Danger warning signs in children

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Master, Doctor Truong Thanh Tam - Pediatrician at the Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
When young children have health problems, it is often difficult to express in words or actions, especially with babies. However, parents can recognize abnormalities through danger signs in their children. When a child has one of the following signs, it is necessary to immediately take the child to a medical facility for timely examination and treatment.

1. Danger signs in babies

Jaundice : yellowing of the baby's skin and irises, this occurs when a substance called bilirubin builds up in the blood, most newborns develop jaundice on the 2nd or 3rd day after birth, and It disappears on its own after about 10 days in term infants and 14 days in preterm infants . Jaundice is not a serious problem, but if the level of bilirubin in the blood is too high or the jaundice persists, it can become dangerous and cause neurotoxicity. Cyanosis: a bluish-purple skin often seen around a baby's lips, chest, and abdomen, the bluish-purple color indicates that the baby's blood oxygen level may be too low. Cyanosis means the baby is having breathing problems, respiratory distress or heart disease Red, sweaty navel : A healthy baby will drop the umbilicus after about 5-10 days from birth, if the navel is visible If the baby has a bad smell, is red and swollen, parents should not self-medicate, but need to immediately take the child to the doctor. Children vomiting a lot, abdominal bloating Red eyes swollen Fever or hypothermia: children with high fever can lead to convulsions, affecting their lives, so parents need to give children antipyretic drugs and take the child to see a doctor to determine cause of fever. Convulsions: Convulsions in infants are usually subtle, may be only mild abnormal movements of the facial muscles, slight tremors in the extremities. Abnormal breathing Indrawn thoracic breath: is an abnormal breathing with each breath the intercostal muscles are pulled back A groan is a short breath, emitted when the baby exhales, can be heard when we bring our ears close into the child's mouth. This breathing sound is common in infants with severe pneumonia. At that time, the child's lungs often tend to collapse, to prevent atelectasis, the child tries to retain more air by closing the epiglottis at the end of expiration. Apnea is a condition in which an infant stops breathing for 15 to 20 seconds, then resumes breathing.

2. Danger signs in young children

Child convulsion: If a t-febrile seizure is considered a benign seizure, it is usually brief, lasting about 2 minutes and then spontaneously resolved. After the seizure, the child was awake and alert and did not leave any sequelae. In addition to febrile convulsions, about 20% of cases of child convulsions without fever are often related to infectious and infectious diseases of the central nervous system. If the child has a febrile convulsion, the parents should immediately reduce the fever with an rectal suppository, and wipe themselves with warm water. After the fever is lowered, the child should be placed on a pillow with his head elevated and tilted to one side to allow saliva and mucus in his mouth to flow out to avoid airway obstruction, then take him to the nearest medical facility for emergency treatment. timely. Abnormal breathing Blood in the stool: blood in the stool can be a sign of diseases such as constipation, anal fissures, colon polyps, typhoid fever, enteritis,... Vomiting a lot Children are very thirsty : a child who is constantly thirsty and asks for water can be a sign that the child's body is dehydrated health such as lack of oxygen, dehydration, infection, .. Children with high fever above 39 degrees: Children often have fever due to viral and bacterial infections or when teething. Parents need to give the child fever-reducing medicine and take the child to the doctor if there are still no signs of hypothermia. If the child has a fever and is accompanied by a bruise-like rash or small star-shaped spots, the child should be taken to the hospital immediately because it may be a sign of meningitis, a meningococcal disease. This disease is very life-threatening because of its rapid and severe progression. For children to be healthy and develop well, it is necessary to have a nutritious diet in terms of quantity and quality balance. If children are not provided with adequate and balanced nutrients, it will lead to diseases of excess or lack of nutrients, which adversely affect the comprehensive development of children in terms of physical, mental and motor skills.
Children who do not eat properly are at risk of micro-mineral deficiency causing anorexia, growth retardation, malabsorption,... If they notice the above signs, parents should supplement their children with products. The supplement contains lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to help fully meet the nutritional needs of children. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well.
Parents can learn more:
Signs of zinc deficiency in children
Micronutrient deficiency and failure to gain weight in children
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