There are many conditions and a variety of symptoms your child can experience. As a parent, you don’t want your child to feel sick or hurt, but it can be confusing to pinpoint what is affecting them. It is helpful to know some common conditions children can get and how a pediatrician can treat them.
1. Sore Throat
This is a common symptom in children of all ages and can be attributed to many conditions. The most common reasons your child may have a sore throat include a virus or strep throat. If this painful symptom is caused by a virus, you can only treat the pain and irritation. In the case of bacterial infections like strep throat, antibiotics can help.
If you think your child might have strep throat, take them to the pediatrician as soon as possible. They will perform a quick in-office swab test or lab test to determine if they have strep throat or something else. If the test is positive, your child will need to take a full course of antibiotics, even if their symptoms improve.
2. Ear Pain
There are many conditions that can cause ear pain in children, including swimmer’s ear, a sinus infection, ear infections, and tooth pain. The pediatrician can inspect your child’s ears to see what is causing them pain. If it is something associated with other symptoms like a sore throat or fever, they may prescribe an antibiotic. For middle-ear infections, your child may need to take amoxicillin if they are not allergic and if infections aren’t recurring. Keep in mind that if the ear pain is caused by a virus, antibiotics will not help.
3. Bronchitis and Bronchiolitis
Both of these conditions affect the lungs. Bronchitis and chronic bronchitis affect the more central, larger areas of the lungs and are typically seen in adults. If your child does get a chest virus, it should not require antibiotics.
Bronchiolitis is more common in children and is most often associated with wheezing. Like bronchitis, this condition doesn’t require antibiotic treatment. The most you can do is keep your child comfortable and treat the symptoms. Make sure to watch for difficulty breathing, eating, and dehydration, which can all be dangerous symptoms. Premature children and those with asthma may need different treatments.
4. Bacterial Sinusitis
This condition is associated with cold symptoms like daytime cough and nasal drainage. If the mucus is thick and yellow or your child has a fever for three or four days, your child may need antibiotics.
5. The Common Cold
Colds are common in people of all ages and are caused by a virus in the upper respiratory tract. It is not uncommon for younger children to get six to eight colds each year. Congestion, coughs, and a runny nose can last for up to ten days.
A cold can become dangerous if your child has a sinus infection. Green mucus doesn’t mean your child needs antibiotics, but it is best to take them to the pediatrician to be sure.
6. Coughs
Viruses are one of the most common causes of coughs. This means that antibiotics will not help if the culprit of their cough is from a viral infection. Cough medicine can be given to children over six, but should not be given to younger kids without a doctor’s recommendation.
7. Urinary tract infections
These are also known as bladder infections or UTIs and they don’t just happen to adults. Symptoms include frequent urination, a burning sensation, bedwetting, and pain in the abdomen and back. The pediatrician will need a urine sample to determine if a UTI is the cause of your child’s discomfort. This will also help them figure out what type of bacteria is causing the infection and what treatment is needed.
8. Skin infections
If you think your child has a skin infection, their pediatrician can perform a culture or swab test to find out why. Be sure to let them know if your child has a history of or possible exposure to resistant bacteria like staph infection or MRSA.
9. General aches and Pains
Children are resilient, but they can feel general aches and pains just like adults. These include sore muscles, bruises, sprained ankles, ear pain, and sore throats. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are safe to give to children depending on what their pediatrician says about the dosage. Narcotic pain medicines should never be given to kids.
Do you need a reliable pediatrician in Amarillo, Texas?
A pediatrician can help diagnose and treat your child if they have any of the above symptoms or conditions. Dr. John Young and his caring team have the experience and knowledge to give you and your child the best possible clinical experience. Give us a call at (806) 354-0404 ext. 3330 or Send Us an Email to learn more about our Services. You can also visit our offices in person at 1500 S. Coulter St., Suite #3 in Amarillo.
