The signs and symptoms of infection that are listed here should be brought to your doctor's attention. Of course, whenever your child has a symptom that concerns you, you should not hesitate to call your doctor, whether or not the symptom appears on this list. 
Although some symptoms of illness differ depending on a child's age, some are the same for all children.

For any child, infant to adolescent, call your doctor if you observe any of the following:

• High fever (The level of fever that is considered significant depends on the age of the child, the illness, and whether the child has other symptoms with the fever)
• Chills that make the child shake all over
• Loss of consciousness
• Extreme sleepiness or unexplained lethargy
• Unusual excitement or hysterical crying
• Sudden weakness or paralysis of any part of the body
• Seizures (convulsions) or uncontrollable shaking of an arm or leg
• Severe headache
• Pain, heaviness, or stuffiness around the nose, eyes, or forehead
• Nasal fluid that is discolored, bad-smelling, or bloody
• Sudden hearing loss
• Earache
• Fluid discharge from the ear
• Sudden decrease in vision
• Eyes that are red, swollen, and watery, with or without blurred vision
• Eyes that are extremely sensitive to light, especially if your child also has a fever, headache, or stiff neck
• A yellow color in the whites of the eyes or in the skin, especially with pain in the abdomen and/or dark or tea-colored urine
• Stiffness or pain in the neck, especially with fever or headache
• Severe sore throat, especially with trouble swallowing or speaking
• Uncontrolled drooling because of painful swallowing
• Difficulty breathing, especially with pale or bluish color of the lips or nails
• Unusually rapid breathing
• Severe or persistent cough, especially if it brings up bloody or discolored mucus
• Vomiting for 12 hours or more
• Vomiting of blood
• Intense or unusual abdominal pain
• Swollen or abnormally large abdomen
• Diarrhea that is streaked with blood or mucus
• Pain in the middle of the back, especially with fever or with discomfort while urinating
• Painful or unusually frequent urination
• Urine that is discolored, bloody, cloudy, or has an unusual smell
• Discharge from the penis
• Vaginal discharge that is thick and white, brown or discolored, or smells bad
• Pain, redness, or swelling of a joint that can't be explained by exercise or injury
• A cut or scrape that oozes pus or becomes hot, red, tender, or swollen
• A sudden rash, or sudden crop of blotches or blisters, especially over a large area of the body 



Special Signs and Symptoms - birth to 1 month old

• Fever (rectal temperature of 100.4ºF should prompt a call to the doctor)
• Baby suddenly becomes "floppy" - loses muscle tone all over
• One or both eyes are pink, bloodshot, have a sticky white discharge, or eyelashes that stick together
• Diarrhea in newborns - more than six to eight watery stools per day (breast-fed newborns often have more loose stools than formula-fed babies; check with your doctor for guidance)
• Redness or tenderness around the navel area
• White patches in the mouth 

Nose blocked by mucus so baby can't breathe while feeding
• Forceful vomiting
• Vomiting that lasts for 12 hours or more
• Vomiting with fever and/or diarrhea
• Baby stops feeding normally
• Crying for an abnormally long time



Special Signs and Symptoms - 1 month to 1 year

• Fever (rectal temperature 100.4ºF in infants younger than 3 months, 101ºF in infants ages 3 to 6 months, and 104ºF in a child 6 months or older should prompt a call to the doctor)
• Baby refuses to eat and misses several feedings
• Baby is unusually cranky and irritable or unusually sleepy

Professional Health Care is Essential

• Getting regular check-ups for your children ensures that they'll stay healthy and happy! Your family doctor or family physician can help. Bestcare Family Medical Center in Garland Texas is committed to providing your whole family with the best medical care and urgent care. We're easy to find... our medical offices are located in Garland Tx. We also serve Dallas, Mesquite, Richardson, Rowlett, Rockwall, Wylie, Sachse and surrounding communities. Call BestCare at 972-240-1789 to schedule an appointment today...we also accept walk-ins.