Signs and Symptoms

Recognizing early indicators for timely intervention.

What Are Signs and Symptoms?

Signs and symptoms are indicators that provide clues about a child’s health, development, or well-being. Signs are objective, observable phenomena such as a rash or fever, while symptoms are subjective experiences reported by the child, like feeling tired or experiencing pain. Understanding and recognizing these indicators is crucial for parents as they often serve as the first hint that something might be amiss. Early identification of signs and symptoms can lead to prompt medical evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention, ultimately improving outcomes for the child. Parents should be observant and note any new or unusual signs and symptoms, as these can provide valuable information to healthcare providers.

Common Signs and Symptoms in Children

Children can exhibit a wide range of signs and symptoms as they grow and develop. Common signs include physical changes like unexpected weight loss, difficulty breathing, or skin rashes. Typical symptoms might involve behavioral changes such as increased irritability, difficulty sleeping, or sudden changes in appetite. Additionally, cognitive and emotional signs, such as difficulty concentrating, frequent outbursts, or unusual fears, can indicate underlying issues. It’s important to differentiate between normal developmental variations and signs that may suggest a concern. Keeping a record of when signs and symptoms first appeared, their frequency, and any associated triggers can help healthcare providers in making accurate assessments and recommendations.

When to Seek Professional Help

Parents should seek professional guidance when signs and symptoms persist or worsen, or if they cause significant concern. Indicators that warrant immediate medical attention include severe pain, difficulty breathing, high fever, prolonged vomiting or diarrhea, and any sign of a serious allergic reaction. For more subtle or chronic issues, such as developmental delays, social withdrawal, or consistent academic difficulties, consulting a pediatrician or specialist can provide clarity and direction. Early intervention services, counseling, and specialized therapies are available to address a wide array of concerns, ensuring that children receive the support they need. Building a partnership with healthcare providers and staying informed about your child’s health and development will empower you to act swiftly and effectively when signs and symptoms arise.

Evaluation

Do You Have Concerns About Your Child’s Development?

Complete our online AI-based assessment and receive more information on possible causes and recommendations on how to assist your child.

Start your free evaluation

Search our Resource Center

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Filter by Categories
ACMG
Case Study
Diagnostic odyssey
Events/Conferences
Face2Gene
Geneticist profile
Genomics
Phenotyping
Rare Diseases
Scientific Abstracts
Talks
Technology
Uncategorized
Videos

Articles about Signs and Symptoms

  • Signs & Symptoms

    Abnormal Aggressive, Impulsive or Violent Behavior

    Abnormal aggressive, impulsive or violent behavior can include a variety of behaviors. These behaviors may be unusual for the person exhibiting them, or they may be unusual in general. Aggressive or violent behavior that results from a specific uncommon situation or from some extreme provocation would not be considered medically abnormal, which is not to say that violence is ever acceptable. Certain genetic causes can sometimes contribute to extremely or unusually aggressive, impulsive or violent behavior. However, having this genetic profile will not always lead to this behavior. Other external factors such as a history of abuse or trauma as a child, or exposure to violence in their environment growing up, may predispose individuals to violent, aggressive, or impulsive behavior on an abnormal level. Alcohol and substance abuse will tend to raise the probability of violent, aggressive, and impulsive behavior, with or without any genetic factors taken into account. Some of the subtypes of abnormal aggressive, impulsive or violent behavior include self-injury or self-harming behaviors (also known as auto-aggression), verbal aggression, physical aggression or violence towards objects or people, as well as other types of impulsive behavior.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Abnormal Eating Behavior

    Abnormal eating behaviors, it must be noted, refers here to abnormal eating habits, but does not refer to eating disorders. Eating disorders are psychological disorders characterized by one or more abnormal eating behaviors. Thus, an eating disorder could include multiple abnormal eating behaviors. More information about psychological eating disorders that include abnormal eating behaviors can be found here. Abnormal eating behavior is either excessive or insufficient consumption of food, or any other abnormal pattern of food consumption. Some abnormal eating behaviors include but are not limited to: Pica: Having a desire to eat, and/or eating, non-food substances, such as paint chips, or soap. The specific desire to eat earth-like substances such as clay or chalk is known as geophagia. Generally speaking, an official diagnosis of pica is only given if the behavior has persisted for over a month. Pica is relatively common in pregnant women, and some experts believe it may be related to an instinctive desire to replace missing vitamins in the body. Pica in children may be hidden from adults, but it is completely different from the normal behavior of babies and toddlers putting objects in their mouth as part of exploration. People with pica may develop symptoms such as broken or damaged teeth, stomach pain, blood in the stool, or lead poisoning, depending on what they have eaten or tried to eat. Pica may also be caused by conditions such as autism or intellectual disabilities, mental health conditions including schizophrenia, or malnourishment, specifically iron-deficiency anemia. Pica may also be found in people with cultural backgrounds that consider some nonfood substances as sacred or as healing. Sweet craving: An excessive desire to eat sweet foods. May be related to blood sugar fluctuations. Salt craving: A compelling or excessive desire to eat salt or salty foods. Choking episodes: While eating, coughing, gagging, inability to talk, and difficulty breathing. May be caused by objects or food stuck in the throat. Polyphagia: A neurological anomaly with a tremendous appetite and voracious overeating, an abnormally strong desire or need to eat. Also known as hyperphagia. Bulimia: Binge eating (extreme overeating), followed by self-induced vomiting or other compensatory behavior intended to prevent weight gain (purging, fasting, exercising, or some combination). Oral aversion: Reluctance or refusal of a child to eat, or of an infant to be breastfed. Gagging, vomiting, turning head away from food, or avoidance of sensation in or around the mouth (such as toothbrushing or face-washing).

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Abnormal Elasticity of Skin

    Abnormal elasticity of skin may refer to skin which has an abnormal increase or reduction in its elasticity. This means skin that stretches more than it should, or skin that stretches less than it should.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Abnormal Emotion/Affect Behavior

    Affect refers to the emotions expressed outwardly by a person, in a way that may be seen and understood by others to be either appropriate or inappropriate to the situation. While internal emotions may be intense, they are not always visible to onlookers. Thus, abnormal emotion can only be described in relation to its outward expression. This could include facial grimaces or smiles, gestures, vocal sounds, words, or other physical forms of expression. All emotions are normal when they are situationally appropriate. Tremendous emotion and emotional expression can be expected during crisis, tragedy, or celebratory events. Shouting, crying, laughing, etc. can all be appropriate in the right time and place. Some unusual emotional behaviors may appear when a person is tired, or hungry, in pain, under stress, or pregnant, or otherwise affected by physical factors that can cause tension, difficulty, or distress.. Abnormal emotion/affect is a bit more than unusual or intense expressive behavior, and will seem either out of place, strange, or just wrong under the circumstances. For example, inappropriate affect could include smiling during a tragedy, laughing suddenly with no obvious reason, or bursting into tears with no clear cause. Some types of abnormal emotion/affect behavior include, but are not limited to: Abnormal aggressive, impulsive or violent behavior Low or lowered motivation Emotional blunting or numbness Emotional insecurity Euphoria: extreme happiness or delight Tearfulness Emotional hypersensitivity Mood changes, mood swings Happy demeanor: Persistent and conspicuous smiling and laughing unrelated to the situation Unhappy demeanor: A conspicuously unhappy disposition characterized by negative assumptions, self-defeating talk, fear of failure, and negative ruminations about past events. Low tolerance for frustration Suicidal ideation Conspicuously happy disposition: Unusually happy demeanor over long periods of time. Noticeable expression of happiness (smiling, laughing, etc) during inappropriate situations that should ordinarily be causing distress, fear or anger. Mood swings Irritability

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Abnormal Facial Shape

    A face with an abnormal form and or features of the face. This might present as an unusual shape or appearance. Symptoms may affect multiple parts of the body. Understanding which part of the body a symptom affects, can help us to better understand the potential underlying causes of a symptom, including a rare disease or genetic syndrome. The face contains the nose, eyes and mouth, all of which are sensory organs. The face also displays emotions and feelings and plays a crucial role in communication. The face runs from the forehead at the top, to the chin at the bottom and encompasses everything in between. Symptoms affecting the face can for the most part be seen with the naked eye. Although diagnosing a face related symptom may involve different tests and assessments, both subjective and objective. Symptoms relating to the face may affect its structure, shape and/ or function. Some features will affect just the appearance of the face while others may affect its ability to express emotions and to communicate non-verbally.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Abnormal Fear/Anxiety-related Behavior

    Anxiety and fear are related emotions with quite a lot of overlap. There are a few differences between fear and anxiety. Fear is considered a primary emotion, while anxiety is thought of as a secondary emotion, more related to the avoidance of fear or of things that could produce fear. Primary emotions are ordinarily recognizable through facial expression, are easily understood by an onlooker, and exist across a variety of cultures. Primary emotions include happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise and disgust. Secondary emotions such as anxiety may not be easily seen or understood by an outside observer. These types of emotions are considered internal and may remain private if no outward signs are shown. Fear and anxiety are also differentiated from each other by the time in which they occur. Fear is a response to a current, present danger: now. Anxiety is most often a worry about something threatening or concerning that may happen at some future time. Anxiety is a state where people feel they are getting ready or preparing for a harmful happening in the future that they hope to prevent or get through safely. Anxiety and fear can be helpful in some cases. When presented with an angry tiger outside of a zoo, fear is an entirely reasonable and useful emotion. When preparing to undergo a dangerous journey or to take a difficult test, anxiety is also normal and in fact necessary. Fear and anxiety help us survive. Abnormal fear and anxiety related behavior is a state of fear or anxiety that is not situationally appropriate and not the ordinary useful response. Abnormal fear and anxiety last too long, or are constant. Some common types of abnormal fear and anxiety related behavior include, but are not limited to: Anxiety: Intense feelings of worry, nervousness, tenseness, or panic, often in reaction to interpersonal stresses; worry about the negative effects of past unpleasant experiences and future negative possibilities; feeling fearful, apprehensive, or threatened by uncertainty; fears of falling apart or losing control. Episodic paroxysmal anxiety refers to recurrent attacks of severe anxiety, whose occurrence is not restricted to any particular situation or set of circumstances and is therefore unpredictable. An anxiety attack may show up with one or more of these symptoms: Trouble breathing Palpitations A feeling of unreality Pain or tightness in the chest Trembling, shaking, dizziness or feeling unsteady Sweating Feeling faint Fear of dying A feeling of losing control Tingling in hands and feet Choking or smothering feelings Agoraphobia: Characterized by avoidance of public places, especially where crowds gather. Claustrophobia: An abnormal fear of being in a closed or narrow space with no escape. Panic attack: A sudden episode of intense fear in a situation where there is no danger or apparent reason to be afraid. The panic attack is accompanied by symptoms such as palpitations, sweating and chills or hot flushes. There may be a sensation of being out of breath, chest pain, or abdominal distress. Some individuals with panic attacks may experience depersonalization, a fear of going crazy, or a fear of dying.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Abnormal Heart Morphology

    It is any defect in the anatomy of the heart. It may be congenital, and manifest at birth. Examples of congenital heart defects include atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, aortic coarctation. Symptoms may affect multiple parts of the body. Understanding which part of the body a symptom affects, can help us to better understand the potential underlying causes of a symptom, including a rare disease or genetic syndrome. The heart is a part of the cardiovascular system of the body, also known as the circulatory system. It includes not only the heart but the veins, arteries, capillaries and blood which make the system work. The cardiovascular system distributes essential nutrients as well as oxygen, carbon dioxide, hormones and blood cells around the body in order to ensure its growth and survival. Symptoms affecting the heart may be congenital, present at birth, or they may develop later in life. Often they will require surgery to correct them. Symptoms relating to the heart may affect the structure of this crucial organ, and/or its function. They may also affect any of the other parts of the cardiovascular system, including the veins and arteries.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Abnormal Saccadic Eye Movements

    Saccades are naturally quick, jerky eye movements, voluntary or involuntary, as the eyes simultaneously refix their focus from one point to another. Unusual or abnormal saccadic eye movements may include especially jerky or fluttery eye movements, rhythmic or arrhythmic eye movements, eyes moving very quickly to a second point and back to the first (oscillation), chaotic eye movement, quick repetitive saccades, an agitated appearance to the eye movements, horizontal (left-right) or vertical (up and down) involuntary eye motion, and will sometimes include head nodding that may be instinctive compensation for the involuntary eye movements.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Abnormality of Eye Movement

    Abnormality of eye movement refers to any abnormal eye movement. It can refer to voluntary or involuntary eye movements, including those within or out of an individual’s control. This might include rapid, involuntary movements of the eye, or it might include fluttering or bobbing of the eyes.

    Read more
Showing 1 to 9 of 254 results