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.

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Articles about Signs and Symptoms

  • Signs & Symptoms

    Hyporeflexia

    Hyporeflexia is a reduced intensity of the reflex response in the muscle tendons of the body. This response is typically familiar to people as the “knee-jerk” reflex, tested by doctors with a tap on the knee. Areflexia is an absolute lack of response to muscle stimuli. Sensory signals invoking some motor response are sensorimotor arcs known as reflexes. Simple reflexes may be a direct (monosynaptic) synapse between sensory fiber and the receiving motor neuron. More complex (polysynaptic) reflexes can involve a chain of several synapses. A defect anywhere along the line of synaptic handover can result in hyporeflexia or areflexia.

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  • Signs & Symptoms

    Hypospadias

    It is when the opening of the urethra is located under the penis as opposed to on the tip, where it is typically located. This opening on the underside may be found near the tip of the penis (most likely) or at the base (less common). This may lead the penis to curve down in infancy and surgery is often required to correct it.

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  • Signs & Symptoms

    Hypotonia

    Hypotonia, or low muscle tone as it is often known, reduces the strength and tone of the muscle. This in turn impacts on the movement ability, the physical strength and flexibility of an individual with the symptom . In babies it may present as floppy baby syndrome and is usually detected at birth or soon after. Hypotonia may be the result of a genetic syndrome. It may also be caused by damage to the brain, spine or any of the nerves and muscles of the body. Ongoing research into the symptom suggests it may also be caused by environmental factors in a number of cases.

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  • Signs & Symptoms

    Immunodeficiency

    Immunodeficiency is the failure of the immune system to defend the body and protect it adequately from infection, due to the absence, malfunctioning or insufficiency of some component, process, or substance. Immunodeficiency, or immunodeficiency disorders, can be primary, (congenital), or acquired. Immunodeficiency lowers the guard of the immune system, weakening the body’s defenses and allowing infections as well as other health troubles easier access to all its systems. For people born with immunodeficiency disorders, their bodies are genetically missing some immune defenses, or their immune system is not fully functional. This can present in a mild way that may even go unnoticed until there is a flare-up of some kind, or in more severe cases, can be detected in babies shortly after they are born. Symptoms can range from a tendency to colds, earaches, and congestion, or a higher incidence of warts and eczema, to the risk of rare cancers, hemorrhage, and other serious illness. Immunodeficiency can also be acquired. The most well-known acquired immunodeficiency disorder is HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) / AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). The most common causes of immunodeficiency worldwide are HIV, malnutrition, and unsanitary conditions. However, about one in 500 patients has an innate or primary immunodeficiency. Some of the autoimmune disorders that weaken the immune system include rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), and psoriasis. Certain autoimmune disorders cause the body to attack itself. These conditions can also cause the immune system itself to be less effective, which results in immunodeficiency. Many causes of immunodeficiency are acquired, as the result of another condition. These acquired immunodeficiencies are most commonly linked to malnutrition, stress following surgery, diabetes, cancer of the lymph nodes, anesthesia influences, or chronic viral infections. When these conditions cause an acquired immunodeficiency, the first step is to seek treatment for the condition that caused the immune disorder. Then it is possible to treat the immunodeficiency to make sure that your body is able to fight off infections and viruses.

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  • Signs & Symptoms

    Impaired Pain Sensation

    Impaired pain sensation means an individual has a reduced ability to feel pain, or other sensory stimulation. This may range from feeling nothing, when others would feel pain or sensation, to feeling some sensation – usually numbness or similar. It can often refer to an inability to respond to, or feel, different temperatures whether hot or cold. For example, not responding to the touch of boiling water, or ice water. This can be dangerous, as it makes it difficult for individuals with impaired pain sensation to understand what not to touch, and in some cases may cause repeated injury. This is especially true in children with impaired pain sensation.

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  • Signs & Symptoms

    Inability to Walk

    Non-ambulatory, or the inability to walk, is due to lack of or loss of control in the legs, weakness in involved and related muscles, lack of balance, numbness, freezing or absence of movement, slow movement, tremors, clumsiness, stumbling and falling, and exercise-related fatigue.

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  • Signs & Symptoms

    Inappropriate Behavior

    Sometimes referred to as problem behaviour this may cover a wide range of behaviors: excessive talking, behavior prompted by anger, the hoarding of useless objects, self-injury. Problem behavior is not byself indicative of a feature, but behavior that is consistent and consistently unacceptable or severe in its manifestation may be defined as inappropriate behavior.

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  • Signs & Symptoms

    Incoordination

    Incoordination can include poor coordination, poor hand-eye coordination, functional motor deficit including frequent falls, and clumsiness, or a lack of physical coordination resulting in an abnormal tendency to drop items or bump into objects. Incoordination is the inability to perform, in adequate form, voluntary precise movements.

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  • Signs & Symptoms

    Infantile Axial Hypotonia

    It is very low muscle tone, affecting the trunk of the body, with onset in infancy or at birth. In extreme cases this low muscle tone may impact on the ability of an infant to breathe without difficulties, and on their ability to feed.

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Showing 127 to 135 of 254 results