an intrauterine infection or lack of oxygen.
First aid
Special treatment is not required, the tremor will pass by itself. Provide your child with good care, often walk in the fresh air, do relaxing massage and gymnastics.
When to see a doctor
- The child has reached the age of four months, but the tremor does not stop;
- Not only fingers and chin tremble, but also handles, legs and head. The trembling is very strong;
- There is trembling in a calm state, for no apparent reason.
REMEMBER! All of the above symptoms for seeking medical attention may be prerequisites for a serious neurological disease (for example, encephalopathy) or a shortage of certain substances in the body (for example, calcium or magnesium). To clarify the diagnosis, you may have to do an ultrasound of the brain and take blood and urine for analysis.
Symptom number 5. The vaccination site turns red and swells
Possible Cause - Post-Vaccine Reaction
The introduction of any vaccine causes the immune system to start producing antibodies that kill infected bacteria that enter the body. If you try to figure out what a vaccine is, then the answer is simple. A microscopic portion of pathogenic bacteria is introduced into the child's body, and the body transfers the disease in a very mild form, sometimes completely invisible. Thus, immunity to a specific disease is developed. In most cases, the reaction to the vaccine manifests itself in the form of a rash, redness, a slight increase in temperature, impaired stool, poor appetite, nausea, pain in the abdomen or joints, lethargy or irritability. For each child, this can be completely individual. The most unpleasant consequences are after DTP: the injection site turns red (the spot at the injection site can reach 8 cm in diameter), and the child complains of pain in the vaccination area. In medicine, the reaction to vaccines is called the post-vaccination reaction.
First aid
After vaccination, doctors do not recommend bathing the baby. If the temperature rises, an antipyretic (paracetamol or ibuprofen) should be given. If a rash appears, treat the affected area with an antihistamine ointment. And without panic - usually the “consequences” of the vaccine go away by themselves in 2-3 days.
We also read: fever after vaccination
When to see a doctor
- Fever, rash, disturbance of health are observed for more than three days.
- The child is too lethargic and weak.
- The baby's body temperature is above 39.5 degrees.
- Difficulty breathing and swallowing.
- There is visible redness and swelling of the face and neck.
REMEMBER! The most serious complication during vaccination may be anaphylactic shock, which occurs within half an hour after an injection. Just in case after vaccination do not rush to go far from the clinic, take a walk somewhere nearby.
Symptom number 6. The eyes of the baby scatter in different directions
Possible Cause - Physiological Strabismus
In children up to 3 to 6 months, the eyes can slightly mow. The eye muscles of the newborn baby are weak, and control over them from the side of the brain has not yet been established, as a result of which the eyeballs can move inconsistently. Nothing wrong with that. The child will grow up, the eye muscles will get stronger, and the position of the pupil will normalize. This phenomenon in pediatrics is called physiological strabismus.
First aid
Periodically outweigh the toys above the crib in different directions, so that the baby rotates the pupils in one direction or the other.
When to see a doctor
You should start to worry if this problem persists after six months. The doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment to correct the position of the pupil.
Symptom number 7. Swollen lymph nodes
Possible Cause - Lymphadenopathy on the background of the formation of immunity
The increase in lymph nodes in children under 5 years of age is due to the development of immune cells by the immune system - lymphocytes. The production is due to the acquaintance of the body with new microbes. As a result, lymph nodes in the neck, under the armpits, and groin can become inflamed. In medicine, inflammation of the lymph nodes in a child under 5 years of age is called lymphadenopathy, which occurs against the background of the formation of immunity.
First aid
- Control the appearance of lymph nodes by probing the areas of their possible formation (under the knees, above and under the clavicles, in the folds of the elbows).
- If an increase in lymph nodes is detected, monitor the well-being of the child.
- Do not warm the lymph nodes with warm compresses without the advice of a doctor.
When to see a doctor
- Touching the lymph node, the child feels pain. This indicates inflammation;
- The lymph node increases to the size of a pea of one centimeter or more.
REMEMBER! Enlarged lymph nodes can signal health problems. You may need to take a set of tests and do an ultrasound of the abdominal organs.
P. S. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT: 3 symptoms that cannot be ignored
The following symptoms require immediate medical attention:
- Feeling the back of your head, you feel that your muscles are hard and tense. An incomprehensible rash appeared on the skin, accompanied by a temperature. Similar symptoms occur with meningitis - inflammation of the meninges.
- The so-called "smell of infection" appears. Urine, feces, baby’s breathing, sweat do not smell like always, you feel an unpleasant extraneous pungent smell. It is possible that the baby has poisoning or a latent infection, the metabolism may also be impaired. In any case, only the attending physician can diagnose.
- After an infectious disease, accompanied by vomiting, loose stools, and high fever, the baby's lips and tongue can begin to dry, and her eyes may sink. These are symptoms of dehydration. Immediately begin to give the baby a saline solution of the "Regidron" (Orion) type.
ATTENTION! Do not be afraid to see a doctor
If you are worried about something in the appearance or behavior of the child, do not hesitate to share your concerns with the doctor. Any seemingly trifling problem can be a harbinger of a serious disease. The sooner you detect the disease, the easier it will be to recover. The health of the child is the case when vigilance is not superfluous. This is especially true for children under one year of age, because it is at this age that most congenital disorders are manifested, and infections develop especially rapidly.
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