A fever is one of the biggest concerns that parents have when it comes to their infant or child. We understand that a fever can sometimes be considered an emergency and you’ll need prompt medical attention. Of course, the good news is that often a fever will improve on its own. Know when your child’s fever warrants seeing their pediatrician for care.What is considered a fever?
A healthy body temperature is 98.6 F; however, many things can elevate a person’s temperature including intense exercise, so not all temperature fluctuations mean that your child is sick; however, an illness or infection can certainly shift your body’s temperature as it works to fight off the bacteria or virus.
What can cause a fever?
There are quite a few reasons why your child might be dealing with a fever. Some common causes include:
- Viral infections (e.g. cold; flu)
- Bacterial infections
- Severe sunburns
- Heat exhaustion or heat stroke
- Inflammatory health problems
- Side effects of certain medications
A fever that develops in an infant (babies under 3 months old) is often a far more serious matter than fevers in children. If your infant develops a fever of 100.4 F or over, it’s highly recommended that you bring them to your pediatrician right away for care.
When to seek medical attention for your child’s fever?
By the age of 3 years old, most children will have developed at least one fever. While some fevers won’t be anything to worry about and will go away on their own, it is important to know when your child’s fever requires medical attention. You should call your pediatrician if:
- Your child’s fever persists for more than 5 days
- The fever is over 104 F
- Your child has symptoms of dehydrated
- Medications aren’t helping to reduce their fever
As any parent knows, keeping your children healthy and safe is of utmost importance. For this reason, it is essential to maintain regular visits to your child's pediatrician to properly maintain their growth and development, as well as ensure their long-term health. If you need a pediatrician in Kissimmee, St. Cloud, or Orlando, FL, consider the offices of Pediatrics of Central Florida.
Answering Questions
With routine visits to the pediatrician, you as the parent will have more opportunities to have questions answered related to your child's growth and development. If you are a new parent, you may especially benefit from having regular access to a pediatrician for questions about your growing child. In this way, a pediatrician can be a great resource throughout the journey of parenthood. Working together with your pediatrician to answer questions can provide a team-based approach to care, tackling any issues early for the best possible outcomes.
Monitoring Health
Perhaps the greatest benefit to regular visits to your pediatrician is to properly monitor your child's health as they grow. While an infant may need to see a pediatrician more often, by the time your child is a toddler or around the age of two and a half, they should see their pediatrician on an annual basis. This schedule can help to ensure that your child meets their milestones for growth and development, providing intervention along the way if needed.
Building Trust
One often overlooked benefit of seeing a pediatrician regularly is that it can help your child develop trust with their doctor. Starting with routine visits at an early age can build a foundation of trust with their pediatrician in Kissimmee, St. Cloud, and Orlando, FL. In this way, they feel more comfortable asking questions and taking control of their health decisions as they age.
Pediatricians Near You
If you are looking for a pediatrician in Kissimmee, St. Cloud, or Orlando, FL, consider Pediatrics of Central Florida. With multiple office locations, you may find one convenient for you to maintain your regular pediatric visits. For questions or to make an appointment today, please call the main office in Kissimmee on W. Oak Street at (407) 846-3455, the second Kissimmee office on Cypress Parkway at (407) 933-5985, the Orlando office at (407) 857-2816, or the St. Cloud office at (407) 891-0479.
When bacteria enter the bladder or the kidneys this can result in a urinary tract infection. Unfortunately, UTIs are quite common in infants and kids, so it’s important to recognize the signs and symptoms so that you can turn to your child’s pediatrician for treatment. After all, a urinary tract infection will not get better without treatment.There are Two Main Types of Urinary Tract Infections
Children can develop either an upper or a lower urinary tract infection. An upper infection impacts the bladder while a lower infection impacts the kidneys. Some symptoms may be similar, but there are distinguishable differences between the two. Urinary tract infections can be caused by various bacteria, but seven main types of bacteria are most likely to cause UTIs. The bacteria that accounts for the majority of UTIs in children is E. coli.
Know the Risk Factors for Childhood UTIs
If your child has been on antibiotics for a long period of time, or if they have a weakened immune system, these are factors that could increase their risk for developing a UTI. It’s important to speak with their pediatrician to discuss ways to lessen their risk for these infections, particularly if they are dealing with frequent infections. Sometimes, structural abnormalities within the urinary tract can be to blame for UTIs.
Recognize the Signs and Symptoms
To ensure that your child gets the proper medical attention when necessary, you first need to be able to spot the warning signs of a UTI. It can be a bit more challenging to recognize these symptoms in infants and young children who may not be able to tell you the symptoms and issues they are experiencing. UTIs in babies may cause:
- Abdominal pain
- Strong-smelling urine
- Fever
- Increased irritability
- Weight loss
- Decreased appetite (fewer feedings)
- Exhaustion
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- An increased urgency or need to go to the bathroom
- Pain with urination
- Wetting the bed
- Strong-smelling urine
- Fever
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Blood in the urine
- Lower back pain (more common in lower urinary tract infections)
It’s not typically common for infants to have issues with constipation; however, sometimes it happens. While many babies won’t deal with constipation they may have irregular bowel movements as their bodies naturally try to adjust to a set schedule. If you are concerned it’s always best to talk with your child’s pediatrician. Recognize the real signs of constipation in your infant.Know the Warning Signs
For your child to truly be dealing with constipation, here are some of the warning signs:
- Stools that are hard to pass
- Infrequent stools
- Excessive straining or straining more than normal
- Swollen belly with gas
- Painful stomach cramps
- Stools that resemble small hard pellets, as well as stools that are too soft
- Diarrhea-like stools
For an adult, they may simply take an over-the-counter laxative to help them go, but treating constipation in infants is different. You never want to give them an over-the-counter laxative or suppository unless otherwise told by your pediatrician. If your child is old enough to eat solid or strained foods, you may want to increase their fruits and vegetables to increase fiber intake.
If your infant is too young for strained food, give them just a couple of ounces of prune or apple juice each day to see if that helps soften the stools. If the stools are too loose, lessen the amount of juice you’re giving them.
When to See a Pediatrician
It’s important that you call your pediatrician if you are ever concerned about your infant’s health. No question is a silly one, especially when it comes to your child. You should call your pediatrician if you notice blood in your baby’s stool, if home remedies do not improve their constipation, or if your baby is fussy due to stomach cramping or pain.
If your little one is having trouble going to the bathroom, a pediatrician will be able to provide you with the answers you need, as well as tips for how to best address the issue. A pediatrician is going to be invaluable, especially for new parents, as they navigate parenthood. Talk to your pediatrician today.
Food poisoning isn’t just a problem that impacts adults. It can also affect children, too. While, as a parent, you may be used to dealing with vomiting or diarrhea, food poisoning is a whole new animal. Since children under five don’t have a fully developed immune system they are often most susceptible to food poisoning. When germs or bacteria get into the foods and drinks we consume, these bacteria and germs cause toxins that result in food poisoning.What are the warning signs of food poisoning?
Food poisoning can be confused with other health issues and infections such as the “stomach bug”, so it’s important to recognize the symptoms and to call your child’s pediatrician if you are concerned. How quickly symptoms appear will depend on the germ or bacteria that your child has ingested. Some children may develop symptoms as quickly as 1-2 hours after consuming the contaminated food or beverage, while it may take weeks for symptoms to develop in other children.
The most common symptoms of food poisoning in children include:
- Stomach cramping and pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Malaise
- Fever
- Headache
Some of the bacteria that are most responsible for food poisoning include,
- Salmonella
- Ecoli
- Campylobacter
- Listeria
- Staphylococcus aureus
How is food poisoning treated?
In many cases, food poisoning will simply run its course and your child will feel better after a few days. Make sure that they are resting and staying hydrated. If your child is dealing with a more severe form of food poisoning your pediatrician may prescribe antibiotics. If your child is also showing signs of dehydration, it’s important that you call your pediatrician right away.
If your child is displaying symptoms of food poisoning it’s important that you talk with your pediatrician to find out if your child should come in for a visit. While food poisoning will often just run its course and go away on its own, your child may require antibiotics if they are dealing with a severe bacterial bout of food poisoning.
This website includes materials that are protected by copyright, or other proprietary rights. Transmission or reproduction of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use, as defined in the copyright laws, requires the written permission of the copyright owners.