Classic Pediatric Symptoms

Symptoms of Childhood Illnesses

Often, when your child is sick, he will have vague symptoms, like a fever, cough, or diarrhea, and he will get diagnosed with a simple viral infection.

There are many symptoms, and patterns of symptoms, that are very distinctive for specific childhood illnesses and should make it easy for you and your pediatrician to recognize when your child is sick with one of them, including:

• seal bark cough = croup
  
  
• fever followed by a rash = roseola
  
  
• projectile vomiting = pyloric stenosis
  
  
• bilious (dark green) vomiting = intestinal obstruction or blockage
  
  
• slapped cheeks (red rash) = Fifth disease
  
  
• honey colored crusted rash = impetigo
  
  
• currant jelly stools (red mucousy stools) = intussusception
  
  
• a young child not moving his arm and holding it close to his abdomen after it has been pulled = nursemaid's elbow
  
  
• sandpaper rash = scarlet fever
  
  
• polyuria (urinating a lot), polydipsia (drinking a lot), and weight loss = diabetes mellitus

Of course, your child won't always have one of these conditions when he has these symptoms, but learning about these symptoms and conditions can help you recognize when he might and help you to avoid treatment delays.