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

    Pierre Robin sequence

    It is a sequence of symptoms that includes: – Micrognathia: a very small lower jaw – Glossoptosis: downward displacement of the tongue – Cleft palate 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 mouth is a part of the GI tract of the digestive system of the body, a system that includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus. The digestive system is what makes it possible for the body to eat and digest essential nutrients from food. Sometimes symptoms affecting the mouth can be seen with the eye. Although diagnosing a mouth-related symptom may involve different tests and assessments, both subjective and objective. Symptoms relating to the mouth may affect its structure, shape, and/ or function. Some features will affect just the appearance of the mouth while others may affect its ability to function properly as a part of the digestive system.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Plagiocephaly (Flat Head)

    Usually when the back of the head or skull has a flattened appearance. This generally also causes facial asymmetry and may lead to a more prominent front of the head. 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 skull has several crucial functions: it cradles and protects the brain, supports the face, and forms the head. It is a bony structure made up of the mandible and cranium. Symptoms affecting the skull can sometimes be seen with the naked eye, especially if they affect the shape, size, and structure of the head and face. Diagnosing a skull related symptom may involve different tests and assessments, both subjective and objective.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Pointed Chin

    A chin that is protruding or jutting. When the lower part of the face, the chin, tapers more than usual it may be identified as a pointed chin. 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

    Polyphagia (Overeating)

    It is excessive or extreme hunger that does not end after eating. It leads to overeating and excessive consumption of food. Individuals never feel full and feel the need to eat constantly. 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. Symptoms that affect the growth and or weight gain/loss of an individual may also affect the ability of their body to function properly. This might affect their movement, their brain development, and the other organs of their body including the heart. Growth charts help to track a child’s physical development, including weight and height, and flag any issues or concerns. An issue with under or overgrowth may be the result of an underlying medical condition or may trigger a secondary medical problem. In some cases, a physical grown problem may be due to environmental factors, including under or overfeeding. Symptoms relating to physical growth may be many and wide-ranging. They can include a walking delay, issues with speech and language including late talking, trouble socializing with others, or with showing emotion.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Poor Head Control

    Difficulty maintaining correct position of the head while standing or sitting. A child will tend to lack control of their neck muscles causing their head to drop. 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 muscular system contains three muscle types: cardiac, smooth and skeletal. The muscular system affects multiple parts and functions of the body including: movement, balance, stability and posture, circulation, respiration, digestion, urination and childbirth. Symptoms affecting the muscles can not for the most part be seen with the naked eye. Diagnosing a muscle related symptom may involve different tests and assessments, both subjective and objective. Symptoms relating to the muscles may affect their function and tone. They may also affect the structure of the muscles, regardless of how big or small (macro and/or microscopically) this change in the structure might be.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Poor Suck

    A poor suck is an inadequate sucking reflex, resulting in the difficulty of newborns to be breast-fed. While it is possible for premature infants to have poor sucking reflexes, older infants and children should have already developed this reflex. Children with sucking problems that do not gain the reflex itself may be indicating significant neurological or developmental problems.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Postnatal Growth Retardation

    Retardation simply means later or slower growth, development that is held back in some way. Although it is a word that is seldom used today with reference to mental development, in this case it refers to the physical growth of a child after birth. When looking at slowed or delayed growth in children, the best reference is a general comparison by percentile (the curve of averages) for the child’s age and sex. Postnatal growth retardation is a type of failure to thrive. Failure to thrive (FTT) refers to children who are not gaining weight or growing at the appropriate rate for their age and sex. Children’s growth is charted by percentile, and a child may remain in a lower percentile but nevertheless continue developing at the expected rate, which could simply mean that the child is small but growing well. However, children who drop significantly in percentile rank, or who have a consistently low percentile rank (such as a child with height or weight in the 2nd percentile), should be examined for failure to thrive. Failure to thrive may be organic, caused by a medical problem such as malabsorption or a congenital malfunction in the child’s digestion, or it can be nonorganic, caused by poverty, abuse, neglect, or a parent or caregiver with poor understanding of feeding needs and techniques, or a parent or caregiver with mental illness, as well as other caregiver-child relationship difficulties. Most cases of failure to thrive have a combination of organic and nonorganic causes. Organic FTT may be detected at any age, depending on the disorder that is causing it. Nonorganic FTT will usually be noticeable before the child is one year old, and often by 6 months. Medical problems that can cause failure to thrive can be minor and relatively easy to correct. For example, a cleft lip or cleft palate could cause trouble chewing or swallowing. Some other disorders may also stop the child from absorbing, retaining, or processing the food that they do eat. Infections, tumors, diseases, syndromes or metabolic disorders could also cause FTT. It is rare for FTT to result from inadequate breast milk production or low fat content.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Precocious Puberty

    The onset of secondary sexual characteristics before a normal age. Although it is difficult to define normal age ranges because of the marked variation with which puberty begins in normal children, precocious puberty can be defined as the onset of puberty before the age of 8 years in girls or 9 years in boys.

    Read more
  • Signs & Symptoms

    Prominent Eyelashes (thick eyelashes)

    Eyelashes that appear thicker than normal, and enough to be more prominent in the face. They may be thicker, longer or curl more than usual. 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. Hair is a part of the integumentary system of the body, a system which includes not only hair but also skin and nails too. The integumentary system acts to protect our body from external threats or injury. Generally, symptoms affecting the hair can be seen with the eye. Although diagnosing a hair related symptom may involve different tests and assessments, both subjective and objective. Symptoms relating to the hair affect hair on all parts of the body, including the scalp, torso and face. They may also affect specific features of the face, including the eyebrows and eyelashes. When looking specifically at symptoms relating to the hair, other aspects such as the amount, distribution, thickness, texture and colour should also be taken into consideration.

    Read more
Showing 190 to 198 of 254 results